Spiritual Minded Military Mississippi Army National Guard: Why Do Native American Veterans Struggle with Alcohol at Higher Rates — The Recovery Protocol

THE DATA THE VA DOES NOT SHOW YOU

These numbers aren't votes of approval. The numbers are not random. The numbers are from the CDC, NIH, and Veterans Health Administration.

AI/AN veterans are significantly more likely to have alcohol dependence than veterans from any other racial/ethnic group.

In a study of more than 7,600 veterans, AI/AN veterans had 2.5 times the risk of past-year alcohol dependence compared to white veterans. AI/AN veterans were also more likely to have any substance use disorder and high-risk unhealthy alcohol use in a larger VHA study of more than 8.8 million veterans.

It's not an imagined struggle. You are not weak. You are not broken. The facts speak for themselves; your community is unique in being attacked.

But the question is, does the struggle exist? The real question is, what to do about it?

The solution is Recovery Protocol.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." — Psalm 34:17-18.

For the uniform that declares you are not alone, secure your Spiritual Minded Military shirt at SpiritualMindedApparel.com.

WHY THE RATES ARE HIGHER: THE ROOT CAUSES

The research is clear. The higher rates of alcohol dependence among AI/AN veterans come from three distinct sources.

1. Trauma

AI/AN veterans carry two kinds of trauma. Combat trauma from military service. And historical trauma from generations of forced relocation, broken treaties, boarding schools, and cultural suppression.

The VA study explicitly notes, "Trauma increases risk for substance use disorders, and both AIAN communities and veterans may face elevated risks due to experiences of trauma." " Cumulative trauma from colonial policies that disrupted Indigenous land, language, and cultural practices."

You are not fighting one war. You are fighting two. The enemy has been attacking your people for generations.

2. Limited Access to Culturally Responsive Care

Mainstream addiction treatment does not always account for AI/AN history and culture. The shortage of treatment approaches "congruent with AI/AN cultural values, traditions, and customs is a known barrier to care and negatively influences treatment seeking."

You cannot heal in a program that does not see you. You cannot recover in a system that does not honor your traditions.

3.  Isolation

Mississippi has one federally recognized tribe: the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The reservation is in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The nearest VA substance use treatment is at the G.V. Sonny Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson or the McComb CBOC. The distance is real. The isolation is real.

The Recovery Protocol addresses all three sources.

For the fuel that supports your healing, secure Cellular Hydrate – Electrolyte Formula at SpiritualMindedNutrition.com.

THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SOLUTION: THE WELLBRIETY MOVEMENT

The Western recovery model is not for you. The 12 steps were created by a white man in the 1930s. They serve a lot of people. However, they are not suitable for everyone.

The Wellbriety Movement was created for Native people, by Native people.

Wellbriety is a blend of the words "wellness" and "sobriety." It is being sober and in good health. It involves healing the mind, body, and spirit. It's a return to heritage, family, and the Earth.

What Wellbriety offers:

• The Medicine Wheel: A healing tool for the whole person—body, mind, emotions, spirit. 
• Talking Circles: Safe circles to share freely with others in recovery. 
• Sweat Lodges & Ceremonies: Tradition of cleansing and spiritual connection. 
• 12 Steps with Cultural Context: Incorporating Native values in the recovery process 

The Wellbriety Movement was started by Don Coyhis of the Mohican Nation. He knew that the soul, the spirit, and the culture of the people to be helped must be included in "recovery.

Does it work? SAMHSA discovered that Native-centered treatment facilities have increased rates of completion compared to standard treatment facilities. Wellbriety-based programs have been shown to increase family satisfaction, increase community support, and decrease relapse rates.

For the armor that marks your cultural identity, secure your Soldier for Christ Field Armor at SpiritualMindedApparel.com.

DRUM-ASSISTED RECOVERY THERAPY (DARTNA)

Drumming is one of the most important activities that represent tribal cultures. Traditionally, drumming has been employed in sacred ceremonies as a means to heal and provide a sense of community.

Drum-Assisted Recovery Therapy for Native Americans (DARTNA) is a culturally relevant, tribally adaptable drum behavior therapy for AI/AN substance use disorder.

What DARTNA includes:

• Participants make their own drums in the first session
• Engaging in education and activities with drums. Education and activities using drums.
• This is the Medicine Wheel education combined with the 12 steps' education.
• Talking circles
• Linkages to drumming within the community 

The DARTNA treatment protocol is 3-hour treatment sessions twice a week for 12 weeks. The 4 quadrants of the Medicine Wheel are spiritual focus (weeks 1-3), physical focus (weeks 4-6), emotional focus (weeks 7-9), and mental focus (weeks 10-12).

