R4 conference 2017

Annual Conference October 3-6 2017

“Together We Can...”

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 1

Updates from our Chairman/CEO At this time last year I spoke to a prosperity formula that stated that our success over time with be a function of the interaction and relationships between human capital, social capital and real assets. There was also a discussion about that those factors, when put together, forge leverage beyond that which one could perform themselves.

I’m here to report on those prosperity building blocks we have been putting in place.

It goes without saying that one can’t raise capital or sell a concept without first creating awareness. To that end we engaged and received the distribution rights to the movie WWCH that was has shown…. The documentary When War Comes Home has initiated a national campaign to be the catalyst to start a serious and necessary conversation on the mental healthcare of our veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the insidious effects on their families and loved ones.

The film will help advance the reintegration of returning veterans suffering from PTS and TBI into civilian life by promoting awareness, introduction to organizations offering non-traditional therapies and all essential services for a successful transition into civilian life.

WWCH Current and Past Venues for Distribution: • April 2017 Partnership with PsychArmor.

• April 2017 Contract with Kanopy. Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video service for educational institutions that provides 12 million students and faculty with access to more than 26,000 films each year. R4 receives a stipend for the film showing.

• May 2017 Sent to 75 US Army installations under the personal endorsement of LTG Kenneth Dahl • May 2017 Presented to Salute America Vodka as a recipient of their support • May 12, 2017 film received by the largest Army base in Germany • May 18, 2017 new vimeo released • June 13, 2017 Honoring Our Veterans Day at Central Connecticut State University -trailer to be viewed • August 16, 2017 screening at Central Connecticut State University sponsored by Hartford Healthcare • October 2, 2017 screening at the Connecticut’s Governors Horse guard • October 17, 2017 screening at Joint Base Lewis McChord • November 8, 2017 screening at the University of Utah

It also going without saying that one can’t easily raise capital without a succinct, easily told story. To that end, we created a capital campaign concept to be rolled out his fall now that we have secured that marks and the right to the design. The campaign is called Warrior Guardian.

With awareness and capital in place we embarked on a journey to tie members, caregivers and veterans together on a database platform, CCN, and then we are tying those enrolled to a veterans hotline supported by IVMF. We started this program in July with15 pioneers and now we are rolling thought the remainder of the membership, ten originations at a time.

As result of our decision to pull ourselves onto Salesforce and subsequently engage in the rollout of CCN we put off any expansion or our member base. As result we only admitted 6 new members this year, bringing ourselves to 86 of the best in the USA. Looking forward, we foresee the rollout of CCN being fundamental to our becoming integrated and as a community having the opportunity to share resources, uncover best practices and find optimal solutions. We’d become community driven fully integrated veteran resource in the country. We know of other national program (other than the VA) offering such a compressive community product and service offering.

All of us at R4 are proud of we’ve been able to accomplish together and clearly see a bright pathways towards future successes.

• December (TBD) screening at The Jackson Laboratory Genomic Center Farmington Ct in conjunction with the visit from the Honorable Dr. Shulkin and Congresswoman Esty 2

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017

Chip Fisher Chairman/CEO R4 Alliance

WELCOME

R4 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

INSIDE THE PROGRAM 02 Update From Our Chairman 04 R4 Alliance Conference Schedule 06 Speakers & Presenters 12 R4 Members 2017 13 R4 Member Highlights Intro 24 R4 Member “Article” Highlights

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R4 Alliance

2017 Annual Membership & Educational Conference

OCTOBER 3-6, 2017 JAVA, NY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3RD 12:00 PM -

2:00 AM

R4 Board of Directors Meeting

6:00 PM -

7:30 PM

Dinner

2:00 PM − 6:00 PM 7:30 PM -

9:00 PM

Registration

Lakeside Reception Welcome Networking

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4TH 6:00 AM -

8:00 AM

Open Gym/Pool

8:00 AM -

8:45 AM

Breakfast - Welcome to Beaver Hollow

7:00 AM 9:00 AM -

10:00 AM

10:00 AM -

10:15 AM

12:00 PM -

1:00 PM

2:00 PM -

2:15 PM

10:15 AM -

1:00 PM -

2:15 AM -

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8:00 AM

11:45 AM

2:00 PM

3:45 PM

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017

Fitness Class

Keynote Speaker William (Bill) McCormick Former President of American Express Card & Chairman of Fireman's Insurance Co. FITBIT

(90 Min Breakout)) R4 Coordinated Care Network & UniteUS Software Training "Women Veterans: Invisible Warriors" Melissa Washington, Women's Veterans Alliance "How to Become Research Ready: A Guide for R4 Members" Jasmine Townsend, Ph.D.,CTRS and Brent Hawkins, Ph.D., LRT/CTRS Lunch

(60 Min Breakout) "Engaging Your Community" Daniel Morgan, Project Healing Waters "Applied Science: Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence, and PTSD" Dr. William d'Alelio & John Kilmer "The Infamous 990 - Friend or Foe?" Britnee Kinard, SD Gunner FITBIT

(90 min Breakout) R4 Coordinated Care Network & UniteUS Software Training "Training our Veterans to Lead Wilderness Adventures in the Veteran Community" Aaron Leonard, Sierra Club

3:45 PM -

4:00 PM

5:00 PM -

6:00 PM

4:00 PM -

6:00 PM -

5:00 PM

7:00 PM

Break/Healthy Snack

(60 min Breakout) "Our Central Command Post-How to Engage Caregivers in your Program" Jeannette D-Mayer, R4 Alliance "A K-9 Approach to Post-Traumatic Growth" Susan Folk and Adam Campbell, Addies Way Therapeutic Recreation Dinner

THURSDAY OCTOBER 5TH

6:00 AM -

8:00 AM

Open Gym/Pool

8:00 AM -

8:45 AM

Breakfast - R4 Updates

7:00 AM 9:00 AM -

8:00 AM 10:00 AM

10:00 AM -

10:15 AM

11:15 AM -

11:30 AM

10:15 AM 11:30 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM -

11:15 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 6:00 PM

Fitness Class

Keynote Speaker Department of Veteran Affairs Jim Wartski, Veterans Experience Officer, North Atlantic District - Veterans Experience Office FITBIT

"Insights from a Funder" Dr. Margaret Harrell, Bob Woodruff Foundation Break

Exhibitor Introductions Lunch

Exhibits/Demos "Archery for All Abilities" David Lee Unite Us Adaptive Equipment Suppliers Angle Oar Outrider

6:00 PM -

7:00 PM

6:00 AM -

8:00 AM

Open Gym/Pool

8:00 AM -

8:45 AM

Breakfast

7:00 AM 9:00 AM -

8:00 AM 11:30 AM

Dinner

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6TH

Fitness Class

Town Hall Meeting Guest Speaker Membership Updates Q & A with the R4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2018 Conference

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SPEAKERS & PRESENTERS William M. McCormick Bill spent 15 years with American Express, serving as Chief Operating Officer of the International Bank, President of the American Express Card, and Chairman of Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company.

During that time, he served as one of the original directors of the Center for Excellence in Education.

Prior to American Express, Bill’s business experience included management consulting with McKinsey and Company starting their strategic planning work with GE and government reorganization work in Tanzania, East Africa, for founding President, Julius Nyerere, and subsequently as an investment banker with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.

Post American Express and Fireman’s Fund, he was a partner in Inverness Management, a private investment firm involved in insurance and other acquisitions, and Chairman of TASC, an international healthcare supply chain software firm.

Bill is a military veteran having served for five years as a Naval Officer under VADM Hyman Rickover on his nuclear power development staff responsible as assistant project manager building NR-1, the Navy’s groundbreaking nuclear powered oceanographic research submarine.

Melissa Washington Melissa Washington is the President and Founder of Women Veterans Alliance. She is a service disabled veteran small business owner, speaker, author, and award winner who is passionate about connecting women veterans across the nation.

Melissa proudly served in the Navy and rather than shoulder the burden of a dual-service family, she decided to leave the military early to pursue a career while her husband spent 21 years on active duty.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management and transitioned into a successful career in recruiting and human resources for more than 10 years working for both boutique agencies and global Fortune 500 companies.

Melissa was laid off from her job in 2009 due to a failing economy, marking the beginning of a nearly two-year journey and career reinvention that allowed her to use her passion for helping others.

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It all started with holding LinkedIn workshops for job seekers at her dining room table then speaking at venues across the nation.

In 2011, she started Melissa Washington, Inc. which offers consulting services to businesses and individuals using LinkedIn for researching, recruiting, job seeking and collaborating.

Her journey, took a little detour for 4 years as she worked at LinkedIn, planning Global Corporate Meeting & Events. 2014 authored Get Back to Work: Smart & Savvy Real-World Strategies to Make Your Next Career Move. In 2015 she got a bunch of women veterans together to meet at a local Mexican restaurant. And the rest is history!

She has been featured in newspaper articles, TV, and Radio. Sought out speaker as well. Melissa is a go to person for media when it comes to women veterans.

Married to her Marine husband for 22 years and is the Cookie Mom for her daughters Girl Scout Troop.

Dr. Jasmine Townsend Dr. Jasmine Townsend is an Assistant Professor in Recreational Therapy within the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, and a Faculty Scholar in the School of Health Research, both at Clemson University.

Therapeutic Recreation Association’s Military/ Veterans Affairs Treatment Network and has a history of publications and presentations regarding the relationship between participation in family recreation and elements of healthy functioning families.

Her primary research interest includes investigating the outcomes of participation in recreation for families of all types, including those with members with disabilities.

She also serves as a co-leader for the Veterans Affairs section of the American Journal of Recreation Therapy.

Her current research area focuses on the health outcomes of recreational therapy for military service members and their families, and understanding the influences of family leisure involvement on the wellbeing of military families.

Dr. Townsend is a past co-leader of the American

Daniel Morgan, Chief Marketing and Strategic Communications Officer A life-long fly fisherman and sporting enthusiast, Daniel Morgan was born and raised in Stamford, CT. His love for the outdoors originate from the time spent with his grandfather exploring the woods and streams of upstate NY each summer during his youth.

He attended college at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY and following graduation, Daniel pursued his passion for the outdoors professionally.

Starting off as a guide and instructor, he has since held corporate, advisory, and consulting positions with several outdoors companies, multi-channel media groups, and organizations providing strategic solutions for social media, marketing and communications.

Inspired by his grandfather, a U.S. Army Veteran who served in the Battle of the Bulge, Daniel began volunteering with the Syracuse Program of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) in 2011.

Through his volunteerism, he immediately saw the tremendous impact the PHWFF program was having on veterans in his community. This spurned a passion for the organization and its mission.

Dr. Townsend’s practical experience includes working in community adaptive and therapeutic recreation programs as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, in wilderness and residential treatment programs for youth with behavioral and mental health conditions, and implementing international adaptive sport training programs in countries like Indonesia, Mexico, and Thailand.

Since 2011, Daniel has held the volunteer roles of Program Lead, Deputy Regional Coordinator, and was an early member of the CEO Field Advisory Council.

He currently serves as the Chief Marketing and Strategic Communications Officer for PHWFF and continues volunteering with the Syracuse, NY Program.

Daniel resides in Cazenovia, NY, with his wife Mary Kate and their dog Daisy. He is a member of Facebook’s Small/Medium Business Council, Madison County Watershed Council, Madison County Trout Unlimited, and has sat on the Board of Directors of the Cazenovia Lake Association.

His work has been featured in USA Today, Fox News, Facebook for Business, Network for Good, and the San Francisco Chronicle among others.

He has lectured for Cornell University, the North American Association on Environmental Education, the Department of Veterans Affairs, The World Forum on Shooting Activities and has served as an expert panelist at Facebook Small Business forums nationwide.

When not at work, you can find him prowling his nearby woods and trout streams with fly-rod in hand.

