Finding True North: A Former Military Lawyer’s Journey to Connect and Empower

Written by Josh Traeger

Fall Issue '24 - Online Shop

“Nobody else is that way,” he shouted as he walked past me heading west near Oahu’s Hanauma Bay. A Hawaiian man—a local—had stopped to warn me of rising tides and unforgiving landscapes along the remainder of my Saturday morning hike. He cautioned me about being by myself and heading for trouble to the east. But for some reason, I kept going. Alone, far from home, with the misplaced feeling of having everything under control.

The week before had been a successful one. I arrived in Hawaii on a Friday and worked long hours over the weekend to prepare for the criminal trial of an American Airman accused of committing troubling acts against a child. As the lead military prosecutor, I came in from my home station in Colorado, leveraged the trial advocacy skills that I had refined over a decade of handling military cases, coached a pre-teen child through emotional testimony, and garnered a criminal conviction and lengthy prison sentence for a dangerous man.

Perhaps that success had gone to my head. The day after the verdict, I felt invincible. So when the kind Hawaiian man warned me of the danger ahead, I carried on. Believing that I could do it by myself.

Minutes later, I was stuck. Alone. On a rocky edge with the Pacific Ocean raging ninety feet below.

In that moment, all I wanted was somebody else. But there was nobody.

A Crisis

These feelings, of incredible highs and harrowing lows, were common for me during my military career. I served for ten years on active duty in the United States Air Force, from 2010 to 2020, culminating with two tours as a senior military prosecutor in Colorado and Washington, D.C. 

That assignment—prosecuting cases all around the world—was the most enriching professional experience of my life. I was given tremendous responsibility, handled momentous cases that garnered international attention, and guided teams of attorneys across the globe. In the six years that I served as a senior prosecutor, I led criminal trials in Korea, Japan, Guam, Alaska, Hawaii, Germany, England, Italy, and twenty-seven American states, and I received multiple Meritorious Service Medals for my dedicated effort.

As we say in the military, I was at the “tip of the spear.”

But the work also took a toll. For the last few years, I primarily handled cases with child victims. All around the world, I would meet kids, sometimes as young as four, who had experienced significant trauma. And while in the job, I averaged between 200 and 250 days per year on the road, with all the unhealthy habits that come with a life of constant travel. Meanwhile, at home, my son was growing up without me, and my wife was working tirelessly to balance it all.

In early 2020, I reached a startling summit. (Please forgive the hiking pun.) Some call it “burnout.” Armchair experts may title it “post-traumatic stress.” My therapist used the term “vicarious trauma.”

None of those labels felt quite right. Truly, it was a combination of emotions. 

I separated from active duty in January 2020, leaving behind a job I deeply loved despite the difficulty of the position. I felt unfulfilled. I returned home to a family that had only really known me one-third of the year. I felt out of place. And I faced a future that was uncertain, disrupted by a generational pandemic, displaced by economic imbalance, and disturbed by a national political reckoning. I felt uncomfortably adrift. All of this even though I was no longer traveling and was spending more time at home and with my family, which was a welcomed change.

These emotions caused me deep personal reflection. I thought about the unhealthy habits I had developed during a life on the road, from insufficient sleep to an excess of alcohol to a constant need to work. I pondered the person I wanted to be, and how I had let that slip away. It is nearly impossible to be emotionally available to your family when you are almost always physically absent. I also considered the way ahead, both personally and professionally, and how I could return to a place of joy and satisfaction. I knew I needed to change.

And I thought about that Saturday morning hike in Hawaii. “Nobody else is that way,” he shouted. Why did I want to go the direction that nobody else was heading? Why was I turning my back on his wisdom? Perhaps most importantly, what would life be like if I went towards others instead of away?

A Community

Then, in the summer of 2022, my wife and I came to Traverse City for a getaway. We walked through our town’s beautiful neighborhoods, heard kids playing in backyards, saw parents lounging on front porches, and shared “hellos” with seemingly everyone that passed us on the sidewalk.

We were enchanted by this place. Yet, we had no idea what we would find here.