However, a pretest of DARTNA administered to 10 AI/AN patients with histories of substance use disorders indicated that DARTNA may be beneficial for AI/ANs with substance use problems.

For the Red Leg Field Armor, secure it at SpiritualMindedApparel.com.

THE MISSISSIPPI RESOURCES

The VA Medical Center, McComb, is a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC).

1308 Harrison Avenue, McComb, MS 39648

This clinic offers primary care and behavioral health services, including treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring mental health issues. Services offered include individual therapy, psychiatric, and psychiatric/psychological services on-site.

Telehealth Options

VA provides online appointments for veterans in rural areas. A counselor in Choctaw will be available for viewing from the comfort of your own home. The McComb CBOC also offers a smartphone app to complement in-person care that can help with PTSD by assisting you with learning how to manage depression and mindfulness.

BeThere Program

Peer assistance support (if available) – discuss your concerns privately with peer coaches who have experienced similar situations. Peer coaches may include veterans and military family members.

For the coffee that fuels your telehealth appointment, secure Spiritual Minded Mushroom Coffee Blend at SpiritualMindedNutrition.com.

THE CHEROKEE RECOVERY PRINCIPLE

Dr. John Lowe, a Cherokee nurse researcher, studied why his father did not struggle with the same problems as so many other Native men. His father knew who he was: Cherokee, with traditions, values, and beliefs. He faced many barriers, but something within him was very grounded and centered.

The Recovery Protocol is not just about stopping drinking. The Recovery Protocol is about remembering who you are.

Your ancestors survived genocide. Your ancestors survived forced relocation. Your ancestors survived boarding schools. Your ancestors survived. You come from survivors. You are a survivor.

The enemy wants you to forget your identity. The enemy wants you to believe that you are just another alcoholic. The enemy wants you disconnected from your culture.

The recovery protocol reconnects you.

For the coffee that fuels your reconnection, secure Spiritual Minded Mushroom Coffee Blend at SpiritualMindedNutrition.com.

THE RECOVERY PROTOCOL FOR MISSISSIPPI AI/AN VETERANS

Step One: Acknowledge the Trauma

You are not weak. You are carrying two wars. The war overseas and the war your ancestors fought to survive. Name it. Own it. "I am carrying historical trauma. I am carrying combat trauma. I am not weak. I am carrying weight that would break most people."

Step Two: Connect with Wellbriety

Learn about the Medicine Wheel. Connect with the 12 steps in a way that honors your culture.

Step Three: Wear Your Uniform

Your Spiritual Minded Military shirt is not a t-shirt. It is your declaration. "I am a veteran. I am Native American. I am in recovery. I am not hiding."

For the electrolytes that keep you clear-headed, secure Cellular Hydrate – Electrolyte Formula at SpiritualMindedNutrition.com.

THE CAMP SHELBY ASSIGNMENT

Camp Shelby is your training ground. You have drilled there. You have trained there. You have stood in formation there.

Camp Shelby is also where many AI/AN veterans have struggled in silence. The isolation. The distance from home. The feeling of being the only one.

Your assignment is not to struggle alone. Your assignment is to go first.

Wear your uniform to the armory. Tell your story. Become the person who connects other AI/AN soldiers to Wellbriety and to the VA. You are not the only one. The others are waiting for someone to go first. Go first.

For the Red Leg Field Armor, secure it at SpiritualMindedApparel.com.

Conclusion

Mississippi Army National Guard, you asked why Native American veterans struggle with alcohol at higher rates.

The data is clear. Two and a half times higher odds of alcohol dependence. Higher rates of substance use disorders. Higher rates of high-risk drinking.

The causes are trauma, lack of culturally responsive care, and isolation. The solutions are Wellbriety, DARTNA, VA telehealth, and the recovery protocol.

You are not alone. You are not broken. You are carrying weight. The Recovery Protocol helps you set it down.

The Remnant does not transition. The Remnant re-enlists.

Spiritual Minded Military
We don't rank, we reign.

THE LITTLE GENERAL DOCTRINE

THIS IS NOT A SUGGESTION. IT IS A DIRECTIVE FOR THE ELITE 1%. [BY ORDER OF THE LITTLE GENERAL]

15-YEARS DRUG-FREE | WORLD CHAMPION | VETERAN