The mental health of our nation’s heroes is troubling, to say the least. It is manifested in the dire statistics we hear on a daily basis:Unemployment among post-9/11 veterans is habitually higher than the national average.Veterans experience higher rates of marital dissolution and are more likely to be divorced than comparable civilians.Up to 20 percent of our post-9/11 military members may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress (PTS); however, only 1/3 of those have actually received mental health treatment.As many as 1.2 million military children lack access to mental health or social programs.About every 80 minutes, a veteran commits suicide – and suicides among our active duty special operations troops are at record levels.With the exponential rise in PTS, increased diagnoses of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and continued deployments, the stresses placed on our military families are abundant.Our military families – not just the service member or veteran – feel the impact.This is where one organization steps in and makes an enormous difference.Project Sanctuary takes military families from battle ready to family ready, providing six-day outdoor, therapeutic retreats in a healing environment where families get to laugh, have fun, and address the challenges that each of them face on a daily basis.How exactly does Project Sanctuary make a difference?Of the over 400 families (consisting of more than 1,400 individuals) who have attended one of our retreats, 90 percent of the marriages are still intact, and not a single person has committed suicide."Project Sanctuary meets the veteran and their families at their precise impact of need. PTS and TBI symptoms and reintegration challenges are just a few of the potential consequences and impacts of war on the service member and the family," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) David Tharp, a psychologist for both the Veterans Administration (VA) and the U.S. Air Force, who also serves on Project Sanctuary’s board of directors.He added, "I serve with Project Sanctuary because the opportunities for moving forward in a positive direction in marriage, with your family, in mental health, and in life are endless, and there is nothing more important than doing that with loved ones, and people who truly care about you and your service to this great nation."To address these reintegration challenges, Project Sanctuary takes a unique approach.Project Sanctuary’s therapy begins with activities such as snowmobiling over the Continental Divide or hiking in the majesty of Rocky Mountain National Park or whitewater rafting. All occur with a focus on benefitting family relationships. And, Project Sanctuary knows how to do it best.Intermixed between ice fishing and s’mores are healthy marriage classes where couples have the opportunity to discuss communication styles and how they affect their relationship.They also participate in a financial seminar in order for husbands and wives to understand attitudes and habits and how those affect money behaviors – and ultimately, their relationship.While parents are in class, their children are enjoying their own therapeutic activities, creating pictures and playing games that draw out their perspectives on family relationships.Based on the ages and personalities of the children, Project Sanctuary’s certified therapeutic recreational specialist tailors each retreat to the needs of the group.For over six years, this team has brought military and veteran families from across the country to a retreat center in the mountains of Colorado – and now to Utah, Texas, and Kansas.In these secluded locations, healing takes place for the hero families. And that’s what makes this organization unique – they serve the entire family and follow up with each of them for two years afterwards.Project Sanctuary keeps the setting intimate by limiting the size of the group. For each retreat, ten families are identified from the waitlist of over 1,500 families, while two slots remain for referrals from commanders or counselors.These 12 families convene in a beautiful, remote location to begin the healing process and reconnect in order to tackle some of life’s toughest challenges.Confronting those challenges takes the support of terrific corporate sponsors who share the passion of serving these families."Our partnership with Project Sanctuary affords us a priceless opportunity to support the stability and strength of America’s military families," said J. Scott Spiker, CEO of First Command Financial Services, Inc., and a former U.S. Navy officer.Adding, "One of the unplanned but most welcomed returns on our investment of money and time has been a deeper understanding and appreciation of those we aspire to serve."This deeper understanding happens both before and after the retreats, where families are asked to give feedback in order to provide a candid assessment and aid in research.The research collected feeds directly into Project Sanctuary’s partnership with other recreational therapy organizations focusing on the military and veteran community via the R4 Alliance (www.r4alliance.org).(Editor’s note: Jason Strickland is a retired Army lieutenant colonel and serves as the chief development officer at Project Sanctuary.)Twitter: @prosanctuaryFacebook:facebook.com/ProjectSanctuary