A children's lobbying group began recruiting American veterans to help federal authorities track down and arrest child predators, the Washington Post reported.
The group, PROTECT, came up with the idea to assist wounded veterans transitioning out of the military and into a different kind of fight.
"They fought on a foreign battlefield to protect our nation. Now an elite corps of warriors is stepping onto the most important battlefield of their lives: hunting child predators and rescuing American children in danger," the organization's website reads.
Before the veterans get assigned to the unpaid, one-year positions in different Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices, they undergo 11 weeks of computer and legal training.
While the children's group doesn't have much to offer financially, many members of the program aren't letting the lack of finances get in the way of the larger purpose.
"I love challenges. And I have a family of my own," said Oskar Zepeda, 29. "I feel I'm still serving my country and protecting my family at the same time."
Shannon Krieger, an Army veteran, shares the same feelings as Zepeda.
"This was a new fight I could sink my teeth into. That's what really I was looking for. I wasn't just going to take a job so I can have a paycheck," she said.
Though the unpaid part is certainly a downside, the Post notes the computer training they receive is an extremely desirable skill in law enforcement positions and could help them attain paying jobs once the one-year internship is completed. Additionally, most of the vets are receiving disability compensation and a monthly stipend from the Department of Veterans Affairs for education.
Krieger added her work so far has already exposed her to "the real dark side of what humankind can do."
"I'm talking about young kids, 18-month olds, toddlers. This is some of the most horrible stuff I could conceive of imagining and I'm looking at it on a daily basis," she said.