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Dr. William d’Alelio Chief Clinical Officer & Clinical Psychologist Dr. d’Alelio received his PhD from University of Miami Coral Gables in 1983 with an emphasis on Cross-Cultural, Community, and Family Systems psychotherapy.

He received specialized training in Crisis Intervention and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis and treatment during his internship year at The Langley Porter Neuropsychiatic Institute of The University of California San Francisco.

Throughout his career, Dr. d’Alelio has a provided full range of psychological services: Psycho-educational and Neuropsychological testing; Individual, Family, Couples, and Group psychotherapy; testing; Susan Folk Executive Director, Addie’s Way PAWS PTS | MST Centers Susan Folk believes in the healing power of dogs. She was first introduced to paws4people when she served as the leader of the Secure Female Facility, a federal prison for women in Hazelton, West Virginia in 2006.

She worked closely with the organization to pioneer the first paws4prisons program. In December 2015, Susan retired from her 31-year career with the Bureau of Prisons and came to work with paws4people in Wilmington, NC as the first Executive Director of Addie’s Way. Dr. Margaret “Meg” Harrell is the Director of Programs and Partnerships. Prior to BWF, she was the Executive Director of Force Resiliency, within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and was responsible for the offices, policies, oversight, and integrating activities pertaining to sexual assault prevention and response; suicide prevention; diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity; personnel safety; and for Department of Defense collaboration with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Dr. Harrell spent 25 years at the RAND Corporation, where she researched military manpower and personnel, military families’ quality of life, and veterans’ issues. Her research portfolio includes approximately 70 publications. Concurrent with her time at RAND, Dr. Harrell served as a presidential appointee to the National Commission on the 8

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017

Individual, Family, Couples, and Group psychotherapy; as well as Biofeedback and Hypnotherapy. saltwater fisherman, a reasonable carpenter, and a fair marksman.

He has worked with children, adults, families, and couples in inpatient hospital, day hospital, university clinic, and private practice settings.

His particular interests are the treatment of PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, Program Development for underserved populations, and the innovative uses for adjunctive therapy modalities such as Ceramic Art Therapy and the meditative use of music in nature. He is an avid white-water kayaker, salt-water fisherman, a reasonable carpenter, and a fair marksman.

Susan received both her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master’s of Science in Personnel and Industrial Relations from The American University in Washington, DC. In addition to her thirty years of experience in training and instructional design, Susan is also a Board Certified Life Coach, Certified WRAP Facilitator, and Reiki Master. Susan is committed to creating and nurturing a community of hope and healing for veterans and their families, helping them to live more joyful lives.

Structure of the Air Force, 2013-2014.

From July 2011 to August 2012, Dr. Harrell served as a Senior Fellow and Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security, where her research focused on military veteran suicide prevention and response, veteran wellness, and veteran employment. She is a prior voting member of the Army Science Board, and has also briefed international audiences, testified before Congress, spoken extensively at conferences and guest lectured at the United States Military Academy.

She holds a B.A. with Distinction from the University of Virginia, a M.S. in Systems Analysis and Management from the George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Virginia, where her dissertation focused on the role expectations for Army spouses.

Britnee Kinard had a high profile career in business before dedicating herself to caring and advocating for wounded veterans.

Britnee is President and Founder of SD Gunner Fund, which was established in June 2014 to assist veterans and disabled children with the financial expense of owning much needed service animals.

In 2005 Britnee’s husband, Hamilton, was hit by an IED while serving in Iraq and suffered many traumatic injuries including Complete Nerve Damage and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

In 2010 their son Blayne was born and he was later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their second son Maks was born in 2012 and in 2013 Gunner their service dog joined the family.

Britnee Kinard, a Lincoln Award Winner and one of the most influential disabled veteran caregivers in the southeastern United States, has been recognized

by Georgia Senator’s Hill of the 4th, Hill of the 6th, Dugan of the 30th and Harbison of the 15th in Georgia Senate Resolution 475 for her work with veterans and caregivers.

Kinard is noted for her signature role in getting one of the first mobility service dog’s approved through the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Southeast Region. It just so happens that the service dog was her husband’s.

Kinard is listed in the Who’s Who of Distinguished Alumni, and was recently honored by her alumni with the MTSU True Blue Distinction Award for her work with veterans and caregivers.

She is also a recent Jefferson Award Winner for her work with Veterans and Children.

Her accomplishments have been published in the United States by People Magazine (exclusive), Good HouseKeeping Magazine (online), The Today Show (online), Mississippi Magazine, Oxford Invitation, Pilot Club International Magazine, Military Order of the Purple Heart Magazine, and many others.

Her work has also been published in the UK by the Daily Mail and Britian Weekly, and in Australia as well as Holland.

Kinard also sits on the advisory board for R4 Alliance, a non-profit organization that maximizes potential for Our Military Family through member driven Standards

of Excellence, Research, Education/Training, Economic Viability and development of a Continuum of Care improving Recreation and Rehabilitation to achieve Reintegration.

Britnee graduated from the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Recording Industry Business where she was an active participant with the Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders.

She began her career in Franklin, Tennessee with Fitness Systems Inc. and during this time she won two recording deals and spent her spare time travelling and singing.

Britnee was appointed to increasingly senior positions across the South Eastern USA working at the Bank of Ellijay in Georgia, as a Vice President at JP Morgan Chase Bank, and as a Regional Director at Hutcheson Enterprises Inc. She lives in Richmond Hill, Georgia with her husband Hamilton, two young sons and Gunner. Although she maintains an interest in establishing cheerleading events most of her spare time is dedicated to SD Gunner Fund and her family.

Britnee can be contacted at britneekinard@gmail.com or at +1-615-804-3533

Susan Quinn Susan has a diverse background in care coordination and healthcare and she enjoys surrounding herself with people that are passionate about what they do.

A graduate from UMass Amherst, Susan studied Psychology and Developmental Disabilities & Human Services. While living in the happy valleys of western Massachusetts she worked in the non-profit sector, advocating for accessible mental and behavioral health care for adults with disabilities.

After moving to Virginia, Susan worked as a case manager and program director in local government, connecting people to community-based services.

Susan’s a big believer in trying new things and this inspires most of her adventures. When she’s not at the office she loves exploring NYC’s quirky offerings, dabbling with poetry, and delighting her palate with new foods and craft beer.

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Jim Wartski Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Experience Officer Senior Executive Biography North Atlantic District – Veterans Experience Office

Jim served as an officer for five years with the US Army Reserves as a Corps of Engineers project officer with worldwide missions. Being close to his alma-mater, Jim served as the liaison officer for the Admissions Department back at West Point.

Jim serves as the Veterans Experience Officer for the North Atlantic District.

Jim was then mobilized to serve as an Engineering and Facility Consultant on the Command Group at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Washington, DC.

He is responsible for the successful launch of the first fifteen states with a solid program for success.

He leads his team in fostering relationships with Community Veteran Experience Boards (CVEB’s), setting the standards for delivering excellent customer experience to veterans, their families and survivors, and finally, incorporating means to measure success in both training programs and market surveys.

His experience in leading cultural change, leading people, driving results, business experience in a large corporate organization (business acumen), and building coalitions will guide this team to success.

Jim entered the United States Military Academy through the Preparatory School (USMAPS) and graduated West Point in 1982. As a commissioned Second Lieutenant assigned to the Armor Branch, Jim was stationed at 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), First Brigade, 1-40th Armor Battalion.

His assignments included Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer and Battalion Adjutant.

During his tenure with 5th Mechanized Division, Jim served on two National Training Center rotations and a REFORGER Exercise in Europe.

Jim then returned to Fort Knox, KY with assignments as the Force Integration/Development officer at the Directorate of Combat Developments. Jim served an extended Troop Command as the Commander of B-Troop, 2-10 Cavalry, 194th Separate Armored Brigade, XVIII Airborne.

Missions included Heavy Armor Support to Rapid Deployment Forces (First Heavy Armor on the Ground). Later Jim served in the Tank Systems Management office responsible for classified briefings on the Abrams Tank.

After additional schooling, Jim was assigned to Orlando, Florida as the Project Director for Tank Training Devices. Jim’s experience and knowledge spans tanks from the M-48A5 to the present state of technology with the M-1A2 Abrams.

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He remained at WRAMC for two-years through the transition to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda, Maryland. Jim retired at the rank of Colonel.

In the private sector, Jim held leadership roles in private corporations, Industrial Data Link (a San Diego, California based company), Lockheed Martin Information Systems, Walt Disney Company. Jim retired from The Walt Disney Company in May 2015.

Micheline Tocco As an Account Manager at Unite US, Micheline is passionate about helping our clients get the most from our partnership.

She comes with a background in health and education, and her core expertise is in people and program management.

After completing her degree in International Business at the University of Maryland, College Park, Micheline served as a Fulbright Scholar in Madrid, Spain, where she developed her love for teaching and travel. She enjoys dancing, fitness, and cooking up a storm, and can often be found planning her next outdoor adventure.

Sarah Wishart paws4vets Sarah Wishart is a retired bomb specialist for the Department of Defense. Her career brought her to Afghanistan in 2012, where she lost many colleagues and friends.

After the loss of her battle buddy, she experienced major depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Hope came to her in the form of her beloved service dog DARBY from paws4vets. Since pairing with DARBY in 2013, Sarah’s functionality and wellbeing have increased drastically. Today she is here to share her story of recovery through the paws4vets program.

Jeannette Davidson-Mayer Secretary, Board of Directors/R4 Alliance Jeannette Davidson-Mayer graduated from the University of Phoenix in 2012 with a degree in Business Management and Human Resources.

Jeannette has the distinguished honor representing Idaho’s caregivers with the Elizabeth Dole’s Fellow Class of 2016.

Jeannette grew-up in a family who has a long history of serving in the military. Although she was never able to serve her country through joining herself, but she has always enjoyed supporting the military. In August 2001, Jeannette met DeWayne and 3 years later they were married.

During DeWayne’s deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Jeannette served as the Family Support Coordinator for his Unit. Following his 5th accident, DeWayne returned home in Oct 2005. By the summer of 2006, DeWayne was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress disorder, spinal injuries, along with a few other medical issues.

As a family, they have learned to live together again. It has been a challenging road but one worth traveling. Over the years, Jeannette and her family have dedicated themselves to other military families, to their community and to helping other caregivers (children to adults).

Her focus has been on helping others discover their strengths, veteran’s rights and educating civilians about living with the side effects of war.

Most importantly, Jeannette’s dedication has been towards learning and teaching other caregivers how to enjoy life to the fullest. The entire family is committed to one another and acts as a cohesive unit by embracing their every changing daily new normal.

Jeannette will admit there are times she misses just being just DeWayne’s wife but feels she is the lucky wife for her husband was able to come home to them.

Her goal is helping other families achieve similar joys through research that impacts the quality of recreational services provided so that Military Families can rehabilitate while achieving reintegration back into life.

From 2008 through 2013, Jeannette, DeWayne & their daughter attended events with Higher Ground (HG).

In the fall of 2012, following a week-long couples rafting trip with HG, a new bonding experience was created. This experience inspired her to continue the mission nationally and to help other Military Families understand there is life after injuries.

Currently residing in the New Plymouth, Idaho, Jeannette strives to continue giving back to our Military Family by keeping humor alive, love flowing, and Our Military Families growing stronger. The R4 Alliance has the opportunity to make this real a reality

Aaron Leonard Sierra Club Aaron Leonard is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel with over 27 years of military service.

As the National Student Veteran Coordinator with the Sierra Club Military Outdoors he creates wilderness adventure programs for Veterans and their families, assisting in their transition back into their communities while establishing a healthy and purposeful civilian lifestyle.

Aaron also serves as Chairman of the Board at Veterans Without Orders (www.veteranswithoutorders.org)

An experienced combat veteran, Aaron enlisted in 1987, served as a Sergeant with the 1st Infantry Division in Operation Desert Storm, and has completed three post-9/11 combat rotations in Iraq as a Field Artillery Officer.

