Spiritual Minded Military West Virginia Air National Guard: Why Are Military Veterans More Prone to Opioid Abuse? The Detox Protocol
The Numbers the VA Does Not Want You to See
The statistics are not abstract. The statistics are your wingmen.
Veterans experience severe pain at 9.1 percent. Civilians experience severe pain at 6.4 percent. The veteran body is broken more often. The veteran body is broken more severely.
Over 20 percent of veterans experience back pain. 16 percent experience joint pain. 25 percent experience migraine pain. 27 percent experience neck pain. 34 percent experience both back pain and sciatica. 37 percent experience jaw pain.
The West Virginia Air Guard airman who carries heavy equipment on the flight line is not imagining the pain. The airman who flew C-130 missions with ill-fitting gear is not weak. The pain is real. The pain is earned.
The enemy uses the pain as his entry point.
For the complete guide to understanding how chronic pain affects Guard personnel, read From Battle Ready to Burned Out: What the Maryland National Guard Won't Tell You About Cellular Logistics.
How the Military Created the Opioid Crisis
Between 2001 and 2009, the percentage of veterans receiving pain management with prescription narcotics increased from 17 percent to 24 percent. The number of opioid prescriptions written by military physicians more than quadrupled.
The military did not intend to create addicts. The military intended to manage pain. The result is the same.
VA patients are often prescribed two or more opioid drugs to treat chronic pain. One veteran may have as many as three different prescribers.
The oxycodone prescriptions account for 46.9 percent. The hydrocodone prescriptions account for 39.5 percent. The codeine prescriptions account for 6.8 percent.
The West Virginia Air Guard airman who sees three different doctors may receive three different opioids. The doctors do not communicate. The airman does not refuse. The addiction grows.
For the recovery framework that addresses prescription opioid dependence, read Weekend Warrior, Weekday Wreck: The North Carolina Guard Logistics Solution No One Gave You.
The Young Veteran Vulnerability
Most people think opioid addiction affects older veterans. The data says otherwise.
Between 2003 and 2007, rates of opioid misuse among young veterans rose from 3 percent to 4.5 percent. The increase happened in four years. The increase has continued.
Young veterans are vulnerable for three reasons.
First, they are new to the system. They do not know how to navigate the VA. They take what they are given. They do not ask questions.
Second, they are transitioning. The structure is gone. The wingmen are distant. The pain is loud. The pills are quiet.
Third, they are isolated. West Virginia is rural. The distances are vast. The young veteran who lives in McDowell County may not see another veteran for weeks. The pills are a company.
For the Red Leg Field Armor that represents precision in pain management, secure your Red Leg Field Armor.
The VA's Admission of Failure
The VA acknowledges that physicians need better training to manage opioid treatment for veterans.
The admission is twenty years late. The admission does not help the airman who is already addicted. The admission does not help the West Virginia Guard member who is afraid to ask for help.
The VA's own data shows the problem. Chronic pain is one of the most common complaints among veterans. Female veterans experience higher rates of chronic pain than male veterans. Veterans aged 50 to 69 experience the highest levels of severe pain.
The West Virginia Air Guard airman, who is 55 years old, who has flown C-130s for thirty years, and who has carried heavy equipment on the flight line for three decades, is not surprised by the data. He lives the data.
For the Be Sober Minded shirt that declares vigilance over medication, secure it today.
Where Opioid Misuse Really Begins
The assumption is that opioid misuse begins on the battlefield. The assumption is wrong.
Access to opioid drugs comes from nonmedical sources as well as physician sources. Family members. Non-military friends. Fellow soldiers.
The West Virginia Air Guard airman whose spouse has a prescription may take the pills. The airman whose friend has leftover medication may take the pills. The airman whose wingman offers "something for the pain" may accept.
The enemy does not need the VA. The enemy needs access. Access is everywhere.
For the Choose To Be Sober shirt that declares a different path, secure it today.
The West Virginia Factor
West Virginia is not a neutral environment for opioid recovery.
The state has the highest overdose death rate in the nation. The pills are everywhere. The isolation is deep. The distances to treatment are vast.
The 130th Airlift Wing airman who wants help may drive two hours to Charleston. The 167th Airlift Wing airman may drive two hours to Martinsburg. The airman who lives in the southern coalfields may drive three hours to any provider.
The enemy uses the distance. The enemy uses the isolation. The enemy uses the mountains as his walls.
For the complete Air Guard perspective on rural health access, read Robins Air Force Base Briefing: Why GA Air Guard Airmen Wear Their Allegiance.
The Detox Protocol
The Detox Protocol is not a replacement for medical care. The Detox Protocol is the first step.
Phase One: Acknowledge the Problem
The VA will not admit its role. You must admit yours.
The first step is not quitting. The first step is admitting that the pills are a problem. The airman who cannot admit the problem cannot solve the problem.
Wear your Spiritual Minded Military shirt. The uniform reminds you that you are not alone. The Remnant will help you carry the weight.
Phase Two: Find a Provider Who Understands Veterans
Not every doctor understands military pain. Not every doctor understands opioid dependence.
Find a VA provider who specializes in addiction medicine. The resources exist. The wait may be long. The wait is worth it.
Ask about medication-assisted treatment. Buprenorphine. Methadone. Naltrexone. The medications reduce cravings. The medications save lives.
Phase Three: Hydrate and Replenish
Opioid withdrawal dehydrates. The body loses minerals. The West Virginia Air Guard airman who quits cold turkey without hydration will fail.
One scoop of Cellular Hydrate – Electrolyte Formula every morning. One scoop every afternoon. The body needs support. The withdrawal is hard enough. Dehydration makes it harder.
For the coffee that fuels your energy without medication, secure Spiritual Minded Mushroom Coffee Blend.
Phase Four: Build Your Detox Team
The West Virginia Air Guard airman cannot detox alone.
Your wingman: One person who will check on you every day. The wingman asks the hard question. "Did you take the pills today?"
Your chaplain: One person who will pray with you. The spiritual component is not optional. The enemy attacks the spirit to reach the body.
Your commander: One person who will support your recovery. The commander who knows can help. The commander who does not know cannot help.
For the cap that marks your commitment to detox, secure your Spiritual Minded Military Cap.
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." — 1 Peter 5:8
The Co-Occurring Disorder Connection
Opioid addiction rarely travels alone. PTSD travels with it. Depression travels with it. Anxiety travels with it.
70 percent of veterans with opioid use disorder also have PTSD or depression. The West Virginia Air Guard airman who is addicted to opioids is almost certainly suffering from another condition.
The pill treats the symptom. The pill does not treat the cause. The cause must be treated. The cause is not the enemy. The cause is the wound.
For the Soldier for Christ Field Armor that protects you while you heal the wound, secure your Soldier for Christ Field Armor.
Conclusion: The Mountain Detox
West Virginia is called the Mountain State. The mountains are beautiful. The mountains also isolate. The mountains hide the crisis.
The West Virginia Air Guard airman who is addicted to opioids is not alone. The statistics say otherwise. The statistics are wrong.
The 130th Airlift Wing has airmen in recovery. The 167th Airlift Wing has airmen in recovery. The West Virginia National Guard has a remnant of sober warriors.
The Detox Protocol is the first step. Acknowledge the problem. Find a provider. Hydrate and replenish. Build your detox team. Replace the pill with purpose.
The airman who follows the protocol will survive. The airman who ignores the protocol will be buried by the mountain.
The choice is his.
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith." — 2 Timothy 4:7
The Remnant does not transition. The Remnant re-enlists.
Spiritual Minded Military
We don't rank, we reign.
THE LITTLE GENERAL'S 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