FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 18, 2006
Email Contact: phoenix.project@mvfaDOTorg
www.mvfa.org
Phone: (800) 720-9247

The Phoenix Project
Soldiers and Veterans Transitional Retreat

At a briefing and panel discussion on December 8, 2005 in Alexandria, Virginia hosted by Rep. Lane Edwards on Capitol Hill Thursday, December 8th, the National Military Family Association’s (NMFA) Director of Government Relations, Joyce Wessel Raezer, offered a unique perspective of the effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues on military families. While the focus of the discussion was on PTSD, Ms. Raezer was clear in stating that families need support across the whole spectrum of mental health care citing the that families called for more information on what their service member is experiencing and they need help in understanding how to help their service member Families also need to know when “normal” post-deployment anger morphs into abuse and where they can get help if it does. Almost 70 percent of active duty family members knew that counseling services were available to them and 50 percent stated they or someone in their family would seek counseling or had used counseling services. While most families—even isolated National Guard and Reserve—may be aware of at least some DoD/military support services, most know nothing about what is available through the VA.

Because of budgetary and mission limitations of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs they are not able to address all the social, emotional and spiritual needs of the veterans and their families. The Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation (MVFAF) is a tax exempt 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that provides services and resources beyond the budgetary and mission capabilities of the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other National, State and Local veterans' agencies. The Foundation stands as a bridge between the individual and the family; between soldiers, veterans and corporations; between wounded-ness and wholeness.

When a soldier goes to war, the family goes to war; when a soldier is wounded, the family is wounded, and the community is wounded. War is a terrible thing. We think of war as soldiers facing the enemy in a terrible conflict of hell, bullets, bombs, blood and death. We all know that war effects most those who are directly involved. However, there is another side to war; it is the pain and suffering of the family, extended family, friends, and community that are also torn apart from the wounds of their loved one.

The work of reunion; and addressing the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and economic wounds is most productive and healing for the family when it involves everyone involved. The community that we live in pays the price of liberty and freedom. Sending one of our sons or daughters to war takes a toll on the community as it does with the family.

While the family’s involvement is critical in the soldier’s healing process, it is essential that the community be also involved. From a purely business perspective we can see the cost on the local community. We loose a productive member of our community or business, and, if we do not attend to the wounds of the returning military it will cost us in lost productivity because of downtime needed to attend to the problem. If the community does not come together with a hand up, the community will pay in the long run in health costs and in dealing with destructive behavior. It is critical that communities come together in the same American spirit of helping our neighbors as in the barn raising efforts of years ago. In the past, when one of our neighbors lost their barn to a fire, the whole community came together to rebuild the burnt barn. Communities must come together to rebuild the lives of those that have served and are serving and for the sacrifices made by them while in the military. As we rebuild each life we rebuild a valuable, contributing member of our community.

The Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation (www.mvfa.org); US Wounded Soldiers Foundation (www.uswoundedsoldiers.com); and Soldiers Angels (www.soldiersangels.org) are cooperating to provide a community based retreat to assist veterans and their families to make the transition back home. In addition, the retreat stands as a ‘Welcome Home’ and a ‘Thank You for Your Service’ to those that have stepped forward to fight for liberty and freedom for all.

The first ‘Soldiers and Veterans Transitional Retreat’ will be held February 20-24, 2006 at the Heart of the Hills Camp in Hunt, Texas. It is designed for those who served in the military and have been affected by war and terrorism. Veterans, service members and their families will have the opportunity to take time out to retreat and regroup so that they will become more able to deal effectively and efficiently with life after combat. The retreat will involve a combination of treatment, education, motivation and recreational modalities that will address issues related to their military service.

The objective for the retreat is to utilize existing knowledge with an integrative health care perspective to assist and enable participants to make the transition from deployment to active and useful lives in their communities. Using medical, educational, therapeutic and motivational modalities, the retreat will enable and empower individuals and families to achieve fulfilling and productive lives. Through the use of integrative strategies, the retreat will address the treatment of physical, social, emotional and spiritual wounds in a family and community based approach. The mind, body and soul are addressed in readjusting to civilian life using group and individual counseling with other integrative approaches conducted in a safe, comfortable and relaxing environment of the Texas Hill Country.

The retreat is for couples involving active duty military anticipating transition to civilian life, active duty Reserve and National Guard making the transition from deployment to citizen soldier, and veterans.

Sponsors: Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation – www.mvfa.org

US Wounded Soldiers Foundation – www.uswoundedsoldiers.com

Soldiers’ Angels – www.soldiersangels.org

Donations to support retreats should be made payable to MVFA (or) Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation (In Memo Field: Phoenix Project) should be sent to:

Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation
Phoenix Project
6806 Royal Lane
Dallas, Texas 75230

The Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation is a Tax-Exempt 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation. All donations are tax deductible.

Thomas R. Wagner, Executive Director

Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation
6806 Royal Lane
Dallas, Texas 75230
505-892-1676
wagsnm@mvfaDOTorg
www.mvfa.org