He is a graduate of Kansas State University, the US Army’s Command and General Staff College, and has a Masters in Communications from Park University.

He makes his home in Mahopac, NY with Leslie Hoellger and has raised five daughters.

and as a mentor with the 100 Black Men of Virginia Peninsula (www.100blackmenva.org).

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R4 Members 2017

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R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017

Member Highlights

Through strategic partnerships, R4 strives to find

resources for our members to help promote their missions and be successful. Successful programs for Our Military Families is why we are here and collaborating together to help each other reach that success is all of our goals here at R4 Alliance.

One of our most successful partnerships has been with Homeland Magazine. Each month they work with us to provide at no cost an R4 Member Highlight article that they also professionally layout to highlight your organization.

Homeland Magazine is available in both print and online. You can read about our members in every issue at www.HomelandMagazine.com Homeland reaches over 3 million veterans and families nationwide. That means each organization being highlighted reaches over 3 million veterans and families nationwide.

The following articles include some of this years’ featured organizations.

You can use this article to showcase how you are making a difference, gain program awareness, donations & inspiration.

Homeland also offers each of our members a FREE organization information resource page on their website. Did I mention FREE?

To get your organization scheduled to be the R4 Member Highlight or get your organization on the resource page, please contact

All you need is a logo and a blurb about your organization with any links back to your website in a word document and we will do the rest.

Jenni Riley at jenni@r4alliance.org

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R4 Alliance Member Highlight

HIGHER M

eet Thomas. A veteran of the US Armed Forces who suffers from symptoms of post-traumatic stress, Thomas attended a Higher Ground military program in January 2016. Thomas was not in a significant relationship at the time, so participated in a weeklong program for single male veterans and was invited to bring a supporter, as all Higher Ground participants are asked to do in order to provide a more comfortable entry into the program and help ease anxiety leading up to the event. Thomas asked a close friend and fellow veteran to accompany him; just a week before the Higher Ground program, however, his friend had a medical emergency and was forced to decline the invitation.

This left Thomas without a support person, and therefore with significant anxiety as he prepared to make the trip to Idaho to meet 14 participants and several staff members unknown to him.

Once Thomas arrived in Sun Valley, he realized that several other participants were attending without supporters, so he immediately felt connected to them and comfortable in his surroundings. He fit in perfectly with the group, and often had the whole crew laughing.

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GROUND During the week, Thomas reflected on his military background and how it may be able to translate into the civilian world when he is finished with is service. He identified the impact that recreation can have in his life, and ways to transfer what he learned during the week back home with him. Thomas told us, “While the goal of the trip was to have fun and decompress, the HG staff made sure to drive the point home that once the trip was over, we could still have that same fun when we got back to our regular daily lives. Something I had never thought of, so having someone tell me that helped me tremendously.”

Thomas formed connections with other veterans who have similar backgrounds and explained to us what the trip did for him. “I felt completely at ease, stress free, and symptom free during the trip. I do not believe I experienced one negative thought or action the entire time I was there. Pretty amazing considering the fact that everyone I met there was a complete stranger at first. HG did a good job breaking the ice for us all.” The ice was definitely broken with this particular group; the bonds were clearly expressed through thoughtful discussions, laughter, and bonding throughout the week.

At Higher Ground, we enhance quality of life through inclusive therapeutic recreation, education, and adaptive sports for people of all abilities. We provide year-round programs for individuals of all ages with physical, cognitive, and intellectual disabilities; we offer therapeutic activities for kids, teens, and adults through our Recreation department. Our Military program, established in 2005, provides the most effective adaptive sports and therapeutic recreation services to veterans confronted with traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress (PTS), military sexual trauma (MST), and polytrauma through the use of evidence-based practices and the sustained continuum of care necessary for a successful reintegration into families and home communities.

The Higher Ground Military Program goals address the needs of military families facing the physical and mental challenges associated with war-related injuries through a recreationbased program rooted in sustainable therapeutic impact. These programs strategically combine outdoor recreation activities with therapeutic processes to help all participants – veterans and their supporters – confront current struggles and develop skills to find success in daily life. In its application through the HG Military Programs, staff and volunteers regularly witness the power of therapeutic recreation as a mode of delivery, especially in its execution in outdoor adventure settings. Social stigma, injury-related fears, or chronic issues commonly prevent wounded veterans from seeking treatment post-injury, but through the context of outdoor recreation, as opposed to conventional clinical settings, veterans who attend Higher Ground programs are more likely to receive help and find success on the road to reintegration and recovery.

The HG program focuses on the whole family in order to mitigate potential multigenerational effects of the initial injury to the veteran, and help all family members rediscover their potential to be positive, contributing members of society. War injuries – especially those “invisible,” cognitive wounds - place unprecedented stress on spouses and children in military families, in addition to the veterans, but treatment for the family unit is typically ostensibly overlooked. The numbers of men and women returning home from current conflicts with these signature wounds of PTS, TBI, and MST are staggering, and HG programming is poised to benefit not only the individuals, but the families affected.

Once home after the multi-day program, HG is committed to following up with each veteran for a minimum of three years, conducting regular assessments to determine the sustainability of their progress as the reintegration process continues in their home communities.

Additionally, HG allocates a budget for each participant who attends a program; these funds are restricted to provide recreation services or equipment in order for the participants to continue the positive momentum once home.

Examples of past reintegration purchases include family gym memberships, bicycles, kayaks, and fly fishing gear.

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R4 Alliance Member Highlight

By Hope For The Warriors

The Endurance of a Warrior Team Hope For The Warriors US Air Force Veteran, Michael Roesch, will not slow down. Through injuries and setbacks he continues to participate in endurance events in support of veterans on Team Hope For The Warriors.

In 2013, with the NYC Marathon approaching, Michael seriously injured his knee. Being the consummate warrior, he continued his training and participated in the marathon.

Michael served in the Air Force from 1999 to 2003. His transition after service was challenging; he described himself as “rough around the edges” and was not prepared for the adjustment back to civilian life. Michael grew up a military brat, and once he left the Air Force he lost the warrior culture that had surrounded him his entire life. However, through fitness and physical challenges, Michael found a place to call home through Hope For The Warriors.

Around Mile 9 his knee completely gave out; however, he walked to the finish line. Six months later Michael had his first knee surgery, and went right back to supporting veterans through endurance events. On March 23, 2016, he needed another surgery on his knee as it became painful for him to walk.

In 2012, while doing a Tough Mudder, Michael saw a participant wearing a Hope For The Warriors shirt, which led him to reach out to the organization. He then began participating in events with Team Hope For The Warriors; his first event was the 100-Mile Relay with the Marines. After a positive experience Michael went on to participate in any endurance event he could register for, including the Long Island Run For The Warriors and the New York City Marathon.

Michael found a community through Hope For The Warriors, where he was recognized and appreciated for his service. Hope For The Warriors also gave him the ability to give back and continue to serve the military community by connecting him with other veterans who were struggling with their transitions.

As Michael shared the challenges he was facing with his knees to his Battle Buddies and fellow Team Hope For The Warriors members, Len Lacina and Steve Suwilic, his friends asked him how he planned on continuing to live an active life and do what he loves with nonfunctioning knees.

This conversation helped convince Michael to request a hand cycle, so he reached out to Hope For The Warriors. On November 7, 2015, Michael was given a hand cycle at the 8th Annual Long Island Run For The Warriors.

Michael has put his hand cycle to good use, and this winter he logged about 300-400 miles on his new ride. Recently, he has also participated in the Lincoln Tunnel Challenge and three marathons with Team Eva (Every Veteran Appreciated).

This year Michael plans on participating in seven of the ten Run For The Warriors Races and the Marine Corps Marathon with Team Hope For The Warriors Beyond his resiliency, Michael has a secret weapon that keeps him going—his girlfriend, Daria Smith. In his own words, “She does not allow me to be a lesser version of myself.” Daria participates in every endurance event with Michael and offers immense support.

Both are pillars in the Team Hope For The Warriors community and inspire us all to become the best versions of ourselves.

Like many others Michael found a sense of restoration through sport. Hope For The Warriors Sports and Recreation programs help reintroduce a loved sport or hobby with an emphasis on organic healing, or giving the opportunity to gain new skills with the use of adaptive equipment to assist in physical and psychological recovery. The variety of programs include:

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• Outdoor Adventures: Service members, who previously embraced an outdoorsman lifestyle, as well as those new to wilderness sports, are introduced to recreational opportunities on the road to recovery.

• Drive For Hope: Engages service members focusing on transition and invites them to racetracks across the country.

• Run For The Warriors: National Run Series dedicated to the men and women wounded in the global war on terror and their families.

• Team Hope For The Warriors: The Team provides athletes of all abilities the opportunity to engage the competitive spirit at endurance events. Warrior Team members are provided adaptive equipment and race support to ensure that they are defined by their achievements rather than by their injuries. Community Team members challenge themselves to raise funds for America’s heroes, set new athletic goals, or simply support our military. Together, these Team members are united by the goal to improve the rehabilitation of wounded service members and military families.

Team Hope For The Warriors worked with Michael providing comradery and motivation while he searched for his new normal both after his transition from active service in the Air Force and his knee injury. This program truly helped restore a sense of self and hope when needed.

Serving the community for over 10 years, Hope For The Warriors is a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope for post 9/11 veterans, service members and military families. Since its inception, Hope For The Warriors has served approximately 10,000 through a variety of support programs focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement and connections to community resources.

Hope’s first program, A Warrior’s Wish, has granted 162 wishes to fulfill a desire for a better quality of life or support a quest for gratifying endeavors. In addition, Run For The Warriors has captured the hearts of more than 22,000 since 2010.

“Hope For The Warriors is honored to be part of the R4 Alliance Programs of Excellence joining forces to better serve our Military Family,” said Robin Kelleher, co-founder, president and CEO of Hope For The Warriors.

“Programs like this help support our service members, veterans and military families with much needed resources and a collective portal through which to find them.”

To learn more about Hope For The Warriors and the Team Hope For The Warriors program and find out how you can get involved, visit: www.hopeforthewarriors.org. For the complete 2017 Run For The Warriors schedule, visit: www.runforthewarriors.org.

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 17

R4 Alliance Member Highlight

I Saw A Man About A Horse

By Saratoga WarHorse Graduate Patrick Hughes

I

saw a man about a horse and it changed how I feel about myself. A while ago, I ran across the website for a program called Saratoga WarHorse. I reached out to Bob Nevins, Director of Veteran Program and Founder. Bob is a Vietnam vet and retired from a 24 year career as an airline pilot to start this program. Bob called me and we spoke on the phone about the program and then selected my date to attend the program and it was one of the best choices I’ve made in a long time.

Saratoga WarHorse is an unbelievable program that works on a simple level. It is just you and the horse. This program is one of those things that I can tell you about, but it’s hard to actually explain and express how it feels. Bob has created a program that works and has had over 300 graduates with no failures. It is not that the program is pass or fail, because it is what you make of your experience that matter, but the program’s success rate is just that good.

It is a three-day program that teaches you a lot and gives you an experience. One fantastic aspect of what Saratoga WarHorse offers is that the program is free to the Veteran. Through donations, the program is able to pay for travel to Saratoga, a 2 night hotel stay in a beautiful hotel and the meals while you’re there.

The other fantastic aspect to the program is the retired horses. They are what makes the program work and they are in the program to graduate as well.

My horse, Volente, was a retired race horse. All of the horses in the program are retired race horses. They enter the program themselves to learn how to be something besides a racehorse.

The program is as much to retrain the horse for its second life as it is for the veteran.

The program is a new beginning for all involved. The veteran and the horse.

Volente, and I’m directly quoting The Saratoga WarHorse website here, comes to SWH from Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue after an unsuccessful racing career.

He has a kind and gentle personality and has been adopted out to several homes over the years, which due to circumstances out of his control, have ended up with his return to Akindale.

