Reboot Recovery helps veterans make it through trauma

Faith-based program focus on peer support

By David Sutton VETERANS HELPNET CORRESPONDENT

(This is the first of a four-part series about combat trauma and efforts to reduce it.)

“Trauma”: It has become a common word in the military community. It comes from the Greek word that means “to wound.”

Webster’s dictionary defines trauma as: “an injury to living tissue caused by an extrinsic agent; an emotional stress or physical injury.”

Trauma is real and it affects hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. In the military it especially enters the lives of our soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen, whether active, retired or in reserve. And it affects their families in many cases.

REBOOT RECOVERY is a faith-based-volunteer program that offers healing to those who suffer from the effects of trauma. The program is designed to be led by peers of those touched by the physical, mental, and moral effects of trauma and tragedy.

The group meets once a week for 12 weeks. One recovery method uses modules that can be viewed or taught by a leader.

“The people in the groups use simple conversation in an attempt to help each other,” said Ret. Army Lt. Col. Rusty Pritchard, a trained leader and a graduate of the program.

“We train spouses, partners, and caregivers. They become leaders and eventually train others to assist in the program.”

Since 2011 REBOOT RECOV-