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thrive here — and to live a life that is truly full of purpose, meaning, connection and service.”
Boulder Crest Retreat, which is in Bluemont, Virginia, is the nation’s first privately funded wellness center dedicated exclusively to combat Veterans and their families. It provides a free, safe and sacred place for nearly 700 Veterans and their families each year to rest, reconnect, and recharge. It also serves as a model location for implementing the Operation Warrior Wellness (OWW) “Resilient Warrior" program.
Since its launch in 2010, the OWW initiative has partnered with leading Veterans service organizations, Army and Marine bases, and VA medical centers across the country — as well as with military colleges in order to create a new generation of more resilient officers. The TM-based Resilient Warrior Program has been extensively researched by over 400 peer-reviewed studies, including over $26 Million in grants from the National Institutes of Health to study the program’s effectiveness for reducing stress and heart disease. Key TM findings for Veterans include: 40-55% reduction in symptoms of PTSD; 42% decrease in insomnia; 30% improvement in satisfaction with quality of life; 25% reduction in plasma cortisol levels; decreased high blood pressure — on par with first-line anti hypertensives; and 47% reduced risk of cardiovascular-related mortality.
More than 500,000 U.S. troops deployed since 2001 suffer from PTSD — a small fraction of our Veterans who served in our armed forces. And yet, less than 12% will actually receive adequate care due to a lack of effective treatments, fear of stigma or insufficient resources. Half of those with PTSD won’t receive any care at all. Left untreated, PTSD cripples functioning and places Veterans at great risk for violent and
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