They are not joking either.

Volente is my favorite horse and once our experience was through, Volente was a very loving horse, and even returned my hug.

So, I’ve talked about the experience and I haven’t told you what it is yet. The day we go to the facility that houses the horses is the day everything happens. Melody, our wonderful and super talented guide through the whole process, started the morning by bringing in all sorts of home cooked food.

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memories I used to refer back to. The horrible memories nobody wants to think about. It’s much more pleasant to think about hugging my horse and I do it and think about it naturally. I’m not going to say that I’m fixed and that every issue I have was cured by my time with Volente, but it sure helped me.

Bob talks about resetting a circuit breaker and I find it is an excellent analogy. I learned things about myself and I opened myself up. I gained a lot of traction in my personal battles and this experience jump started my recovery.

I am forever grateful for my time with Saratoga WarHorse. I can’t thank Bob, Janelle, Melody, Brian, Troy, Volente, their many donors and all of the other volunteers who showed up to help enough. What they do is a fantastic service to the veteran community.

From the bottom of my heart, I can’t thank you enough.

Patrick Hughes You might actually gain a few pounds; the food is good and plentiful for both lunch and dinner. I’m not going to detail every aspect of this experience because it is not necessary to tell you them all. I’ll tell you the highlights and the things I can actually explain into words.

If anyone thinks this program might help them, please reach out to Bob or Janelle, all it takes is a phone call. I can consider these folks family for what they do to help. Bob is a veteran himself and words aren’t needed. After 300+ veterans, he just seems to know.

Throughout the morning we learned about the horses, communicating and working with them and about the program itself. It’s very personal, very well done and very interesting. Our afternoon started the work, there are some physical aspects to this, but nothing above what each individual can handle.

“We are proud to be a member of R4 Alliance in an effort to reach out to fellow veterans in an effective collaboration. Due to this kind of support, Saratoga WarHorse has now graduated over 600 veterans.”

We assembled the round pen, the area in which we will work with the horses (we disassembled it as well) and working as a team, we actually did it quite quickly.

For more information please visit www.saratogawarhorse.com

Inside this pen we were visually schooled my Melody and Bob before practicing our routine with Melody pretending to be the horse. That poor women ran and ran and ran all afternoon making sure we had everything down.

The moment that makes the visit is working with the actual horses.

I cannot explain how I feel. I’m sharing the video of my experience below, you can see for yourself what we do. Immediately, I felt good. I enjoyed my experience, I enjoyed bonding with the horse.

I did feel good and extremely glad I participated. It’s now though, several weeks later that I’m realizing the real effects of the experience.

I find myself thinking about my time with Volente instead of the

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Project Sanctuary, Taking Military Families from Battle Ready to Family Ready

“I decided to go into the military because I wanted to make a difference in the world, and I wanted to do it out of love for my country,” Ray said.

He joined the Air Force in 1999, but after 9/11, he transitioned through the Blue to Green program into the Army, where he felt he could make a bigger impact fighting terrorism. His plan was to stay in for 20-30 years, but the injuries he sustained in Iraq prevented that, and Ray was medically retired after two deployments and nearly 13 years of service.

At just 35 years old with 19 service-related injuries, his road to recovery was a rough one. Ray has had three back surgeries and uses a cane for stability. Post-traumatic stress brings on migraines, tremors, nightmares, and flashbacks on a regular basis.

Ray, like many others who have experienced the trauma of warfare, is most comfortable among his family and close friends, including his wife and caregiver Amanda and his three children Layne, 14, Ashlee, 11, and Madison, 8.

“Being in the military and being deployed, we are exposed to situations where we don’t always see the best in humanity.

I am glad I served, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

But after I retired, I didn’t like being around and talking to people outside our inner circle,” Ray said.

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R4 Alliance Member Highlight

When Amanda heard about Project Sanctuary’s six-day therapeutic retreats from a friend and fellow military spouse, she was confident it would be a positive experience for her husband and possibly help him cope with his wounds—both the physical and emotional.

From Battle Ready to Family Ready Project Sanctuary, a Colorado-based national nonprofit, is distinct from other veteran service organizations because it doesn’t just focus on the veteran: it focuses on the whole family. In fact, the organization’s founding principle is: The whole family serves, and the best way to “support the troops” is by supporting the entire family.

When she started the organization in 2007, Heather Ehle worked closely with her board of directors and veteran advisors to understand what military families really needed.

She created Project Sanctuary to meet those needs, relying on her background as a Registered Nurse to create evidence-based programs that emphasize spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being.

By addressing mental health first, Project Sanctuary aims to take its families from battle ready to family ready.

Fostering Trust Even after they decided to attend the October 2016 retreat at the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado, Ray remained hesitant.

The goal of the program is to help military service members heal from the effects of war by providing a safe environment, helping reconnect the family unit, and treating all members of the family at their level of need through counseling, education, self-development, and recreational therapy.

“On the way down from the waterfall, I had a chance to explain to him just how much his knowledge and empathy could benefit other veterans coming home from war.

From that afternoon on, we all saw a different side of him.”

Of those deployed, 1 in 5 returns home with hidden wounds such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, anxiety, and depression.

As Ray spent time with Neil and accepted the team’s authenticity and lack of an agenda, he began to see a different side of them as well, and to feel more comfortable opening up and engaging.

“I didn’t want to attend. I can’t do things that most 35 year olds can do. I don’t like putting myself out there as far as sharing my feelings. I’m definitely not looking for anyone to pity or feel sorry for me. I didn’t want to have to talk about myself,” he said.

Ray rattled off other reasons for his reluctance: flying, small spaces, crowded places. Plus, he was skeptical about why Heather and her team at Project Sanctuary would want to help him.

That is one of the reasons that Project Sanctuary staff focuses on building trust right out of the gate. This means making sure they provide a safe and secure environment and that everyone’s needs are met—from sleeping arrangements and service dog accommodations to food preferences.

To accomplish this, Heather relies on the input and experience of veterans, like former Marine Neil Pappas, a retreat administrator, peer mentor, and benefits advisor for Project Sanctuary. He oversees all the daily activities and logistics at the retreats to ensure they are running smoothly and that the families’ needs are met.

Counseling Neil recalled Ray’s first night at the retreat. “Ray came shuffling into the lodge for dinner with a cane, with a very reserved demeanor about him. As that first night progressed, we had our orientation where he seemed to continue down the isolated road,” Neil said.

“The next morning, Heather asked me to start talking with him to assist in getting him out of his mental armor, better assess his needs, and help him find a path toward healing. Over the next couple of days, I slowly started talking with Ray and his wife Amanda.”

Ongoing counseling—whether it takes place on horseback or in a more formal one-on-one setting—is a big part of what makes Project Sanctuary special.

The mental health needs of all members of the military family are a priority at both the therapeutic retreats and afterward.

“It was on a waterfall hike that I personally saw this man take the biggest turn of the weekend,” Neil said. “He began letting all of his bottled-up emotions out.

Amanda also noticed this shift. “There was a point about halfway through the week when Ray said he wasn’t ready for the retreat to end. He was looking forward to seeing and talking to people each day,” she said.

Recreation The retreats comprise activities like crafts and karaoke to demonstrate how inexpensive, accessible, and valuable recreational experiences can be for a family. Ray and Amanda’s kids took part in painting, pottery, skating, and even carving pumpkins. However, each retreat also includes some more adrenaline-fueled events to encourage communication and emotional control.

Ray and Amanda said that the zip line was most empowering for their kids who were nervous at first but faced their fears. In another teambuilding activity, the families had to negotiate an obstacle course designed so you could not finish it alone.

“The only way you can complete it is to help each other up.

Any internal family issues fell by the wayside. There was a goal, and you put personal issues aside and helped each other out,” Ray said.

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Learning In addition to counseling and recreation activities, the retreats offer classes throughout the week. There is a healthy marriage class that focuses on relationships and communication, a financial management class, and a class for families living with PTSD that ends with some training on mindfulness and breathing exercises.

The “Healthy Marriage” class was Ray and Amanda’s favorite.

It used a color wheel to explain elements of each family member’s personality, including the children, and taught the best ways to interact, give affirmation, and handle conflict.

They said they continue to use the information and tools and share it with other couples whenever they get the opportunity.

Bonding A Project Sanctuary retreat is designed with the entire family in mind, and it puts a priority on bonding among the families attending. For Ray and Amanda, the relationships they formed are a highlight of the experience and continue to be important even now that they are back at home.

They all stay in touch through a private Facebook group and text each other to check in. “We think of them as extended family now. There were a couple of families we really connected with and we’ve stayed in touch. Without the retreat, we never would’ve met them. It’s really cool that the retreat brought us together,” Ray said.

A Life Changing Experience Although Ray and Amanda agree that this was a lifechanging opportunity, they said just being there and reconnecting with their family was the best part of the experience.

“It was a week when we didn’t have to worry about anything.

We didn’t have to worry about things like food or activities for the kids and could just focus on each other and our family—it was really nice,” Ray said.

Ray said that being among so many decent people who truly wanted to help changed his perspective and allowed him to relax and let down his guard.

Thriving Project Sanctuary remains in touch with its families for at least 24 months after a therapeutic retreat. This involvement looks different depending on the family and its needs.

The team might help a family find a mental health professional in their area, provide assistance to reach their financial goals, or offer support in securing day-to-day necessities. Heather’s goal is to help each family thrive after returning home—whatever that takes. “It’s not just the veteran who is wounded: the entire family needs support and time to heal,” said Heather Ehle. “There are no words to express how rewarding it is to help families like Ray and Amanda begin that process.

Being a member of the R4 Alliance is of tremendous benefit to Project Sanctuary when it comes to ongoing support for our families as they continue that healing process, allowing us to connect them with additional services wherever they call home and enabling them to thrive well into the future.”

Project Sanctuary recently added retreats in California, Texas, New York, and Georgia, and this year will reach an important milestone of 1,000 families served. Despite the organization’s growth, demand for their programs outpaces the number of spots available. Nearly 2,000 families are on the list, waiting for their life-changing experience and a chance to reconnect and heal.

To learn more about Project Sanctuary’s program for military families, visit www.projectsanctuary.us.

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The Journey with the Gentle Giants

R4 Alliance Member Highlight

By: Mike Hilliard, Dive Coordinator at Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium boasts the largest grouping of HSA Instructors and Dive Masters in the world!

The Journey with the Gentle Giants is a program that allows participants of all abilities to scuba or snorkel in 6.3 million gallons of water with whale sharks, manta rays and over 5,000 other amazing animals.

Because of the inherent healing properties of water, and the sheer magnificence of the experience of swimming or diving with these incredible animals, the Veterans Immersion Program has the ability to bring military personnel in on a regular basis as part of the rehabilitation process.

This program was created with universal design in mind, and the very first guests were Warriors in Transition with Champions Made from Adversity (CMFA).

With a staff of Handicapped Scuba Association Certified Dive Masters and Instructors on staff, people of all abilities are welcome 365 days a year during our regularly scheduled events. Standard training for the Georgia Aquarium Dive Immersion program includes full certification as Handicapped Scuba Association, International Instructors or Dive Masters.

The swim program gives them the chance to experience something simply extraordinary‌ stressors are forgotten and they are free to move through the water much less inhibited than on land.

This experience is once in a lifetime for these patients and gives them a renewed spirit to return to therapy the next day and work even harder.

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R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 23

Georgia Aquarium joined the R4 Alliance in early 2014. We knew to better serve our nations hero’s, we needed the expertise of an organization that eats, sleeps, and dreams about our warriors well-being.

a traumatic brain injury. I was flown to Baghdad ER, and eventually ended up at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital.

I underwent rehabilitation in hopes of rejoining my unit on the deployment.

The R4 gave us the tools to build a strong platform to create a deeper connection with the warriors while they reintegrated and rehabilitated in their respective programs.

