With the release of the movie, by the same name, this past weekend I thought it only fitting to run Marcus Luttrell’s Lone Survivor Foundation as this week’s “Military Monday” post. It wasn’t until several days ago that I had heard about the organization, and I wanted to take the opportunity to share.
First let me share some thoughts from those that help run the Lone Survivor Ranch and Foundation, as well as those that have benefited from this organization.
The Lone Survivor Foundation provides specialized education and healing retreats to those injured, both physically and psychologically by war. What I absolutely love about this foundation is that it recognizes that injuries received in war, are far deeper than physical; and while addressing the wounds and issues facing those with physical injury is important, helping those with non-visible injuries is vital to force retention, the overall health and well-being of our service members and their families.
For far too long we have shoving this aside, and not really addressing it as a problem, while service members and their families struggle to make it through the day. The military prepares them, and to some extent we as family, for war; but where is the real training and understand for the war that wages as home?
Along with these healing retreats the Lone Survivor Foundation is committed to assisting in the healing process of these “Invisible Wounds”, by educating the service member, their spouses and children. With the aid of specific therapies, and implementation of coping mechanisms, the Warrior and their family members can move forward on a positive path towards healing. A unique aspect of the treatment and education process is done through Equine Assisted Learning.
You can watch one of the Board Members of LSF, doctor of clinical medicine at Harvard University, and Commander in the Naval Reserve, speak about some of the statistics, as well as the desires of what the Foundation is looking to accomplish.
If you get a moment please visit the Lone Survivor Foundation website to learn more about this, and spread the word to those that are in need. More importantly I believe every military family should be educated about the options available to them should they ever find themselves in a situation where this would be needed. Education is the truest path to avoid a breaking point and the quickest to healing and recovery.
