Helping Heroes Bounce Back in Mind, Body and Spirit

Kurt Webber LTC, U.S. Army (Ret) President, Patriot Resilient Leader Institute

Mission

• The Patriot Resilient Leader Institute (PRLI) runs Camp Resilience to provide sustained, comprehensive programs to help wounded warriors and injured first responders recover their physical, mental and emotional well-being.

The Need • The VA estimates 203,892 Gulf War era vets in New

England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI & NH) at the end of FY13, rising to a max of 251,479 in 2027 and then dropping to 221,024 in 2040

• There are also 321,104 Vietnam era vets in New England at the end of FY13

• It is estimated that at least 20% of Gulf War era vets suffer from PTS, 19% from TBI and 7% with both ▫ This means there are currently approximately 85,000

Gulf war vets with PTS and/or TBI in New England ▫ There are also still many Vietnam vets struggling with

PTS

• Thus there is a significant need for programs for wounded warriors struggling with physical and emotional issues and it will remain for at least 20 more years

The Need (Cont) • The unemployment rate among Gulf War-era II

veterans is higher than the national average, at 9.5 percent for men and 12.5 percent for women.

• The unemployment for male veterans ages 18 to 24 is 20 percent. That’s much higher than the rate for their non-veteran peers.

• As many as 18 percent of returning veterans have trouble maintaining steady employment and some 20 percent or more have symptoms of psychiatric symptoms

• According to the American Association of Suicidology, unemployed individuals are two to four times more likely to commit suicide and for veterans with PTSD and/or TBI, the risk is even greater

The Need (Cont) • One of the most effective health care models involves

peer-to-peer counseling as veterans can relate better to others who understand their experiences and day-to-day challenges. Programs that involve the gathering of veterans in some forum have extraordinarily positive effects on their mental health and ability to achieve their full potential.

• Younger veterans are typically interested in healthy, active lifestyles and thus the best peer-to-peer models for them involve events with such a focus. During these activities, they: ▫ form bonds with fellow veterans

▫ discover alternatives to drugs and alcohol

▫ build a solid social network

The Need (Cont)

• There are a numerous private programs throughout the nation that serve wounded warriors; however, not all of them offer the combination of adventure sports and life skills activities, some serve only a small number of veterans, some focus on only one outdoor activity (e.g. fishing, hunting, horseback riding), etc.

• The only similar program in New England is Project New Hope MA (http://www.projectnewhopema.org/) which offers weekend retreats to “provide veterans (singles, couples, and families) with the education, training, and skills necessary to manage their lives after wartime service - repair of relationships is a primary goal.”

• Thus Camp Resilience would be the only comprehensive, week long program in New England

The Team • PRLI Board of Directors

▫ President: Kurt Webber – retired Army officer, ‘79 West Point grad, OIF (Iraq) Vet, on Gilford School Board, immediate past president of Gilford Rotary

▫ Vice-President: John O’Brien – U.S. Army Vietnam vet, current Gilford Selectman

▫ Secretary/Treasurer: Chris Ray – USMC Vietnam Vet, current president of Gilford Rotary Club

▫ Board Member: Wendy Barrett– former volunteer firefighter, works at Gunstock and is our liaison to Gunstock

▫ Board Member: John Beland – former chief of Gilford Fire Department, our first responder liaison

▫ Board Member: Dennis Corrigan– retired U.S. Army JAG officer, responsible for community outreach

▫ Board Member: Jeff Gaudet– US Navy Vet, former policeman and counsellor, our liaison to veteran’s organizations like VFW and American Legion, coordinates life skills programs

The Team • PRLI Board of Directors (Cont)

▫ Board Member: Gary Lundh– U.S. Army Vietnam Vet, retired banker, coordinates recreational programs

▫ Board Member: Don Morrissey – retired USAF officer, Vietnam Vet, former VP for Student Affairs at Lakes Region Community College, responsible for PR and marketing

▫ Board Member: Frank Toscano – manager of Fireside Inn in Gilford, member of Gilford Rotary Club, coordinates recreational programs

▫ Board Member: John Walsh – ’66 USAFA grad, Vietnam Vet, psychologist with over 30 years experience with the state of NH and in private practice, coordinates life skills programs