While I was back in the United States, I received word that one of my friends was killed in action.

Following my early retirement from military service, I joined the Georgia Aquarium team as a Dive Master.

I was thinking that this career would just involve me diving with whale sharks, and giving a great guest experience to those who would like to do the same. Little did I know, it would be a life changing experience.

In 2006, while on a mission, I was shot in the left side of the head. Luckily, my helmet took most of the impact, but it still produced enough force to give me 24

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017

I remember feeling like I let the team down. I was not able to rejoin the unit on the that deployment, but was able to re-enlist to join them on the next one.

In 2008, we deployed to Afghanistan in support of “Operation Enduring Freedom. ” We had a somewhat easy deployment, other than the 107 mm rockets making us stay on our toes.

As soon has my head was underwater it was if all the weight I had been caring was lifted. I knew then that I had found something special.

For more information on Georgia Aquarium, please visit us at www.georgiaaquarium.org

I was about to take a job in Florida when I found Georgia Aquarium was hiring a dive master. I put everything on hold and applied, hoping for the best. I was shortly contacted and scheduled for an interview.

That is when I met Susan. She saw something in me that I didn’t know was there, and she slowly introduced me to the Veteran’s Program. This is where I was able to share my story with other veterans that may have been experiencing the same issues as me.

I watch them come in with anxiety overwhelming them at every corner. They listen to the briefing with no emotion. It is as if they are in another place.

They walk out of the locker rooms, nervous and unsure.

The panic begins to set in as their feet dangle off the dock wondering if they can commit to pushing off into an exhibit with sharks.

After the program, and as they exit the water, the change in their face and body is remarkable. I always see them twice in our program. Once downstairs when I pick them up, and again when they exit the water.

We are able to give an experience to these veterans they would have never tried, and by doing so we open the door for adventure. It provides adrenaline with fellow veterans and the commitment to the unknown.

They walk out of here with a whole new perspective on life and new possibilities. I am truly honored to be able to be part of this experience and the Georgia Aquariums drive to honor our Veterans.

In 2017, the program was able to expand to reach even more military thanks to a substantial grant from The Home Depot and many other donors.

On February 16, 2009, one of those rockets found its way and landed next to a man that was our mentor, a father, and a husband.

I will never forget that day. We were two weeks from redeploying back to the States, and he was set to go to West Point, finish his last two years, and retire.

Now being back in the States, I did not really know how to handle being away from the guys.

I was having some trouble finding purpose. I had already accepted my death, but I did not think about how I would accept living after.

Since the program started, we have been able to serve over 2,902 veterans.

Georgia Aquarium also takes pride in the Gold Star initiative that began in 2015. This program allows Gold Star families to not only experience the Ocean Voyager Built by The Home Depot exhibit, but to experience all the programs Georgia Aquarium has to offer.

It is an honor for Georgia Aquarium to be able to serve as an adjunctive therapy during the healing process.

To learn more about our Veterans Immersion Program, please visit www.georgiaaquarium.org

My wife convinced me to take a trip to the Dominican, and this is where I discovered diving.

Once I retired, I knew I would make a career of diving I just didn’t know where.

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 25

Changing Lives, One Ride at a Time

R4 Alliance Member Highlight

By Colleen T. Tucker Snow covered Pikes Peak dwarfs the landscape majestically, a vision both stark and inspiring against the vivid blue sky. This breathtaking mountain overlooks Latigo Trails Equestrian Center, located east of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and home of Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center.

It is on a perfect spring day in this peaceful setting that U.S. Army Veteran Michael Bryant (Retired) sits down to share his life experiences with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). He is at home in this place, having experienced firsthand the amazing results that occur here daily. This Michael Bryant is relaxed and serene, bearing little resemblance to the damaged man he describes, with invisible scars that caused havoc in his life.

The story he shares, his story, is a journey of self-discovery and restoration that would not have been possible without a therapy horse named JD. U.S. Army Veteran Michael D. Bryant (Retired) was honored to serve our nation for over 25 years, in both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army. His career took him to varied locations that had one thing in common: “Any time the tough mission came up, it was me or my squad that went. I was sent to the toughest assignments where there was the most danger.”

An experienced, disciplined and capable leader, he served with pride and distinction until his retirement.

Of Friendship and Loss June 23, 2010 is a day that Michael Bryant will never forget.

On that day, in Logar Province, Afghanistan, a convoy came under attack by insurgents, taking heavy incoming rocket and small arms fire. Ordinarily Bryant would have been in command of the platoon, but on that day he remained at base on special assignment.

When the convoy returned, he knew immediately that the worst had happened, and that his friend, PFC Russell Madden, had been killed when an IED struck his MRAP Vehicle. The loss of a man who was a son, husband, father, soldier and friend was devastating. Bryant stayed strong for his men, compartmentalizing his own feelings, focusing instead on the well-being of his soldiers. Action was the answer, for when one is busy and engaged, the pain can be submerged, at least temporarily. This loss created a wound that would be difficult to heal.

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The Unseen Wounds Each combat veteran experiences the long-term consequences of the stressors of combat in an individual way. “You never know when things are going to go bad.”

For Michael Bryant, the progressive impact of continuous exposure to the pressures of war, coupled with three TBIs, took a toll on his physical and mental health.

The effects of PTSD proved difficult to overcome, affecting virtually every area of his life. Living with the lingering aftermath of his brain injuries was difficult; he found himself rethinking and reliving events, experiencing flashbacks and feeling guilt for having survived when others had not.

Bryant was not the same man. Anger became an issue, and relationships with those closest to him began to break down. Today, Bryant is thoughtful and introspective about his illness, stating simply,

“Not all wounds are visible. All the blasts have cumulative effects....It is not just one incident.

The physical injury of the brain might heal, but the effects that are left behind, one must come to grips with. I still deal with the effects of PTSD”.

A Warrior in Transition Bryant actively participated in his own recovery as the combined effects of dozens of engagements and firefights, coupled with leadership responsibility, continued to take their toll. Increasingly, his ability and fitness to continue to serve were called into question.

Ongoing need for medical intervention led to his assignment to the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado, where his sole focus was upon recovery. Ultimately, the decision was made by the Army to retire Bryant. It was bittersweet, as Michael still had a fierce desire to serve.

Accustomed to a fast pace, taking the time to focus solely upon himself was not easy, and the transition to civilian life was challenging.

“we succeed and struggle together, but we always carry each other through.”

Michael and Therapy Horse JD Through divorce and the separation of his family, Bryant demonstrated self-destructive tendencies and outbursts of anger. Although he continued with individual psychotherapy, he felt that traditional methods for treating his PTSD had been exhausted. Michael needed a new plan.

It was then that his nurse practitioner suggested Equine Assisted Therapy.

Bryant looked forward to this new therapy experience, happy to have the opportunity to work with horses again after many years. Michael viewed this with an open mind and managed his expectations. He was hopeful. How Horses Changed Michael’s Life “The reward, the love of my rider is my reason...we succeed and struggle together, but we always carry each other through.”

Michael Bryant arrived at Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center (PPTRC) for his first session and, when asked to select a horse from the herd, was drawn to JD, a giant paint gelding with a bit of attitude.

Bryant smiles and acknowledges that they picked one another, possibly because they both had a bit of attitude!

When therapy sessions began, they were vastly different from what he expected.

He had assumed that riding was part of the plan. It was not!

The time spent developing a relationship in quiet reflection with his therapy horse was unexpected. The notion of bonding with a horse was a bit “touchy feely” for him.

Working with JD and Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center’s specially trained mental health therapist, Bryant would come to understand that his therapist truly WAS JD. He learned that horses have innate therapeutic qualities, making them ideal partners for those seeking peace and healing.

They are responsive and reflective of human behavior, reacting to moods and feelings. “I was taught how to connect with the horse on an almost spiritual level, learning how they view the world. A horse can go from resting to full alert, then relax again, in mere seconds.

Horses can let go of tension and anxiety and JUST BE.” Veterans such as Michael find horses easily relatable because they operate on a fight-or-flight instinct, similar to those addressing PTSD. Continued on next page

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 27

The time spent developing a relationship in quiet reflection with his therapy horse was unexpected. The notion of bonding with a horse was a bit “touchy feely” for him.

Working with JD and Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center’s specially trained mental health therapist, Bryant would come to understand that his therapist truly WAS JD. He learned that horses have innate therapeutic qualities, making them ideal partners for those seeking peace and healing. They are responsive and reflective of human behavior, reacting to moods and feelings.

His experiences at PPTRC have reawakened his love for horses and the simple joy of working with them. With a desire to give back to an organization that was instrumental in his recovery, he has become a valued member of the Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center family as a volunteer in the Children’s Hippotherapy Program.

He has found a calling and a mission, and now experiences joy in transforming childrens’ lives.

Michael and Therapy Horse JD

“I was taught how to connect with the horse on an almost spiritual level, learning how they view the world. A horse can go from resting to full alert, then relax again, in mere seconds.

Horses can let go of tension and anxiety and JUST BE.” Veterans such as Michael find horses easily relatable because they operate on a fight-or-flight instinct, similar to those addressing PTSD. When the lightbulb went off...

“That moment for me was seeing the reaction of JD when I felt tension and frustration. He became tense and uneasy, even fearful. Was this really what my family felt? I was dumbstruck.”

Bryant learned that when he released his tension and let go, JD immediately relaxed as well, leading to an increased selfawareness never before experienced. “I was able to apply that calming affect to help control or mitigate flare-ups in temper, hyper-alertness, anxiety, panic attacks and general edginess.”

Bryant attended several full sessions at PPTRC through the Warrior Transition Battalion and the Wounded Warriors Project. He learned that JD could teach him much about himself.

The insight was stunning, as he learned the difficult lesson of just being and staying present in the moment. This experience was life-changing, and he acknowledges that, although his therapy did not cure his PTSD, he developed valuable new instinctual tools and a priceless awareness of himself and his own behaviors.

Today, Michael Bryant has found balance and is at peace.

Relationships with his family have been mended; a new life partner and the arrival of son Declan 16 months ago have rekindled his joy of life and optimism about the future.

Bryant sees his son as a gift after all of the pain endured, and relishes being a full-time caregiver.

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Miracles happen every day at PPTRC

“The moment for me was seeing the reaction of JD when I felt tension and frustration.

He became tense and uneasy, even fearful. Was this really what my family felt? I was dumbstruck.”

PPTRC Programs: • Hippotherapy (derived from the Greek “hippo”): physical, occupational, or speech therapy that is part of an integrated treatment plan to achieved targeted outcomes.

Led by a trained and licensed physical, speech, or occupational therapist, hippotherapy utilizes the threedimensional movement of the horse to influence the rider physically and neurologically.

This therapy increases core strength, muscle memory, flexibility, balance, independence, cognitive abilities and more.

• Therapeutic Riding: an adaptive horseback riding lesson taught by a certified therapeutic riding instructor to increase the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being of the rider.

Riders learn to influence the actions of the horse in a manner that addresses physical, emotional, and cognitive needs.

• Equine Facilitated Mental Health Therapy allows participants to learn to honestly assess their own emotions and behaviors to improve interactions with the horse, learning social and relationship skills.

Specially trained mental health therapists help clients translate the skills learned working with therapy horses into everyday life and interactions.

Inclusion of the horse removes the fear of human judgment that prevents many from addressing mental health needs.

About Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center At PPTRC, Equine Assisted Therapy and other activities are provided to those with a varied set of disabilities, such as Cerebral Palsy, amputation, paralysis, PTSD, TBI, trauma, depression and loss. Experiential therapies are designed to meet the unique needs of the individual.

Horses reproduce the natural walking motion of a human being, and are able to reintegrate and resequence the neurological inputs to a person lacking them.

Inclusion of the horse, along with evidence-based therapeutic theories and practices, helps remove the stigma surrounding traditional mental health therapy. This provides an option for those who would otherwise not seek help and those who have not seen the desired results with traditional therapy.

Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center was started in 1981, seeing many incredible breakthroughs. In 1989, PPTRC received PATH certification, the national membership and credentialing association for equine activities.

PPTRC maintains the highest level of accreditation, Premier Accredited Center, providing over 3500 classes per year, averaging 110 clients per week.

At Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center, we understand it is our duty and our privilege to serve those who have served our country. As a proud member of the R4 alliance, we are working to maximize the potential of our military families.

To find out more about Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center and learn how you can help our nation’s heroes find hope and healing, visit PPTRC.org.

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THE ONE PERCENT - WARRIOR WELLNESS SOLUTIONS GIVES HOPE AND HEALING TO WOUNDED MARINE

If you ask Cpl. Michael Politowicz, he’ll tell you he was born to be a United States Marine.

His path to achieving that goal was anything but smooth and staying on track hasn’t exactly been a cake walk, either. A Detroit native, Politowicz is the grandson of the late Edward Politowicz Sr., a World War II USMC veteran and survivor of four amphibious assaults, including two on Iwo Jima.

With his grandfather as his role model, Michael Politowicz enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 18, but he didn’t make it very far. “Halfway through boot camp, I was attacked by fire ants and went into anaphylactic shock,” he said. “The Navy medical board deemed me unfit to continue with training.”

Politowicz returned to Detroit and worked on auto assembly lines and other factories for ten years. His goal was to de-sensitize his allergic reaction to fire ants and then re-enlist. But the Marine Corps told the six-foot-three-inch-tall Politowicz he was 50 pounds overweight.

Two months later, he came in 20 pounds overweight.

The third time he tried, they told him he still had 8 pounds to lose, so he left the recruiter’s office, put on a wet suit and garbage bags, worked out and lost the weight in two hours.

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R4 Alliance

Member Highlight

By Lisa Curry & Elijah Sacra Finally, Politowicz was a Marine again. He was older than his drill sergeant, but he successfully completed boot camp and became a combat engineer.

Two years later, he was on foot patrol in Afghanistan when he stepped on a trip wire and an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated only three feet from him. Politowicz was blown up and landed with a forearm shattered by shrapnel and a traumatic brain injury.

That’s how he wound up in the USMC Wounded Warrior Battalion East at Camp Lejeune, N.C., a Purple Heart recipient suffering PTSD and nightmares, back up to 50 pounds overweight and taking 15 prescription medications.

“I was a shut-in. I couldn’t deal with large crowds and had a hard time socially with new people,” he said. “I couldn’t walk my dog or even walk from my house to my car.”

The average person might have given up right there.

Then again, the average person facing all the adversity he’d faced probably would have given up on the Marine Corps years before that. But not Politowicz.

He was determined to return to active duty.

Politowicz’s wife Suzi reached out to Warrior Wellness Solutions’ founder Elijah Sacra, a USMC veteran and Exercise Physiologist and co-founder Clarissa Kussin, a professional chef and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Together, Sacra and Kussin taught Politowicz and his wife the foundations of the Warrior Wellness Solutions Program. The Warrior Wellness program encompasses Functional Medicine Health Coaching, Integrative Nutrition, Rehabilitative and Adaptive Exercise, Mindfulness, and Post Traumatic Growth Training.

Within three months of working with Warrior Wellness Solutions, Politowicz had reduced his prescription medications from 15 to one. In addition, he had lost so much weight that his company commander at Wounded Warrior Battalion East demanded to know what he’d been doing.

Politowicz told his commanding officer, Antony Andrious, about Warrior Wellness Solutions and said, “You should bring them here.” His improvement continued by leaps and bounds until finally Andrious called Sacra and invited them to present a workshop to Wounded Warrior Battalion-East at Camp Lejeune.

Politowicz continued to enhance his performance and became a rugby player, competitive cyclist, and powerlifter. He ran the Marine Corps Marathon, a half Ironman Triathlon and won bronze medals in shot put, discus, and cycling while competing in Warrior Games.

Additionally, he rode with President George W. Bush on a 100K Bike Ride.

Politowicz is part of the 1 percent of Marines who has left the Wounded Warrior Battalion and returned to active duty, just as he set out to do years before. He now works at Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) as a Sergeant, supporting Marines who are in special operations training.

The Marine Corps awarded Politowicz with a personal award for Outstanding Volunteer Service for his continued service with Warrior Wellness Solutions.

He is currently attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition on scholarship where he is training to become a health coach. His story and painting is featured in President George W. Bush’s book Portraits of Courage. He plans to be a High School Principle when he retires from the Marine Corps. He currently lives in Jacksonville, NC with his wife Suzi, his two children, and two American Bulldogs.

For a smaller relatively unfunded organization like Warrior Wellness Solutions, R4 Alliance has played an essential role in establishing a framework for support, referrals, and peer to peer education. The R4 Alliance membership has been essential in providing Warrior Wellness Solutions the opportunity for partnerships between other Programs of Excellence and Support services. With their support, Warrior Wellness Solutions continues to transform the lives of Wounded, Ill, and Injured Warriors and their Families.

SERGEANT MICHAEL JOSEPH POLITOWICZ UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, 2010-PRESENT www.homelandmagazine.com

www.warriorwellnesssolutions.org

Empowering the Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Health of Our Nation’s Warriors and their Families

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 31

Backpacking from New York City with the Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors

By Aaron Leonard

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

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R4 Alliance

Member Highlight

Amine Tourki grew up in Morocco, moving to Brooklyn at age 15 after his father, a longtime member of the Sierra Club, won an immigration lottery at the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca.

Amine’s brief stint with the U.S. Army began in the Summer of 2007, after he left the University of Michigan to accept a position as an Arabic interpreter in Iraq. This would become a life changing experience for Amine, one that he has spent the last decade trying to heal from.

In Iraq, Amine was assigned to a US Special Forces unit, working with a Green Beret A-Team during the most violent period of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the four months Amine worked for the Green Berets, he saw the effects of war on the people and the land, experiences that would eventually drive Amine to resign and return to his Brooklyn home.

Ten years after returning from Iraq, Amine works as a programmer and Uber driver in New York City. To help firm-up a sense of purpose in his life, Amine joined a local veteran service organization called Mission Continues in Brooklyn, where he volunteers with veterans in his community.

While the volunteer projects are deeply rewarding, Amine often felt there was something missing. He’d dreamed of adventure in the wild, read the histories of New York’s parks, and decided it was time to explore the great outdoors.

Taken by Aaron Leonard at Harriman State Park on May 26, 2017.

From the back, L to R: Amine, Eric, Gabrielle, Amanda, Susin, Aaron, and Leslie.

“At the trailhead into Harriman State Park in Tuxedo, New York.”

Continued on next page

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 33

Taken by Aaron Leonard at Shenandoah National Park on April 10, 2017.

L to R: Aaron, David, Jordan, Argenis, Amanda, and Zia. “At the trailhead leading to our first campsite at Shenandoah National Park.”

The problem was, other than local parks, he had no confidence in his ability to safely explore outside the city.

Amine has never slept outside, has never backpacked, never had to carry everything he needed to survive.

As Paulo Coelho so aptly wrote in The Alchemist, “And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” One day Amine got an email from Mission Continues, an open invitation to join the Sierra Club Military Outdoors on an outing called “How to Backpack from New York City: Hoboken to Harriman State Park.” Amine saw his opportunity to explore and signed-on to take his first hesitant steps to get outside.

This history of military and veteran engagement dates to its founder, John Muir, who in 1903 guided President Theodore Roosevelt into the Yosemite wilderness, creating Sierra Club’s first “military outing.”

The tradition of supporting the military was best illustrated when the Sierra Club’s first full-time executive director, David Brower, responded to the need for an alpine fighting force during WWII. Brower and Club leaders used the mountaineering and skiing skills they developed with the Sierra Club to found and train the 10th Mountain Division - a unit that has distinguished itself from the Dolomites of Italy to the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan.

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Brower himself fought with the 10th Mountain in WWII, earning a Bronze Star for action in Italy. Since its creation in 2006 within the Sierra Club Outdoors, the Military Outdoors program has facilitated outdoor adventures for more than 70,000 veterans and their families.

The Sierra Club Military Outdoors was established in 2006 as a volunteer led program, continuing a long tradition within the Sierra Club of supporting the needs of military members.

In New York City, the program is led by Aaron Leonard, a retired U.S. Army Officer, and a handful of dedicated volunteers.

The mission is simple: to help veterans explore, enjoy, and protect the lands they swore an oath to protect.

Aaron began his role as a student veteran coordinator in December 2016, tasked with establishing a Military Outdoors program in the Northeast.

With a population of over 220,000 veterans, New York City was clearly the city to begin this project, and hosting weekend outings to nearby state parks was a great way to get veterans involved. In signing up for this June’s backpacking trip, Amine was definitely outside his comfort zone/ As the day approached where he would meet up with the group in Hoboken he nearly dropped from the trip. The packing list alone was intimidating: 40+ degree sleeping bag, no cotton, outer layer, inner layer, all foreign to a man who bravely answered a call to serve in a war zone.

But as Amine was to discover, we can learn a lot about ourselves when we explore the world outside our comfort zones. The Sierra Club’s mission is to help people explore, enjoy, and protect the planet. This work has never been more important.

According to a 2001 survey sponsored by the EPA and published in the Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology, Americans spend 87 percent of their time indoors and 6 percent in an enclosed vehicle.

A survey published by The Nature Conservancy, Connecting America’s Youth to Nature, reports “The key obstacles to youth spending time in nature are lack of access, lack of interest, and feelings of discomfort.” Helping Amine and others like him to enjoy their first-time backpacking is essential.

Amanda Gordon, an active Air Force Reservist who recently returned from a six-month deployment to Kuwait, is not unlike Amine. Having spent little time outdoors growing up, Amanda was looking for a way to re-connect with herself and her life away from the Air Force.

A chance invite through her mother’s coworker lead her to join the Sierra Club Military Outdoors on an earlier backpacking trip to the Shenandoah Valley in April 2017, where she spent a week with Aaron, three other veterans, and Sierra Club volunteer Zia Onorato, a Social Worker in Connecticut and her mom’s friend from work.

Amanda had returned from her deployment feeling anger and bitterness. When Amanda shared her story, she said “I was angry about my experience, or lack of experience, and was relieved to get out of Kuwait. I was ready to get on with my civilian life.” Amanda knew that she wanted to go back to college and study journalism. She also knew that she would need to make a transition from her military life while returning to a civilian life that felt foreign. She was looking for a life that held a sense of purpose.

Helping veterans like Amanda transition from a military lifestyle to a healthy and purposeful civilian lifestyle isn’t just an elevator pitch, it accurately describes the work being done by the Military Outdoors’ network of volunteer leaders.

After returning from her trip, Amanda said “I never considered getting outdoors or camping, but going to Shenandoah with the other veterans was awesome.” She enjoyed being on a team again, but without the hierarchy and issues that were ever present during her deployment.

Much like Amine, Amanda was outside her comfort zone on day one of her first Military Outdoors trip. But once in the backcountry of Shenandoah, Amanda had an experience that stuck with her. “We got far enough away to see no distractions, hear no cars or city noise, just you and nature.” When asked if there was one place she wanted to explore, she said “I want to see as much as I can.” www.homelandmagazine.com

Recently Amanda joined Amine, Aaron and five other New Yorkers for the first in a series of Sierra Club Military Outdoors outings aptly titled “How to Backpack from New York City: Hoboken to Harriman State Park.” There were other veterans on the trip, and a few civilians. Some were members of the Sierra Club, and some had only heard of our Nation’s oldest, largest, and most effective environmental advocacy organization. There was one commonality: everyone was looking for something they felt was missing in their lives. An accessible introduction to getting outdoors.

