Mind Over Matter
Oct 23, 2023 10:01AM ● By Bethany Good
Topaz Navarro knows all about living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He had a 26-year military career where he worked in Special Operations and as a Russian translator. He served in Iraq and had multiple combat deployments in the Middle East and Africa. After his military service ended, Navarro returned to civilian life, still affected by the complexities of conflict. “Trauma destroys lives and marriages,” he says. But rather than suffer in silence, Topaz channeled his struggles into helping other veterans cope with their mental health struggles through his work in non-profit organizations like NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) and the Veteran’s Success Resource Group (VSRG). The VSRG has a motto that sums up their dedication to helping veterans, “In the Army, we say, ‘We take care of our own.”
The Battle Within
According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs, 29% of vets from Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF) have reported PTSD at some point. While problems associated with PTSD are well known, it is critical to acknowledge that other issues, such as suicide, traumatic brain injury (TBI), substance use disorder (SUD), Military Sexual Trauma, and interpersonal violence, can be equally detrimental to the lives of veterans. While the military prepares soldiers for civilian life through education and job training, they don’t prepare vets for “The battle within. The invisible wounds of trauma,” Navarro says.
Dealing with his own PTSD eventually led Topaz to join NAMI of Howard County. NAMI is open to anyone but offers a support group for veterans and active-duty individuals. On the first Monday of every month, the group discusses a range of topics, from traumatic experiences to common issues like depression and divorce. The support group was a game changer, but Navarro wanted to help more vets get on the road to healing. This led him to open up a nonprofit for veterans and later to work with the VSRG.
You may not be able to get your ailing vet to go to a sit-down meeting, but you might get them to join a pick-up game. Though it’s no longer operational, Navarro created a nonprofit, The Work Play Obsession All In Foundation (WPO), to offer a safe space for veterans to heal through recreation. Once members felt comfortable, they could use activities like jiu-jitsu to help them recover emotionally. Unfortunately, WPO had to close over the pandemic, but Navarro hopes to open back up in early 2024.
Healing the Invisible Wounds of Trauma
Kelly’s father, Joseph*, is a Korean War veteran. Kelly knew her father was suffering, but like many vets, he wouldn’t talk about his trauma and depression, much less go to a NAMI meeting. But when she heard about WPO from a friend, she thought she could convince him to do martial arts with a group of other vets. At first, she wasn’t sure if it would help. But as Joseph practiced jiu-jitsu with the other vets, he began to open up and share some of his experiences. As they walked out of the session, Kelly noticed a lightness in her father that she had never seen before. The transformation gave her hope that he could finally find a path to healing. Stories like these inspire Navarro to continue his work helping veterans and their families. “It’s all about bringing people together. I love when someone leaves a meeting and you can see that a weight has been lifted. That’s powerful.”
Important Links and Resources:
NAMI of Howard County: https://namihowardcounty.org/your-journey/veterans-active-duty/
Are you a struggling veteran? Help is available through the Veterans Success Resource Group (VSRG): https://vetresourcegroup.org
PACT Act: burn pit registry https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp
*Kelly and Joseph’s names were changed to protect their privacy