• Other Community PRLI Advisors ▫ Jim Steiner – ‘78 West Point grad, currently lawyer in

Concord, NH ▫ Frank Tilton – retired Army officer, ‘61 West Point grad,

Vietnam vet, current NH state representative for Laconia • We also plan to recruit a Board of Advisors of influential

businessmen, community and government leaders

The Plan • Camp Resilience, using the scenic beauty of the Lakes Region of

New Hampshire as its backdrop and home base, provides sports and adventure activities for wounded warriors, injured first responders and others in need. These activities can include the following: Summer/Fall Aerial Treetop Adventures Boating/Canoeing Camping/Hiking Fishing Rock climbing Scuba diving/ Swimming Segway tours Skydiving Water skiing Zip lines

Winter Cross-country skiing Downhill skiing Ice fishing Snow-shoeing Tubing

The Plan (Cont) • In addition to providing the above sports and adventure activities,

Camp Resilience also provides programs in life skills to include: 1. Finding meaning and purpose in life 2. Developing strong family and community relationships 3. Avoiding and overcoming destructive and addictive behavior 4. Financial management 5. Job searching, resumes and interview skills 6. Entrepreneurial skills with the possibility of start-up funding 7. Making your life count and passing this on to others through the power

of your example

• The program is targeted towards individuals with serious injuries or conditions to include limb amputation, traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress. It includes the sports/ adventure activities, the life skills programs and an ongoing, sustained networking and follow-up program to provide continued support.

• The goal is to prepare the participants to succeed in life and to become leaders in their communities through their example of overcoming adversity.

The Plan (Cont) • We will use the Gunstock Inn in Gilford, NH to

house the veterans/first responders for most of the sessions ▫ 25 room historic inn with beautiful views of Lake

Winnipesaukee ▫ Has restaurant, indoor swimming pool, workout facilities,

conference room, hiking trails on site ▫ ¼ mile from the entrance to Gunstock Mountain Resort

that has many of the outdoor activities – downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, tubing, aerial treetop adventures, zip lines, Segway tours, horseback riding, etc.

▫ 2 ½ miles from Lake Winnipesaukee

• If the Gunstock Inn is not available for a specific session, we can use the Fireside Inn (4.5 miles from Gunstock, ¼ mile from Lake Winnipesaukee) or other nearby facilities

The Plan (Cont) • We can invite groups of up to 25 veterans with their

spouses or caretakers and possibly children for each session ▫ The sessions can be 4 days long (arrive Sun PM, depart

Fri AM), 3 days long (arrive Sun PM, depart Thurs AM) or, if there is a demand, we could also run 2 or 3 day weekend sessions

▫ The participants are housed and fed at the Gunstock Inn or other local facilities and all expenses, to include travel, are covered by the PRLI

▫ We will attempt to group veterans with similar needs together, e.g. have some sessions focused on building family relationships, others focused on job searching, etc.

▫ Participants can attend more than once to continue to improve life skills and strengthen social networks

The Plan (Cont) • If there is enough demand, we can run the program at

least 40 weeks/year - probably excluding: ▫ The weeks of Christmas, New Years, and Thanksgiving o Unless there is a demand for a session during the holidays, perhaps

for homeless veterans

▫ MA and NH winter vacations in Feb, Bike Week in June, Soulfest at Gunstock and Timberman Triathlon in July/August o These are very busy weeks during which it would be difficult to run

the program and obtain cost-effective lodging

• There may also be weeks in April and November where the weather doesn’t support many outdoor activities.