When asked of his experience after the trip, Amine said “A fantastic program, more than going on a day hike. We get to spend more time together, feel more comfortable with the group. A more wholesome way of bonding with people that have been with you in the trenches. As a New Yorker, I heard of these parks (Harriman) but had no idea how to get there or what to do there.”

When asked to describe the difference between his time with the Sierra Club Military Outdoors and other veterans’ groups in the city, Amine said “Here you must work within a team, carry food and water, it puts you in touch with nature and a network of people you want to spend time with.

There is a difference between having drinks with Veterans on Wall Street and sleeping next to another veteran in the wilderness. Cooking, hiking, making clean water, totally different.”

Veterans and family members who wish to go beyond just participating in trips to becoming leaders can join a Sierra Club Sponsored Outings Leader Training program. This training program ensures volunteers are able to plan and lead safe and enjoyable outdoors adventures, and it’s how the Military Outdoors program will continue to have the greatest impact on the veteran community Graduates of their Outings Leader Training go on to plan and safely lead many different types of outings in their communities, all of which help veterans and their families get outdoors.

In August 2017, the Military Outdoors program will graduate 40 new volunteer leaders, many from New York City and the Tri-State area.

These new volunteers will go on to lead 1000s of veterans and their families on day hikes in Central Park, kayaking trips on the Hudson, overnight backpacking outings in nearby parks, and more.

Learn how you can get involved by contacting Aaron Leonard at aaron.leonard@sierraclub.org.

About the author: Aaron Leonard is a combat veteran who retired in 2014 as a Lieutenant Colonel after over 27 years in the U.S. Army. He has been leading wilderness adventures for service members and veterans since 2012 to help veterans both heal from the wounds of war while becoming leaders in the veteran community. He has five adult daughters and lives with his soul mate and Sierra Club volunteer Leslie Hoellger in Mahopac, New York.

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 35

R4 Alliance Member Spotlight:

Man’s Best Friend Helping to Heal Brad Meister says the phrase “man’s best friend” doesn’t do justice to Charlie, his Golden Retriever. Sure, they go everywhere and do everything together, but their bond goes much deeper. Brad, a retired Marine Corps Corporal who has a mild traumatic brain injury and battles post-traumatic stress, says his service dog Charlie has been a lifeline.

“He broke down a brick wall that I had built around my heart,” says Brad. “He’s a gift to me… he really saved me.

He’s given me the push I needed to get back up and get back out there again.”

Brad served as a sniper in the U.S. Marine Corps from 20092013 and, over the course of those four years, sustained multiple concussions. It was a traumatic brain injury in 2012 that forced him to medically retire. He spent half a year in Wounded Warrior Battalion East undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for his injuries. After returning home to Charleston, South Carolina, life wasn’t the same.

“I used to be really outgoing. I was an athlete, a leader — that’s the type of person I was,” said Brad. “I say this not to be boastful, it’s just how I was. Then when I came back [from Afghanistan], I hid inside my house and hung out in dark places in my mind.”

Brad’s experiences are very personal and tough for him to recount. He says service dog Charlie, provided to him earlier this year through Warrior Canine Connection, has helped change that.

“He feels like a kindred spirit, and I swear he’s the only dog I’ve ever seen that actually smiles,” said Brad. “My anxiety in public, at church, at the store… he’s helped me with it so much. I have that mentality… always on the lookout, and he’s really helped me to lower my level of concern.

On the beach, I talk to everyone because he’s a magnet for attention. It makes me communicate with people, talk, make eye contact, and it has really opened me up and forced me out of my shell.”

Brad is grateful to Warrior Canine Connection and the Warriors who came before him to train Charlie as a means of addressing their own combat trauma. Warrior Canine Connection’s unique Mission Based Trauma Recovery model not only creates valuable service dogs, it taps into the healing power of the Warrior Ethos and the human-animal bond.

Warrior Canine Connection Founder and Executive Director Rick Yount says the program is designed to trigger powerful mind/body effects in our Warrior trainers that reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injury. The dogs are then paired with other Veterans to provide much-needed support.

“It’s the whole aspect of doing something for a fellow Veteran that makes it as powerful as it is, a different kind of mission,” says Yount.

“It requires patience, assertiveness, positive reinforcement, kindness, consistency, communication skills, love, responsibility, and an attitude of never giving up.”

Dogs are not a magic cure-all. Rather, they are a vehicle for Brad and others to continue progressing in their treatment, to help recognize PTS triggers and symptoms, and to help abate them.

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“From time to time, those dark moments start to creep back in and Charlie can sense it in my voice, my tone, my overall demeanor,” said Brad. “He picks up on it quickly, shoves his head in my lap, kisses my face, and when that happens, it’s hard for me not to smile.

I really wish I had him three years ago. Back then, PTS was something you sort of hid. Now, I feel like I can encourage people to get stronger and help others…to push myself and other people.”

Lauren, Brad’s wife of three years, is his primary support system and number one fan. The two dated for six years before getting married and, although two years apart in age, they attended the same high school and grew up in the same hometown in Georgia.

He goes out in public with Charlie by his side and, of course, everyone wants to pet Charlie and learn more about him. It’s really helped him open up. Brad brushes his teeth and then he brushes Charlie’s teeth. He takes the best care of him. I think those kinds of things are therapeutic for Brad.”

Skeptic no more, Lauren says she now see shades of the “old Brad.” Naturally, she’s also grown quite an affinity for Charlie, herself. “I feel like he’s my little son,” said Lauren. “I love him because he takes care of Brad and he makes Brad so happy. Charlie’s a shedder, but I would put up with hair everywhere just to see Brad smile. I love Charlie, he’s so sweet and so good. He hasn’t forgotten any of his training.”

Brad says he knows he can’t turn back the hands of time, and that returning to the Marine Corps isn’t an option. He can’t help but miss it just the same.

“From the day I graduated boot camp, I loved every second of it,” said Brad. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about being back in the Marines and serving with my brothers — it’s the camaraderie and brotherhood.”

That said, he’s found a different sort of camaraderie in his four-legged friend. He’s chosen to look forward and takes each day one at a time, but says that with Charlie by his side, he feels more confident and more optimistic about the future.

Speaking of his future, the same week this article was written, Brad accepted a job offer in the private sector providing military intelligence support. He and Charlie are looking forward to their first day in the office.

About Warrior Canine Connection: Since its inception, WCC has placed more than 30 assistance dogs with wounded Warriors. However, through its MissionBased Trauma Recovery program, the organization has also impacted the lives of more than 3,700 Service Members and Veterans who have assisted in the training process.

She admits to initially being uncertain of how a service dog would help, but Lauren was willing to try anything that might benefit Brad.“I was skeptical at first — I had never really seen a service dog in action,” said Lauren.

“But within the first hour or two I completely understood.

I have seen Brad become much more sociable and not so anxious. He had gotten to the point where he wouldn’t leave the house for two to three weeks – that’s all changed.

The training of one WCC service dog can impact up to 60 Service Members in the process.

While most dog-lovers overwhelming agree that their dogs improve their lives, WCC is now working with experts to scientifically prove it. Two separate research studies are underway to analyze the efficacy of WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery program and its psycho/physiologist effects on Service Members with PTS in the National Capital Area. To learn more about or to support WCC, please visit

www.warriorcanineconnection.org

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R4 Alliance

Member Highlight

The Comfort Crew for Military Kids Supports Our Youngest Heroes The chance meeting between LTC Davis and the Comfort Crew took place in the parking lot outside of his office shortly after he returned from Afghanistan in 2011.

But it was when we reached his youngest son who was 9 at the time and asked, “how did you deal with the deployment” that the surprise came.

The conversation quickly grew into how his family, and particularly, his three children, coped with the separation and worry.

See, the Davis family is the model for good communication and support. So, when his youngest son broke down and spoke through tears, “I just don’t have a way to express my feelings,” everyone had to take a step back. No one realized the pain this child was holding in over a year after his father’s return.

A year later, the family would sit down and be filmed by the Comfort Crew about how deployment and reintegration affects families. His oldest son shared how baseball had kept him busy and his mind off the worry, while his daughter talked about how journaling had helped her to get away from negative emotions.

Since that time, the Crew has been able to introduce strategies to help him express these feelings, bringing the family closer together. LTC Davis said recently,

“when we first met and had that conversation I had no idea the impact that the Comfort Crew would have on my family.”

Those of us connected to the military know, but many people don’t realize, our country has been at war for 16 years. And unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be coming to an end any time soon.

This has brought a different type of stress to our military personnel, and their families.

Military families are the forgotten heroes in this time of war. They’ve always had to move every 2-3 years and there have always been deployments and trainings, but nothing like the last 16 years. People love to say,

Davis Family 38

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“Military kids are so resilient”. Well, many are. But resiliency for most is a learned skill that needs to be nurtured.

This is where The Comfort Crew for Military Kids is able to help. Since 2007, Comfort Crew has been providing invaluable resources to help our military kids grow and thrive through extremely difficult times.

The Comfort Crew for Military Kids is a 501(c)(3) public charity, founded by Trevor Romain and Ronda Englander.

Trevor is an award-winning children’s book author who is a naturalized American by way of South Africa. Trevor served in The South African army. He had an experience with an injured African child that paved his path to helping kids.

Ronda has worked in the child development field most of her life, and she is a gold star daughter. Her father Rocky Armstead, died in Viet Nam when Ronda was 3. Together, Ronda and Trevor saw the need to help this generation of military kids.

Recent research validates what kids have been telling us for years, that military kids are faced with extraordinary circumstances: deployments, injury, loss, and many feel they must carry this burden alone.

During an interview of middle and high school students here is what some said when asked “What was it like when your parent came home from deployment?” “When my mom came home she didn’t want to be hugged anymore.”

“When he came home I was happy, but things weren’t the same.” “It feels like he’s not my same dad.” These are common themes we hear from kids and many have never shared these feelings with anyone before.

The Comfort Crew for Military Kids developed programs to address the challenges that families told us they needed help with. The basic goals of our programs are to increase communication within families, and to let kids know they aren’t alone.

The With You All the Way! Deployment Kit is packed with incredible information to help kids and families with the stress of deployment. It includes strategies to prepare for deployments, stay connected during separations and to manage expectations for the homecoming.

The Together Again! Helping Military Families Reconnect Kit is a fantastic resource to help families reconnect in a very difficult transition period. We all understand the trials and tribulations of military personnel battling PTS. But we generally don’t consider the impact it has on kids.

This incredible resource helps kids understand what their parent might be feeling, what they themselves might be feeling, and helps pave a path to reconnection.

The Grief Kit provides kids and families a safe way to learn about their feelings of loss, and how to keep their loved ones in their heart.

www.homelandmagazine.com

This resource lets kids know that you won’t ever get over the loss of a loved one, but how you can live with the loss, and keep your loved one close to and with you on your journey.

This is what Ronda learned during the process of creating the resource and many other gold star children have said they wished they had received something like this after their loss.

In partnership with the USO, Trevor Romain has traveled all over the country, and to 16 different countries where we have military installation, on the With You All the Way! Tour.

This tour is an assembly format performed in schools to provide hope, inspiration, and critical skills to our military children, to help them navigate the unique challenges of modern day military life.

Continued on next page

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 39

In partnership with the USO, Trevor Romain has traveled all over the country, and to 16 different countries where we have military installation, on the With You All the Way! Tour.

This tour is an assembly format performed in schools to provide hope, inspiration, and critical skills to our military children, to help them navigate the unique challenges of modern day military life.

Trevor shares an especially poignant memory from a tour presentation.

Kids love to share their stories, especially after I share my own personal stories during my USO school talks. Depending on questions from the kids, I sometimes include how I deal with the loss of my dad.

After one assembly at a base in North Carolina, a fifth-grade boy said he wanted to speak to me privately. His father had been killed in action in Afghanistan not long before.

One of the teachers told me the boy had been bullying kids at the school and hurt some kids badly because he could not control his temper. The school administrators felt they could not expel the boy because his father had recently passed away, so they tried to manage the situation as best they could.

