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SSGT Petry Visits Military Patients at Smokey Point Extra Mile Military Program

On January 29, 2019, Medal of Honor recipient Leroy Petry paid a surprise visit to patients in the Extra Mile Military Care Program at Smokey Point. He met with mental health patients as a group and inspired many of them with his words of encouragement. If anyone can relate to the challenges associated with combat stress and transition from military life, it is SSgt Petry. For several patients, his visit felt like a turning point in their inpatient treatment process. “Hearing that he understands how I am feeling is something that I will never forget,” said one Veteran. It is moments such as this, and the camaraderie associated with military service that is what makes the EMMC program so impactful in the lives of our active duty service members, Veterans, and dependents.

MSG Petry has endorsed the Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital’s new Extra Mile Military Care™ program.  “If having my name associated with the Extra Mile program encourages someone to seek the help they need, I’m all for it,” says MSG Petry.

On May 26, 2008, while serving with the elite 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, headquartered at Fort Lewis, Washington, then Staff Sergeant Petry was participating in an audacious daylight raid against a well defended Taliban encampment in Paktya, Afghanistan.  The enemy, well dug in and exceptionally determined to withstand the Rangers’ assault, engaged Staff Sergeant Petry and his team of Rangers within hand to hand combat range.  Petry, the senior non-commissioned officer during the clearing of the enemy compound, was wounded in both legs during the assault.  Almost immediately afterward an enemy grenade landed among Petry and two other Rangers.  Without hesitation, Petry grabbed the grenade, throwing it away from his fellow Rangers.  Per the official Medal of Honor narrative “Staff Sergeant Petry threw it away from his fellow Rangers resulting in a catastrophic amputation of his right hand and multiple shrapnel wounds penetrating his body.” After the explosion Petry applied his own tourniquet, reported he had been wounded again but was still in contact with the enemy.

Master Sergeant (MSG) Petry became the first Army Ranger to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions that day.  He would recover from his wounds and go on to work closely as a wounded warrior advocate with the Special Operations Command’s Care Coalition.  Master Sergeant Petry, a longtime Washington resident, will speak about reducing the stigma of combat related PTSD in our Active Duty, Guard, Reserve and Veteran populations and the importance of self-care and seeking help for the invisible wounds of war.

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Medal of Honor Recipient Visits Troops at Alaskan Military Bases

Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Leroy Petry visited soldiers at Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. Petry is the official ambassador and quality control advocate for the Extra Mile Military Care program at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, located in Marysville, WA. Petry is currently advocating for mental health services that are available for active military personnel and veterans.

The goal of the Extra Mile Military Care program is to help veteran patients succeed in personal and professional endeavors while overcoming depression, anxiety attacks, substance abuse or PTSD.

During his visit, The Daily Miner, Fairbanks local newspaper chronicled the retired Master Sergeant’s events.

The front-page article detailed the events that earned Petry his Medal of Honor. The following is an excerpt from that article:

“Master Sgt. Leroy Petry is a retired Army Ranger who received the military’s highest honor for grabbing a grenade thrown near him and saving the life of fellow soldiers during a 2008 attack on a Taliban compound in Afghanistan’s Paktia province”.

At Eielson Air Force Base, Petry spoke to over 250 Airmen and civilian employees about the importance of the mental health services that are available for soldiers. He met with the base commander and Air Force clinicians afterward to discuss the resources available to active military and veterans in need of behavioral health services. Petry’s interview at Eielson detailing how he received the Medal of Honor has since gone viral.

Petry also met with members of the Army’s elite MEDEVAC unit at Fort Wainwright and several Gold Star Families afterward at the USO. Gold Star Families are those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.

Petry’s service dog, Tommy, accompanied him throughout the entire visit. Also visiting Fairbanks was Mr. Randy Kiniecki of US HealthVest, Dr. Stacey Shaw, program director for EMMC, and, Mr. Greg Walker, senior military liaison for EMMC.

MSG Petry (L) and retired Ranger Andy Poncho (R)

Petry concluded his visit by leaving a memorial bouquet of red, white and blue flowers at the Fairbanks Veterans Memorial Park. Retired Army Ranger and resident Andy Poncho assisted Petry.

