Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Stiles.
Hi Leah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief, a military spouse, and the mom of an active-duty sailor, and the military has shaped nearly every chapter of my life. I spent more than 20 years serving in uniform while quietly battling an eating disorder and other mental health challenges, believing I had to stay strong, silent, and mission-ready at all costs. During my career, I came close to losing my life multiple times, not to combat, but to mental health. Those moments fundamentally changed how I understood service, sacrifice, and survival.
On the very day I retired from the Navy in 2021, my husband, who also retired that same day, and I passed our service torch to our son as he stepped into his own naval career. That day, we left Chesapeake, Virginia and relocated to our retirement home in Waterleigh, Winter Garden, Florida. What felt like an ending quickly became a beginning.
After retirement, I could no longer ignore what I had lived through or what I had lost. The military system I loved was not equipped to recognize eating disorders or their deep connection to suicide risk. I founded SEA WAVES to shine a light on these hidden struggles and to build education, awareness, and support for service members, veterans, and military families. While SEA WAVES now serves a national audience, it remains proudly home-based right here in Winter Garden.
This work is deeply personal. I have lost multiple loved ones to suicide, and those losses continue to drive my advocacy for prevention, early intervention, and cultural change. From my home office, I now do the work I once desperately needed, knowing that the conversations we start and the systems we challenge impact not only the military community at large, but my own family as well. My mission is to help create a military culture where mental health is taken seriously, where asking for help is seen as strength, and where no one has to navigate these struggles alone.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but it has been a purposeful one. One of the biggest challenges has been addressing an issue that has long been overlooked within military and veteran systems while building the infrastructure to support real, lasting change. Eating disorders and their connection to suicide risk were not widely recognized in military spaces, which meant early conversations often required education before collaboration could even begin.
From a leadership perspective, building SEA WAVES has involved navigating funding limitations, scaling responsibly, and earning trust across multiple sectors, military leadership, healthcare, and the nonprofit and corporate spaces. As a founder with lived experience, I’ve had to balance vulnerability with sustainability, ensuring the organization is both mission-driven and operationally sound.
There are also systemic barriers that continue to challenge this work, including gaps in coverage, limited provider training, and the need for stronger cross-sector partnerships. At the same time, those challenges represent opportunity. We are seeing increased readiness among leaders, organizations, and funders who want to be part of solutions that improve health, retention, and overall readiness.
SEA WAVES is building solutions at the intersection of lived experience, military culture, and operational leadership. The challenges along the way have clarified what works, what’s missing, and where collaboration can accelerate impact. We are aligning with partners who believe, as we do, that mental health support should never depend on luck, location, or rank. The goal is simple and unwavering. That no service member, veteran, or military family member ever comes up short when searching for life-saving resources, and that no one has to walk this journey alone.
We’ve been impressed with SEA WAVES, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
SEA WAVES is the nation’s first and only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to addressing eating disorders and related suicide risk within the military community. We serve active-duty service members, veterans, and military families through education, advocacy, prevention, and access to culturally informed resources.
What we are known for is translating an often misunderstood and overlooked issue into language that military leaders, clinicians, and decision-makers can understand and act on. Through initiatives like our MEDAL (Military Eating Disorder Awareness & Literacy) Training, we educate leadership, healthcare providers, and veteran-serving organizations on how eating disorders actually present in military environments, why they are frequently missed, and how early intervention can save lives. Through the Lighthouse Project, we focus on connection, mentorship, and suicide prevention, especially for those who are not yet ready or able to access traditional care.
What sets SEA WAVES apart is both our focus and our position within the broader veteran service landscape. There are more than 72,000 veteran service organizations across the country, yet SEA WAVES is the only one solely dedicated to eating disorders. We fill a critical and long-overlooked gap. We are Pentagon-approved, listed in trusted military and veteran resource databases, and deeply embedded in the communities we serve.
February is Eating Disorder Awareness Month, and this year marks an important milestone for our organization. We are launching an eating disorder screening program designed specifically for the military community, creating an accessible and supportive entry point for early identification and connection to care. Looking ahead, we are also preparing to host our first gala in 2026, a milestone that reflects both the growth of our organization and the community that has rallied behind this mission.
Brand-wise, what I am most proud of is our integrity and trust. SEA WAVES has become a credible and safe space for conversations that are often avoided. We are known for breaking stigma, for centering humanity alongside readiness, and for showing that caring for mental health strengthens, rather than weakens, the force.
What I want readers to know is that SEA WAVES is not just raising awareness. We are building sustainable solutions. Our goal is clear and unwavering. That no service member, veteran, or military family member ever comes up short when searching for life-saving resources, and that no one has to navigate this journey alone.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
SEA WAVES can be found at www.sea-waves.org, where we share education, resources, upcoming trainings, and ways to get involved. The site reflects who we are as an organization. Clear, compassionate, and action-oriented.
I’m also preparing to launch my book, Battle Scars & Body Wars, which brings together my personal story, professional experience, and the broader systemic issues surrounding eating disorders and mental health in the military. The book is meant to be both a mirror for those who feel unseen and a guide for leaders, providers, and families who want to understand and do better.
When it comes to tools that help me do my best work and live well, I’m very intentional. I rely on a mix of leadership, mental health, and mission-driven resources. Books by Brené Brown continue to influence how I think about courageous leadership and vulnerability with boundaries.
On a personal level, I prioritize practices that support sustainability. That includes therapy, peer connection, and creating space for reflection, not just productivity. I believe strongly that leaders who care for themselves lead better, make clearer decisions, and build healthier organizations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sea-waves.org
- Instagram: @seawavesinc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seawavesinc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sea-waves-inc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seawaves7
- Other: https://givebutter.com/bealight77