He went on to tell me that in honor of his dad, he had started a club to welcome new kids at the school and even asks them to sit with him at lunch.

His dad would be so proud.

Captain Sam Arnett, his wife Sara Jane and their 3 sons know what it is like to face the challenges that come with multiple deployments. They have experienced three 12-month deployments over the past eight years and are currently experiencing a PCS. Sara Jane received resources from the Comfort Crew during an especially difficult time when her husband was deployed to Afghanistan. “I was at my wit’s end and happened to ask one of the ladies at the front desk if they had a kit.

I really needed help,” said Sara Jane. “They gave it to my middle son and I sat there and just cried becomes it’s the kindness, it comes from a great place and it’s there to help our children. The With You All the Way! Deployment Kit pushed my sons through months of lonely, sad times,” Sara Jane shared.

“Thank you so much,” the boy said after he came up to me.

“You really helped me.”

“How did I help you?” I asked, not quite sure what he was talking about.

“You helped me figure out that I am bullying kids because I am angry about what happened to my dad.”

I acknowledged the boy’s situation and we went on to discuss ways he could deal with his anger.

As adults, it is sometimes easy to understand why we behave in a particular way, but this boy had no clue why he was bullying other kids until he heard our presentation.

During my talks I always challenge kids to be nice. “I triple dog-dare any of you in this room to be kind,” I say at every presentation.

I thanked the boy for sharing his story and shook his hand, wishing him well. As he walked away he turned to me and said, “I accept your challenge.”

I gave him a thumbs up and got a sweet, genuine smile in return. I got an email from one of the boy’s classmates a few weeks later. He said, “You won’t believe it Mr. Romain, but the bully actually stopped a fight the other day.”

A few weeks after that I got another email, this time from the former bully himself. “Dear Mr. Romain,” he wrote, “I am still taking your dog-dare challenge.”

Arnett Boys 40

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Last year, the boys joined the Comfort Crew in San Antonio for the With You All the Way! Tour. Sara Jane said, “For my oldest, the most responsible, that doesn’t want to burden anyone else, it has changed him. I feel like he’s more comfortable sharing his feelings or comfortable saying, mom can you listen to me, can you come in here, hold me, can you work with me on my homework so he’s more comfortable knowing that it’s fine.”

The intended impact of our programs can be summed up by an email we received from this parent: It is Saturday and I have received one of the ‘With You All the Way’ kits, and cannot say in words how it may just be one of the very best ways to express our child’s feelings.

www.homelandmagazine.com

There is an 8-year-old boy of a deploying Sailor whom this is for and his name is Logan. Logan got this box from me today and read the first couple of pages of the journal and began to cry.

When I asked him why he was crying, he stated to me that the book said things he could not. If there is no better use than that, we have won the battle. - Logan’s Dad

The Comfort Crew is honored to be a member of the R4 Alliance. Together, with other quality non-profit organizations, we can provide the best support to our military and veteran families. CFC #46891

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R4 Alliance & Vets4Warriors On July 17, the R4 Alliance Coordinated Care Network of integrative wellness and recreation services partnered with Vets4Warriors the leading peer support network for service members, veterans, families and caregivers.

Increasing accessibility and coordination to these unique and impactful services for #veterans and their families is a priority of our organization and we are proud to continue our mission to serve the military community.

“I have been battling suicidal depression (PTSD) for 16 years now.

If you have not been here you do not know how I feel.

I take great comfort knowing that the Vets4Warriors staff is there.

Some days, that is all that I have.

To know that I can simply, pick up the phone and talk to a soldier, a comrade.

I want to make a little plaque for you to place on your wall. To contain my Purple Heart Medal with a statement of gratitude for your staffs service to us. An inscription of thanks to your staff for the work they do in helping soldiers like me get through the day.

All I am asking is for the New Jersey address you operate from or any mailing address where I can send this.

As a non-com it was always paramount to recognize the service of my soldiers.

I want to specifically thank the soldier, Priscilla, who has spent several hours talking to me and checking up on me.

It hurts me to think that I and other soldiers dump our shit on you guys, I hope you can leave it in the “office”.

Remind them to go home, be with their families, be happy, and take heart and comfort in the fact that they have done such a great service for and to our veterans.”

Sincerely, SGT. Richard Robinson, US Army

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you answer and solve your problems with appropriate resources.

Vets4Warriors

We are an experienced, proven, live and confidential peer support network available 24/7 to any veteran, service member, family member or caregiver nationwide.

We provide them with immediate assistance on any issue before they are in crisis. We provide a one-of-a-kind resource, delivered by employees who are veterans, military family members and caregivers.

Vets4Warriors fills a critical gap between crisis hotlines and the many charities offering direct assistance to veterans in need. As a live, confidential 24/7 peer support network, we can address the immediate needs of veterans, service members, their families and their caregivers whenever they may arise and connect them to the best resources offered by our partners and communities across the country.

Who We Are Vets4Warriors provides a 24/7 peer support network that any individual in the military community can contact for confidential conversations and trusted solutions to physical, mental or social challenges, before those challenges turn into crises. Vets4Warriors isn’t a crises or suicide hotline.

We are a peer support network staffed by members of the veteran and military communities. Our philosophy is that there are no challenges we can’t help our veterans, military members, their families or their caregivers find the solution for. We provide a multi-touch and multi-channel service.

Clients engage for more than one contact, and there is more than one way to reach us.

What We Do We provide sustained support to service members, veterans, family members and caregivers through confidential phone, text and online conversation. We are not a single-use resource. Many of the people we help continue to engage with us in an ongoing dialogue that spans months as they work through the challenges that led them to contact us in the first place.

Your support helps us reach every veteran and the military community to ensure the full range of available resources is accessible to and understood by those who need them.

Mission To provide a 24/7 peer support network that any veteran, service member, family member or caregiver can contact for confidential conversations and trusted solutions to physical, mental, or financial challenges, before those challenges turn into crises.

Discover the Power of Connection Vets4Warriors is the leading peer support network for a service member, veteran, family member or caregiver who needs to talk to someone who has been through similar situations and can help them get answers to their questions.

Who We Serve Vets4Warriors serves veterans of all generations and the entire military community, from those who just put on the uniform, to the caregiver of a veteran who long since stopped wearing a uniform. We provide personal connections and peer support to the community to which we all belong.

Why Contact Vets4Warriors When you need an unbiased resource, we are only a call, chat or text away. Vets4Warriors began as a resource for the military by the military community; but located outside of the chain-of-command. Today, our nonprofit peer support network supports anyone from the military and veteran community and has the experience to confidentially help

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R4 Alliance Coordinated Care Network WHAT WE’RE DOING

R4 Alliance has created a Coordinated Care Network of integrative recreation and wellness programs for veterans and military families across the country. Organizations in this network are connected through Unite Us, a HIPAA-compliant technology platform. Through this shared platform, providers can expand their individual reach, share information, and connect clients to a wealth of services and support.

UNITE US KEY FEATURES CONNECTING COMMUNITY PROVIDERS Digitally send and receive referrals to/from best-fit community providers based on eligibility requirements Person-centered client and case timelines securely shared across the network

NO WRONG DOOR ACCESS Clients can access services through various entry points Ensure every person who needs assistance receives it in a timely manner

COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP & SUCCESS Each provider is uniquely mapped into network with own dashboard and client access Insight ability into other services for a full view of client’s care

END-TO-END OUTCOME TRACKING Track and manage closed-loop referrals and 100% of outcomes across the network Export real-time data reports for the network

To pioneer this effort, 10 partner organizations have agreed to participate in the network: EQuest Hooves for Heroes • Give an Hour • Higher Ground • Paws for People • Pike’s Peak Therapeutic Riding Center • Project Healing Waters • Project Sanctuary • Team River Runner • Vets 4 Warriors • World T.E.A.M. Sports 44

R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017

Software That Builds Coordinated Networks Our Veterans Can Count On

Courageous, Successful and Victorious We are working to change the way people look at our heroes. No matter what wounds they may bring home, they are heroes and their families standing by to care for them are heroes as well.

They don’t need pity… they need support. We are proud to support those Programs of Excellence offering programs and services to make transitions and wellness an attainable goal.

To learn more visit

r4alliance.org/warriorguardian/

Coordinate Care

Tracked Outcomes

No wrong Door

1-844-786-4837 | UNITEUS.com | info@uniteus.com

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R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 45

R4 Alliance Survey Shows High Level of Excellence Among Member Organization Programs This indicated an overall level of excellence and quality among the programs, according to Gillette.

“This was our first effort to create an evaluation tool that could be used across so many organizations. We are thrilled at the success,” Gillette said.

The results from the survey will be used by the Alliance to create a baseline for all member organizations, and a standard that organizations applying for membership will need to meet.

“We know the amazing programs that are in our membership,” said Riley. “This collaborative study shows the rest of the world that we are not the only ones that think so.”

National non-profit R4 Alliance announced today that a recent online scientific survey of military veterans, their families, friends and supporters offered exceptionally high evaluations of member organizations’ support services and therapeutic and community recreation programs.

“R4 has always set out to recruit programs of excellence,” explained Bert Gillette, R4’s Director of Operations. “These evaluation results affirm the level of quality services R4 members deliver to our veterans and their families.”

Conducted over a period of approximately 16 months in 2015 and 2016, the study compiled results from online evaluations that program participants voluntarily completed following participation in member programs.

“To have over 1,300 responses from clients that consistently give such high marks is rare, to have these results across multiple and diverse organizations is unheard of,” said Gillette.

Jenni Riley, the R4 Alliance’s Director of Development and Marketing, noted the consistency and high standards set by the participating programs helps the Alliance as it encourages member organizations to continue to deliver exceptional experiences for veterans and their families.

Gillette reports the study will help veterans receive better experiences in the future, as well as allow the R4 Alliance to better coordinate quality care among its member organizations.

“Going forward, we are creating assessments for each of the service areas within R4 membership.

This will help us dig even deeper gathering constructive feedback to drive the evolution of member services.”

Jaimee Rizzotti, the R4 Alliance’s Programs and Logistics Coordinator, created the evaluation and compiled the results.

“The great things that our organizations are doing for Our Military Families with non-pharmaceutical programs are finally being recognized. This study is just one of the ways that prove these organizations truly are programs of excellence.”

Noting that military service members are returning home following their service with a variety of physical and invisible wounds, she believes research of this nature is not only important, but needs to be followed by additional studies in the future.

Submitted evaluations indicated that nearly 60 percent of the participants in member programs were first time attendees. More than 83 percent of participants were men.

“Thank you to all the service members and supporters who participated in this evaluation,” Rizzotti said.

Satisfaction was high for the evaluated member programs, which ranked 4.44 or above on a five point scale, with a value of 5 being extremely important to the participating veterans.

“Understanding the fundamental importance factors will help guide program creation to better serve Our Military Family!”

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Your mission is our focus.

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R4 Alliance Annual Conference / October 2017 47

PROUD MEMBER OF:

Welcomes At BEAVER HOLLOW our mission is to improve the health of our Veterans by strengthening and supporting the organizations that serve them. We provide a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach to holistic wellness designed to improve the long-term health and wellbeing of our military community, their families, and caregivers. Our property includes over 300 acres of lakes and scenic woodlands with abundant recreational and therapeutic activities, our own complete fitness village, a state of the art conference center, comfortable guest rooms, an award-winning spa and a food and beverage menu that shows that nutritious can be delicious. Our team of certified professionals will teach the tools needed for self-care through mindfulness, physical activity, healthy sleep and good nutrition while also addressing the family, social, spiritual and emotional components necessary in treating the whole person. What makes us unique is that we provide an immersion-style experience in a safe environment allowing participants to put these new skills to use so they can continue on the healthy path upon their return home. It is my honor as a fellow Veteran to have the opportunity to serve you.

Respectfully,

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Paul L. Snyder, OWNER