Petry is also invited to speak at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington State and on O’ahu in Hawaii on behalf of Extra Mile Military Care.

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Medal of Honor Recipient Leroy Petry Discusses Mental Health Treatment for Military

Petry and Army MEDEVAC Team

Retired Master Sergeant Leroy Petry, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2011, visited Fairbanks, Alaska on July 25th and 26th. Petry, the official ambassador and quality control advocate for the Extra Mile Military Care program at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital (Marysville, WA), toured both Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base during his stay. While visiting, Petry advocated mental health services that are available to both active military personnel and retired veterans.

 

 

While visiting Eielson Air Force Base, Petry spoke twice to an audience of over 250 Airmen and civilian employees. He met with the base commander and with Air Force clinicians afterward.

 

While on a mission in rural Afghanistan in May 2008, Petry saved the lives of two fellow Army Rangers when he grabbed a grenade thrown near them. While attempting to throw the grenade away, it detonated in his right hand.

 

While he may have lost his hand, Petry never gave up fighting. After spending several weeks recovering from his wounds, Petry was fitted with a prosthetic right hand, and re-enlisted in the Army. Petry was deployed again to Afghanistan, where he served until he received the Medal of Honor on July 12th, 2011.

 

Now retired, Petry hopes to help veterans who are experiencing depression or are seeking PTSD treatment after finishing their service.

 

“The world is filled with opportunity.” Petry says, “When you wake up, and you breathe that air into your lungs, and you open your eyes, you have the opportunity to change the world.”

 

Petry also spoke about mental health awareness and how important it is to take care of our veterans. This means taking care of the veteran’s physical wounds and emotional wounds too.

 

An average of 33 American active duty service members or veterans commit suicide daily. It is vital that mental health services are available to those who need to use them.

 

“For a lot of people they have no hope, (they think) no one is going to help them out,” he said. “Plus the stigma of, ‘Oh, if I go get mental health I’ll never be able to own a gun, or I’ll never be able to continue my job, they’ll kick me out, or I’ll never get promoted.’

 

“A lot of what I talk to them about is that to be a well-rounded soldier you’ve got to be mentally, physically and spiritually green. When you started going into the yellow or the red you’re not going to be at your peak performance.”

 

Be sure to watch the video linked below for additional information!

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Extra Mile Military Care for military, veterans and families opens in Washington State

SMOKEY POINT — People have traveled from as far as Okinawa, Japan to receive care here in Snohomish County.

The Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital now has a unit specializing in mental health care for those in the military. There’s no other program like it in the state.

The Extra Mile Military Care center opened in February, and earlier this month was dedicated in honor of retired Army Master Sgt. Leroy Petry. The ceremony was on the 74th anniversary of D-Day.

The hospital has been open for one year.

Veterans, current service members and their families can all use the program. All its staff have some sort of connection to the military, whether they’re a veteran themselves or they’ve worked closely with the community, said Matt Crockett, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital CEO.

The program follows guidelines from the U.S. Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs. Practitioners use evidence-based care to treat disorders such as addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The unit has 14 beds, which could expand to 30 if demand continues to grow, Crockett said. Since the department hasn’t been around for a full year, he doesn’t know how busy it will get during certain seasons. So far, it’s been very full, he said. The hospital has 115 spaces altogether.

“The opportunity to serve this military population creates an ability for us to give back to them,” Crockett said. “We treat a high percentage of civilians in this hospital of course, but we would not be able to do that without the freedoms provided to us by the service members.”

When patients first arrive, they’ve reached rock bottom, he said. Typically they stay for four weeks. By the time they leave, they are more healthy physically and mentally.

The hospital won’t turn a veteran away who might not have access to health care, Crockett said. If the person is homeless, they would be connected with Veteran Affairs offices in Seattle, and get help finding a place to stay.

Petry said he believes the Smokey Point program will create a standard of care for the rest of the country. He has taken friends to similar treatment centers, but thinks this is the best he’s seen.

“In order to be a good leader you need to be well-rounded, mentally and spiritually,” he said during the ceremony. “If one of those is out of whack, it’s going to throw off the whole system.”

