STATISTICS BEHIND DSV

Misconceptions

in 2014, a va study was conducted regarding veteran suicide rates.  this study included 22 states and looked at trends in the post 9/11 veteran population.  their findings were that APPROXIMATELY 22 veterans committed suicide each day.  these initial findings sent shock waves throughout the department of veteran affairs, the department of defense and the veteran community as a whole.  almost overnight, hundreds of non-profits were born to combat the "22 a day".  however this study was incomplete and lacked statistical RELEVANCE.  over the next 2 years, an analyses was conducted at the VHA Office for Suicide Prevention with support from the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention; VISN 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Care Center; and the Post-Deployment Health Service.

this study is considered to be the most comprehensive study on veteran deaths and in particular, veteran suicide.  their findings showed that In 2014, an average of 20 Veterans died by suicide each day.  only Six of the 20 were recent users of VHA services in 2013 or 2014.  additionally, After adjusting for differences in age and sex, risk for suicide was 22 percent higher among Veterans when compared to U.S. non-Veteran adults; risk for suicide was 19 percent higher among male Veterans when compared to U.S. non-Veteran adult men; and risk for suicide was 2.5 times higher among female Veterans when compared to U.S. non-Veteran adult women.  (VA 2016 FUll report)

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internal and external concerns.

unfortunately, the va on the national stage has struggled in their perceived care of veterans.  there is no doubt that many va hospitals and regional care centers take excellent care of veterans.  however scandals have plagued the overall image of the va creating a RELUCTANCE in many veterans to seek care from their local va facility.  many whom seek treatment for ptsd and other combat related traumas report the same methodology - prescriptions of highly addictive narcotics and group counseling with a counselor that cannot relate to the individual veteran's experiences.  a controversial newsweek article by art levine titled "HOW THE VA FUELED THE NATIONAL OPIOID CRISIS AND IS KILLING THOUSANDS OF VETERANS" revealed even more disturbing trends where opioid based medications were PRESCRIBED often when not needed to treat ptsd and patients were at times, cut off completely from the medication without a plan going forward.

dsv participants

the veterans that participate in our retreats represent each service and span the post 9/11 generation to the vietnam era.  men and women, of all ETHNICITY and race, serving our country in various specialties in the military.  yet even with such a diverse group we see many common themes AMONG them all.  pre and post-retreat surveys are used to determine participants quality of life and levels of trauma.  qualitative surveys are conducted daily throughout the week to assess day to day progress as well to determine if there are INDIVIDUALS needing attention in specific areas of their lives.  key findings from the past two years include the following: 

SERVICE

A VETERANS TIME IN SERVICE IS OFTEN CONSIDERED THE HIGH POINT OF THEIR LIVES - THE MOMENTS THEY WILL CHERISH FOREVER.  OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE NO DIFFERENT.  75% STATE THAT THEY MISS BEING DEPLOYED.  THIS MAY SOUND IRONIC BUT FOR VETERANS, TIMES DURING DEPLOYMENT ARE OFTEN LESS COMPLICATED.  THERE IS USUALLY A CLEAR CUT MISSION OR OBJECTIVE, MANY OF THE NUANCES OF SERVING STATESIDE ARE REMOVED AND YOU BUILD BONDS WITH THE MEN AND WOMEN YOU ARE DEPLOYED WITH.  OUR RETREATS REPLICATE MANY ASPECTS OF THIS EXPERIENCE BY CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WITH ONLY THE VETERAN PARTICIPANTS AND LIVING IN TIGHT QUARTERS FAR REMOVED FROM EVERYDAY DISTRACTIONS.  87% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORT EXPERIENCING "MORAL GUILT" - GUILT ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN OR DONE THAT OFTEN CONFLICTS WITH THE EVERYDAY NORMS THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BACK HOME AND AS ALARMING, 75% STRUGGLE TO FORGIVE THEMSELVES.  COMBINING SPIRITUAL DEVOTIONS WITH COUNSELING SESSIONS THAT DISCUSS THESE TOPICS HAS SHOWN TO REDUCE THESE NUMBERS.

MISS BEING DEPLOYED

MORAL GUILT IN SERVICE

FORGIVING ONESELF

IDENTITY

FOR MANY VETERANS, RETURNING HOME FROM SERVICE CAN BE MORE CHALLENGING THAN WHEN THEY ENTERED THE SERVICE.  FOR NEARLY THEIR ENTIRE CAREER, THEY ARE TOLD WHAT TO DO, HOW TO DO IT, WHEN TO DO IT - THEY QUICKLY ADAPT TO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CREATES ORDER OUT OF CHAOS.  THEIR INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY IS MOLDED AS THEY TRANSFORM FROM CIVILIAN TO SERVICE MEMBER.  HOWEVER, LEAVING THE SERVICE AND RETURNING TO WHAT OTHERS CONSIDER NORMALCY IS NOT EASY.  FOR ALL THE EFFORT TO CREATE THE VETERAN, THERE IS LITTLE GUIDANCE ON RETURNING HOME.  62% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THEY WERE RAISED WITH FAITH BUT LOST IT DURING THEIR TIME IN SERVICE.  FOLLOWING THEIR SERVICE, 56% ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND PEACE IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES AND 94% FEEL AS THOUGH THEY HAVE LOST THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND BELONGING.  OUR FAITH BASED DEVOTIONS REMIND PARTICIPANTS THAT A HEALTHY SPIRIT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH AND SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH IN FINDING THEIR INNER PEACE.  BY BRINGING VETERANS TOGETHER, A NEW COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT CAN BE GENERATED AND CARRIED FORWARD UPON RETURNING HOME.

RAISED WITH FAITH

FINDING PEACE

COMMUNITY

STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE

SUICIDE

STRUGGLES WITHIN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY POST SERVICE WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DEEP SEA VALKYRIES.  THE FOUNDERS AND STAFF OF THIS PROGRAM HAVE ALL SUFFERED THROUGH SUICIDES OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS BOTH WHILE IN SERVICE AND AFTER RETURNING HOME.  OUR PARTICIPANTS ENCOUNTER THE SAME STRUGGLES.  FINDING STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE IS KEY NOT ONLY IN THESE TRYING MOMENTS BUT WHEN ANOTHER VETERAN IN NEED CALLS UPON OUR PARTICIPANTS FOR SUPPORT.  91% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS KNOW SOMEONE OR MULTIPLE VETERANS THAT HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE.  DURING OUR 2017 RETREAT, 2 PARTICIPANTS WERE NOTIFIED OF SUICIDES WHILE WE WERE AT SEA.  OUR PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SPECIFICALLY DISCUSS THESE TOUGH ISSUES, TO BRING TO LIGHT THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THOSE SUFFERING AND THOSE CALLED UPON IN TIMES OF NEED.  WE OPEN THE FLOOR TO BEST PRACTICES FROM NOT ONLY THE STAFF BUT FROM THE PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATING THAT STRENGTH COMES FROM EACH VETERAN PRESENT.