Personal Journeys: At war with peace

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Photos: Sonia Simon returned from service in Iraq, and that was when her troubles began.

Iraqi war veteran Sonia Simon brandishes her Bible (she calls it her sword) in the daily morning prayer session at Every Woman Works, a nonprofit organization in Sandy Springs that helps women hone the skills they need to live an independent life.

Simon shares precious last moments with her son, Michael, before her deployment to Iraq in 2007.

Simon (center) goes through the lunch line with Tillie O'Neal-Kyles (right), founder of Every Woman Works, before a Roswell Rotary Club meeting. Simon spoke to the group about her struggles adapting to civilian life after serving in Iraq and how Every Woman Works helped her stabilize her life.

Before speaking to Sprint's WISE Employee Resource Group, a group of volunteers focused on growth and professional development for women, Simon makes a list of talking points.

Watching the military restore peace in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago as a young child inspired Simon to join the U.S. Army when she was 19. After her service ended, she joined the Army Reserves, which sent her to Iraq.

Simon speaks to the Sprint WISE Employee Resource Group (ERG), a group focused on growth and professional development for women.

Simon (center) was a guest at a Roswell Rotary meeting, where she presented a thank-you plaque to club President Jacque Digieso and and spoke briefly to the group.

The Roswell Rotary sponsored Simon at Every Woman Works.

Simon and her son, Michael, 11, prepare lunch together in their two-bedroom apartment. They are living in transitional housing for women provided by Mary Hall Freedom House, a nonprofit that works to keep families intact during times of turmoil.

In her down time, Simon likes to create wood-burning art, which is both personal and religious in nature. She is also active in her church, Atlanta Metropolitan Christian Church, where she volunteers her time parking cars.

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Iraqi war veteran Sonia Simon brandishes her Bible (she calls it her sword) in the daily morning prayer session at Every Woman Works, a nonprofit organization in Sandy Springs that helps women hone the skills they need to live an independent life.

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