Kira Sonnee spent most of her childhood feeling unworthy of anything good. Her mom was a business owner and often unavailable; her dad was unreliable and difficult to deal with. Kira, an only child, felt alone and misunderstood. “I didn’t feel like I truly belonged anywhere,” she says. By the time she started 8th grade, anxiety, depression, and the death of her beloved dog made Kira feel like she didn’t want to be alive anymore. 

Sergeant Major Mel Hoffman retired from the Army in 2009 after 34 years of service. Like many veterans, he experienced an acute loss of purpose and community. Although he worked full time, he lacked the kind of passion he’d felt while in the military. “I was existing, as opposed to living,” he says.

Neither of them knew it, but Mel and Kira would change each other’s lives for the better.

In honor of National Mentoring Month, we’re highlighting the impactful connections created through Travis Manion Foundation's Character Does Matter (CDM) powered by UA Freedom—a youth mentorship program led by veterans and families of the fallen who volunteer to help develop character and leadership skills in young adults. Grounded in the evidence-based field of positive psychology, CDM uses presentations, activity-based courses, group discussions and small group mentoring to inspire youth to lead with character in and outside of the classroom.

Not only do CDM students benefit from learning important lessons on integrity, perseverance, patience, humor, kindness and more from individuals who are real-life American heroes, the veterans themselves feel a renewed sense of purpose and rediscover a camaraderie that’s difficult to recreate outside of the military. Between 2024 and 2025, 300 veterans trained to become new CDM mentors and 60,000 students participated in the program. Read more about the impact of CDM here. 

When Mel became a Veteran Mentor with TMF, he found his purpose again. “Working with the Pathfinders gives me a reason to get up in the morning and do something for someone else,” he says. “They are the future of America. They’re full of enthusiasm. They have all kinds of positive ideas.” 

He first connected with Kira through the TMF Youth Club he founded at her middle school in River Falls, Wisconsin. As the Veteran Mentor for the Pathfinders, he has had a measurable impact on the many students who’ve participated over the last five years.

“It’s really about them growing and showing off demonstrating their learned skills,” he says. “I genuinely care about them, and I think that’s what most of the kids really need. These kids make you appreciate the fact that there are still plenty of good people in the world, and they’re going to make  a positive impact.”

Kira—who was the 2025 recipient of TMF’s Scott Belveal Memorial Scholarship and will graduate from high school this spring with plans to study zoology in college—credits Mel and the Pathfinders with helping her successfully navigate one of the hardest times of her life. “Because of TMF I have grown so incredibly much as a person,” she says. “Mel is such a role model and truly exemplifies what it means to be an incredible leader. These people and these lessons will stay with me my entire life.”

Kira is just one of thousands of students who’ve experienced the life-changing benefits of Character Does Matter. With one in three youth reporting they do not have a positive mentor in their life, it’s critical to continue creating opportunities where students like Kira can learn the value of character through veteran-led mentorship from Spartans like Mel. To learn more about becoming a Veteran Mentor or how to bring CDM to your school or community, visit the Character Does Matter page.