Turning Pages: The Honington Herald
In a significant effort to combat the alarming rates of mental health challenges and suicides among serving and veteran members of the UK Armed Forces and First Responders, former RAF Gunner Cpl Tom Burgess and former Royal Marine Adam Gornall have united to establish Save A Warrior UK CIC. Inspired by the notable success of the American non-profit organisation Save A Warrior, the UK-based initiative brings a unique approach to healing and support.
Tom Burgess, who served proudly from 2003 to 2017, boasts an impressive military career that spans multiple deployments. He completed his service as a recruiter at AFCO London, contributing significantly to the armed forces' recruitment efforts. On the surface, Tom's military career appeared sound, but beneath the exterior, he battled daily with his mental health, a struggle that led him down dark paths at times.
For Tom, one of the coping mechanisms was using alcohol as an emotional escape. He candidly shares, "The culture supported my drinking habit, and I became adept at operating with a hangover, as did many of us." However, Tom's challenges escalated after leaving the military, and he found himself increasingly isolated from friends, family, and comrades from the Regiment.
"Drinking is not the illness," Tom emphasises. "It's a symptom of ill mental health, a result of decades of shame and denial stemming from formative trauma." It is this profound understanding of the connection between formative trauma and mental health that serves as the foundation for Save A Warrior UK's mission.
Tom elaborates, "It's during our formative years, when our brains are still developing, that our adult behaviours are shaped. When we layer military trauma and tension atop formative trauma, we get individuals who perceive suicide as a viable option." Tom and Adam have discovered a path to healing PTSD, offering a novel approach to suicide prevention.
"We openly discuss suicide without the cringe and wince it typically evokes," Tom states. "Healing occurs when we acknowledge and come to terms with our past traumas, learning to live with them and ground ourselves on bad days." His newfound practices include Transcendental Meditation, breathwork exercises, and talking to fellow participants from the SAW program.
From a point in his life where he didn't want to live anymore, Tom has transformed into someone eagerly anticipating the future's excitement. Save A Warrior saved his life, and now, he's eager to extend the same lifeline to others. The organisation aims to provide an alternative to merely "being okay" with life, making this support available to individuals in active service, enabling them to return to their units, fit and ready for an entire and active career.
Save A Warrior UK CIC seeks to assist not only those who may contemplate suicide but also those silently suffering from mental health issues. Their FREE 3-day retreat, followed by a 500-day online support package, equips individuals with the tools to reconcile with their past.
The mission extends beyond the military to encompass First Responder communities as many veterans transition into roles within the police, fire, and paramedic services.
Save A Warrior UK CIC is dedicated to addressing the formative trauma silently endured by members of the Armed Forces and First Responders for decades. This unspoken shame, carried out of love for the abuser, has the power to damage the soul, and Tom is determined to change this narrative.
Tom concludes, "I'm doing this out of love for my former colleagues, and I refuse to wait for another RAF Regiment suicide. Our mission extends to the entire British Military System and the First Responder communities, as many veterans transition into roles within the police, fire, and paramedic services."
Turn to page 14-15 https://www.rafmags.co.uk/magazines/raf-honington/honington-herald-winter-2023/