But on a whim, we called a realtor and bought a home, in the exact same neighborhood through which we had walked on that summer afternoon. Then, on arrival in October 2022, we started meeting people in this amazing region.

Soon, my important question from before began to develop an answer. I know what life is like with others, because we have found that life here in Northern Michigan. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed, loved, and supported. We felt, for the first time, at home.

Now I recognize that not everyone feels that way here. We are a place of stark differences—of affluence and poverty, of support and limitations, of access and barriers. However, what Northern Michigan has been to me and my family—and what it can be to all of us—is a place of deep-seeded community.

A Calling

When I realized the uniqueness of this place and the exceptional people that inhabit it, I knew I had to become a meaningful part of it all. I had to find a way to use the talents I developed over a career in the military to serve this region, to help its people, and to contribute to its cause. But more importantly, I had to help others learn the lessons I had come to embody along the way.

We live in a time of increasing disconnectedness. National studies tell us that one-in-two adults in America report experiencing loneliness. That condition—feeling alone—generates a mortality impact that is akin to smoking up to fifteen cigarettes a day. And it almost caused me to fall off a cliff.

The statistics get worse when it comes to kids. The National Institutes of Health estimate that, among Gen Z, seventy-three percent reported feeling alone. And although the statistics for Gen Alpha are harder to gather, it is clear that our youngest generation is growing up in a world dominated by technology and social media, with human connectedness precipitously decreasing.

The harmful consequences of a lack of community connection can manifest as depression, anxiety, homelessness, alcohol or drug addiction, violence, or despair.

I cannot say that I have a solution to these problems. I am just a small-town lawyer, after all. But I know that, in some meaningful way, I can help bring awareness to these issues and do business in a manner that helps change our course as a society.

So, in January 2024, I launched True North Legal Group with the vision of creating a community-centered law practice here in Northern Michigan. 

We began with a promise—“Client First but Community Focused.” The first of our founding values at TNLG, it means we always prioritize the needs and wants of our clients. Our primary aim is to help you overcome the legal barriers that may stand in the way of your success. But in helping our clients, we do so with community in mind. We believe that every client’s success can and will contribute to the greater good of our Northern Michigan community.

We are primarily focused on helping small businesses launch and scale, and working with nonprofits that aim to make a difference. We help businesses and organizations through a variety of legal challenges, from trademark applications to contract review to entity management and compliance, and we do so with pricing models that keep costs manageable. We want to be the legal professionals that you call for counsel, anytime and for any reason, without worrying about what the bill will look like next month.

Ultimately, though, we want to connect deeply with people, learn about their stories, and understand what support they need to be successful. Whether small business owners, nonprofit founders, or community leaders, we want our clients to come to us personally for help. And in turn, we offer world-class legal services that allow successful clients to build successful communities.

As I stood on that rocky edge on Oahu’s southern shore, I wanted nothing more than for someone to reach out a hand and help me along the way. I had been alone. Successful, blessed, and decorated—yes. But alone nonetheless.

There are countless members of our community that feel the same way. I am here—and True North Legal Group is here—to offer them a hand. 

We are here to help you climb away from the rising tides, to lead you in a direction of a clearer path, and to find, along with you, everyone else that will join us along the way.

As for you, the reader, all I ask is for you to keep your eyes on the horizon, willing and able to spot that lonely hiker who may seem to be heading in the wrong direction. And when you come upon him or her, offer a smile, a guiding hand, or a kind word.

It may change his or her course for good.

BIO

Josh Traeger is a dynamic entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, and committed community builder, deeply rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to overcome challenges and reach their fullest potential. As a military veteran, dedicated husband, engaged father, and an enthusiastic downhill skier and mountain biker, Josh brings a rich tapestry of experiences to his professional endeavors. Josh is the Founding Attorney of True North Legal Group, a community-centered law practice based in Northern Michigan. His legal enterprise is primarily focused on helping small businesses launch and scale and working with local nonprofits looking to make a difference in our community.

Fall Issue '24 - Online Shop