• Thus, we could thus possibly serve more than 1000 wounded warriors/first responders per year ▫ 40 to 45 weeks/year x 20 to 25 participants = 800 to

1125 per year

The Plan (Cont) • To best serve the participants in our program and to make sure that

we can locate the veterans who need our services, determine their needs and get them to come, we hope to partner with as many organizations that serve veterans as possible

• We already have verbal agreements to partner with the following organizations. They can help us develop the best programs possible and/or will refer their veterans to us

▫ The VA Medical Centers in Manchester, NH and White River Junction, VT

▫ The Wounded Warrior Project

▫ Easter Seals Veterans Services

▫ Operation Hat Trick

• We hope to partner with other organizations like ▫ Hope for the Warriors

▫ USO Enduring Care

▫ Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans

▫ Semper Fi Foundation

▫ Project New Hope MA

The Plan (Cont) • We also partner/contract with various local providers of

sports activities to deliver them to the participants in our program

• We already have the enthusiastic support of the following local providers: ▫ Gunstock Mountain Resort – provides many of the sport activities

▫ The Lakes Region Adaptive Sports at Gunstock program (not part of the Gunstock Mountain Resort) - provides downhill skiing for physically and mentally challenged individuals

▫ Lakes Region Community College (located 7 miles from the Gunstock Inn) - provides instructors and classroom/meeting space as necessary

• We still need to contact the providers of some of the sports activities on Lake Winnipesaukee but we know that there are groups in the local area that can provide the services required

The Plan (Cont) • We will develop behavioral health resources by contacting

local mental health organizations and providers. Volunteers and paid mental health professionals will be recruited who are: ▫ preferably veterans themselves

▫ have specific experience and training in working with veterans/first responders

▫ have a working knowledge of the disabilities presented by veterans/first responders

▫ have a rehabilitation/habilitation orientation

• Mental health personnel will be identified who can be available during each program for ▫ individual short term counseling/processing,

▫ "stand-by" crisis intervention

▫ cognitive behavioral and stress management interventions

▫ group facilitation

The Plan (Cont) • We will develop program specific inclusionary and

exclusionary criteria for participants in consultation with referral resources so as to insure a safe, healthy, productive and effective program environment.

• Program personnel will strive to complement the participant's home mental health treatment and rehabilitation resources by consultation, collaboration, and coordination, wherever possible, to ensure the desired outcomes.

• We will develop training modules to enable staff to share a common understanding of the disabling conditions presented by program participants and to insure a consistent, compassionate, and effective set of interventions by staff.

• We will develop program evaluation tools and criteria so we can regularly evaluate program effectiveness.

The Plan (Cont)

• The PRLI is a registered charity in the state of New Hampshire awaiting approval of its federal 501(c)(3) status

• We will recruit a credible Board of Advisors that would include top business people in New England, former and ex-officio high level military and government officials, mental health experts and veterans’ affairs experts

• During the initial stages of operation, we have and will continue to rely on volunteers from the Gilford Rotary club and other local organizations to run the sessions. Once the program is running full-time, we will hire a full-time staff of 3-4 to manage the PRLI. This would include a director, an administrative assistant and 1 or 2 program facilitators. ▫ We plan to hire retired military or first responders who could better

relate to the participants. This would also allow us to save money by not having to provide health and retirement benefits.

Events to Date

• The PRLI assisted the Lakes Region Disabled Sports at Gunstock run an adaptive skiing program for 7 wounded warriors from the Boston VA Medical Center on Feb 24-25, 2014.

Events to Date (Cont)

• On May 28-30, 2014, the PRLI ran Camp Resilience’s first pilot session for 17 more wounded warriors from the Boston VA. Activities included Segway tours and the Aerial Treetop Adventures at Gunstock Mountain Resort; boating/fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee and classes on resumes and job searching

• Segway tours at Gunstock:

Events to Date (Cont) • Aerial Treetop Adventures at Gunstock:

Events to Date (Cont) • Fishing/Boating on Lake Winnipesaukee:

Events to Date (Cont) • BBQ Lunch at Gilford Beach:

Events to Date (Cont) • Job Search/Resume Classes at Lakes Region CC :

Events to Date

• The feedback from the participants in the May pilot session was very positive: ▫ I came with high expectations and they were exceeded. I never

imagined how much fun I was going to have. The amenities were fantastic, the ropes/Segway, boat tour and cookout, along with the job search seminars are memories.

▫ The jobs seminar has been particularly fruitful. I am going away with 2 resumes that are professional. I also received good advice about getting my foot in the “back door” and preparing for the interview.

▫ The risk taking element of the ropes course goes hand in hand with the risk taking involved in the work of getting a job.

