CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Traditional forms of healing for wounded veterans typically involve therapy or support groups. However, in Jonestown, Texas some are finding peace in an unlikely place. Unlikely, because they are participating in something ancient, raw, physical and about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brett Robinson, the owner of Chili Pepper Forge offers more than just custom made blades, he offers transformation for Texans.
A retired Army First Sergeant and former Blackwater contractor, Brett spent over 20 years in uniform, serving in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. He retired from the 82 Airborne in 2006.
“I tried to be a civilian. Didn’t work out,” Brett laughed. “I ended up contracting with Blackwater for ten years. Spent just over 800 days in Afghanistan. I got hurt over there, and then my wife’s like, ‘You’re kind of done. I don’t want you to go anymore.’ So then I started blacksmithing and knife making.”
That skill eventually grew into Forging Resilience, a grassroots knife-making experience for Purple Heart veterans and wounded police officers. The program, run out of Robinson’s own Chili Pepper Forge, welcomes two participants at a time, small by design, to allow for deep focus, safety, and personal connection.
He said, “They come up here, they’ll stay at the house, we’ll cook for them. So it’s all inclusive. Just bring a toothbrush and some stuff you don’t mind getting dirty.”
Over four days, guests learn the fundamentals of forging. They begin with a 4-inch piece of round bar steel and transform it into a custom knife, drawing out the steel to shape a blade and a handle. They also craft a hand-forged steel rose to take home to their spouse or loved one.
The process is both physical and mental. And it’s intentionally hard.
“It’s a very detailed and hard process,” Brett explains. “It teaches patience, not getting discouraged... I think that’s the biggest thing, persevering over something, especially for them, that they’ve never done.”
From Racing to Resilience: How It Started
The connection to the Coastal Bend came through Ryan Morse, a Purple Heart recipient and adjunct for Military to the Purple Heart Chapter (MOPH) 598. Morse met Robinson over a decade ago, shortly after Morse returned from Afghanistan.
“In order to kind of find a purpose in life, I was hunting and pecking and nothing really fit... through odd happenstance I got linked up with Brett, and he ended up becoming my title sponsor for racing all over Texas.”
As physical limitations made racing harder for Morse, and Robinson’s focus shifted to his forge, a new opportunity emerged.
“We were looking for places to send a veteran where they could do something unique. There’s hunting trips, fishing trips, backpacking trips, but something really unique that we hadn’t heard of before was sending Purple Heart veterans to go make a knife with someone who knew the ins and outs and was already a competent veteran.”
It made sense. Robinson already had the forge, the experience, and the desire to help. Morse and his team at Chapter 598 want the opportunity to expand.
A Different Kind of Therapy
Ryan participated himself, joining a wounded Corpus Christi police officer at the forge. They didn’t know each other, but over the course of four days, they found common ground and real connection.
“We ended up having so much in common outside of our trauma that we ended up becoming really good friends. The bonding was over making these knives and having dinner together and having a couple drinks.”
The emotional weight of the experience was significant for both participants.
“The emotion for me was spending time with someone whose trauma was really fresh and, you know, instantly catastrophic and someone still going through the things that I went through, quite a few years ago.” Morse explained. “Just because the trauma is a little different, it's still the same. And, it doesn't necessarily reopen old scars or rehash wounds or anything like that, but it was certainly, you know, it felt more that we were kind of walking down the same path versus outside looking in, so there was a lot of emotion there.”
The program also offers something practical, razor-sharp focus on something new.
“The individual skills of making a knife were very foreign to me. But having to pay attention to detail and follow every instruction, it gave our brains something new to chew on.” Morse said. “This was no joke. This was not, you know, you just got to show up and say ‘I’m going to pound with with a hammer.’ This was the real deal.”
Purpose, Pride, and Proof
Each finished knife is more than steel and wood, it’s a symbol of grit and transformation.
“It’s just another proof that blood, sweat, and tears create something amazing.” Morse said.
Morse’s sits on his mantle next to a steel rose he made for his wife, and his great-grandfather’s World War I bayonet.
“It’s not something I’m going to use to open cardboard boxes... It’s a special little ‘I made this’ thing. When I see it, I remember the stories, the time spent at Brett and Vera’s, and with the police officer I was partnered with. There are great stories in that knife.”
Sustaining the Fire
MOPH Chapter 598 relies solely on donations to fund the program. Sponsors cover travel, materials, and meals. The results, Morse says, are immediate and visible.
“We run only on donations, but you donate your money and here’s the guy you directly helped. You donate, and the guy comes back with a smile and a new story to tell.” Morse added.
Robinson has also contributed knives to major fundraising raffles at the Texas Purple Heart Convention in Corpus Christi, helping raise substantial funds for the chapter.
One knife, forged from steel taken from a torpedo tube on the USS Texas, became a centerpiece talked about across veteran circles.
“Word got around, people came out of the woodwork. It made the rounds all over every veteran organization I know. It was amazing.” Morse exclaimed.
What Comes Next
For Robinson, Morse and MOPH Chapter 598, the vision is clear:
“We want the future to look exactly like the present... One Purple Heart recipient, one wounded officer. Brett runs the program how he sees fit. And everyone comes back smiling.”
Due to the physical demands of knife making the group is being selective with who can join the program.
They’re looking for Purple Heart recipients who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. Law enforcement officers who were critically wounded, involved in a critical incident, or hit 10 years in law enforcement may also apply.
Click here for information on the application.
Want to Help?
- Donate to Military to the Purple Heart Chapter 598, every dollar directly funds a veteran’s four-day experience at the forge.
- Sponsor a veteran as a business or individual, see the tangible impact of your support.
- Refer eligible veterans (OIF/OEF/OND, Purple Heart recipients) to Chapter 598 to join the program.
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofmann at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