▫ One thing I learned is that the pressure to do things and make things happen is all about me and that I should be the one to take the risk.

▫ In awe of the respect and dedication afforded myself and fellow vets! Thank you!

Events to Date • Feedback from the participants in the May pilot session (Cont):

▫ Thank you for a great experience – we all had a great time and received invaluable information and genuine hospitality.

▫ Excellent service. On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s an 11. ▫ This whole experience is a lot more than I expected. We are very

lucky to have people like you. Thank you all very much. ▫ Had a great time! ▫ All of you did a great job! Need recipe for Gunny Beans. ▫ Thank you very much for everything. I have tried to think of some

constructive criticism or feedback, but I honestly feel privileged to such a degree that I really can’t say what could be better than a free trip like this. I’m honored and feel spoiled. Thank you, again.

▫ This had been a great experience for me and greatly appreciated. This trip was awesome and I can’t think of anything to make it better.

▫ Very useful for mental disorders. Very calm and serene. ▫ Only regret is not going for a swim but really I had very much fun

and great job search/resume advice.

Costs

• A rough, order of magnitude, cost for running one 4 day session for 25 wounded warriors/first responders is:

▫ Lodging at the Gunstock Inn including meals $10,000 25 participants @$80/day for lodging and meals

▫ Programs $5,000 $50/day x 4 days x 25 participants

- includes passes, equipment, pay for facilitators

▫ Transportation $10,000 $400 per wounded warrior/first responder

- includes transportation to/from and in/about Gilford

▫ Total $25,000

• If spouses/caretakers are included, the cost will increase by 60% t0 $40,000

Draft Five Year Budget • Assumptions

▫ Training Sessions: 2-4 in 2014 depending on cash and service donations 10 in 2015 20 in 2016 40 in 2017 and 2018

▫ Participants/training session: 25 ▫ Cost/training session: $25k in 2014- increasing annually by 5% ▫ Salaried Personnel:

2014: 0 2015: 1 FT admin assistant@ $40k; 1 PT fund-raiser@ $25k 2016: 1 FT admin assistant@ $42k; 1 FT fund-raiser@ $50k; 1 director@ $70k 2017: 1 FT admin assistant@ $44k; 1 FT fund-raiser@ $52.5k; 1 director@ $73.5k; 1 FT

assistant director@ $45k

▫ Salary figures include employer taxes and benefits; benefits expected to be minimal as retired military/first responders will be preferred hires.

▫ Permanent office facilities not acquired until 2016; borrowed space utilized until then

▫ Admin expenses: 2014: $10k 2015: $20k 2016: $56k 2017: $60k

Draft Five Year Budget

• Totals by Year:

• These figures will increase by approximately 50% if we include spouses/caretakers and even more if children are included

2014

2015

2016

2017 2018

Training Sessions

$50k $263k $552k 1,160k 1,160k

Personnel Costs

0 $65k $162k $215k $215k

Admin Expenses

$5k $20k $56k $60k $60k

TOTAL $55k $348k $770k $1,435k $1,435k

The Timeline

• Jan – Feb 2014: submit application for 501(c)(3), finish initial business plan, recruit Board of Advisors and initiate fundraising

• Mar - Jun 2014: complete detailed plan, get partnerships/contracts in place

• May 2014: run 1st pilot session

• Sep 2014: run 2nd pilot session

• Oct 2014: run 3rd pilot session

• Nov 2014 – Mar 2015: major fundraising drive

• Beyond Mar 2015: as funding and demand dictate, hire PRLI staff and start ramping up operations

Sources Slide 3: http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Veteran_Population.asp

http://www.veteransandptsd.com/PTSD-statistics.html

Slide 4: http://blog.militaryauthority.com/blog-1/?Tag=veterans%20unemployment

Slide 5: Channeling the “Sea of Goodwill” to Sustain the “Groundswell of Support”

(http://usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e2/rv5_downloads/features/soldierforlife/SOGWGroundswell_of_Support_8SEP2011.pdf)

Slide 6: http://www.operationwearehere.com/PTSDandTBIRetreats.html

http://www.operationwearehere.com/VeteransFamiliesRecreationWoundedWarriors.html