Petry was awarded the Medal of Honor by former President Barack Obama in 2011. He saved two of his fellow soldiers while serving in Afghanistan with the Army’s 2/75th Ranger Battalion.

During a mission in 2008, a grenade landed near the group. Petry picked it up and threw it. His right hand was lost in the explosion. He was assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord at the time.

Up to 20 percent of people who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan have post-traumatic stress disorder in a given year. Around 20 veterans die by suicide each day.

“This is our opportunity to reverse those trends,” Crockett said.

Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; [email protected]. Twitter: @stephrdavey.

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Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital Dedicates Treatment Unit to Medal of Honor Recipient on D-Day

Marysville, WA –  June 6, 2018 – Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital dedicated the first in-patient care and treatment program for Active Duty Military, Guard, Reserves, our honored Veterans, and family members in Washington State.

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital in Marysville, Washington, is committed to advancing the Gold standard of behavioral health and substance abuse treatment.  We are privileged to serve the Armed Forces and our Veteran population and have enlisted the support of Master Sergeant (ret) Leroy A. Petry, recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

MSG Petry is pleased to endorse Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital’s new Extra Mile Military Care™ program to see this goal realized.  “If having my name associated with the Extra Mile program encourages someone to seek the help they need, I’m all for it,” says MSG Petry.

On May 26, 2008, while serving with the elite 2/75th Ranger Battalion, headquartered at Fort Lewis, Washington, then Staff Sergeant Petry was participating in an audacious daylight raid against a well defended Taliban encampment in Paktya, Afghanistan.  The enemy, well dug in and exceptionally determined to withstand the Rangers’ assault, engaged Staff Sergeant Petry and his team of Rangers within hand to hand combat range.  Petry, the senior non-commissioned officer during the clearing of the enemy compound, was wounded in both legs during the assault.  Almost immediately afterward an enemy grenade landed among Petry and two other Rangers.  Without hesitation, Petry grabbed the grenade, throwing it away from his fellow Rangers.  Per the official Medal of Honor narrative “Staff Sergeant Petry threw it away from his fellow Rangers resulting in a catastrophic amputation of his right hand and multiple shrapnel wounds penetrating his body.” After the explosion Petry applied his own tourniquet, reported he had been wounded again but was still in contact with the enemy.

Master Sergeant (MSG) Petry became the first Army Ranger to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions that day.  He would recover from his wounds and go on to work closely as a wounded warrior advocate with the Special Operations Command’s Care Coalition.  Master Sergeant Petry, a longtime Washington resident, will speak about reducing the stigma of combat related PTSD in our Active Duty, Guard, Reserve and Veteran populations and the importance of self-care and seeking help for the invisible wounds of war.

Ms. Lourdes E. “Alfie” Alvarado-Ramos, Director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, was the master of ceremonies for this special event.  Ms. Alvarado-Ramos served 22 years in the United States Army.  She retired in August 1993 as the Command Sergeant Major of Madigan Army Hospital and Troop Command at Joint Base Lewis McChord.  Her awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit and Expert Field Medical Badge.

Honored guests in attendance:

  • Master Sergeant Leroy A. Petry, Medal of Honor Recipient, 2/75th Ranger Battalion, Joint Base Lewis McChord
  • Landon Petry, MSG Leroy Petry’s son
  • Corporal Leonard Martin, 104th Infantry Division, Normandy Invasion, Prisoner of War
  • Farlan Duberry, 96th Infantry Division, Bronze Star recipient (Okinawa – Pacific Campaign)
  • Colonel Michael Place, Madigan Army Hospital Commander
  • Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Goke, Chief of Behavioral Health, Joint Base Lewis McChord
  • Colonel Colin Daniels, Chief of Psychiatry, Joint Base Lewis McChord
  • Retired Colonel David Sutherland, former Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and US HealthVest Military & Veteran Consultant
  • SSG (Ret) Victor Sassoon, 2/75 Ranger Battalion, Wounded Warrior
  • Vance Whippo, Chaplain for Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital
  • Chief Kathleen Wilde and the Cadets from Marysville Pilchuck High School NJROTC

About Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital is a 115-bed behavioral hospital located just north of Seattle, Washington.  The majestic Olympic mountain range is to the west and the equally beautiful Cascade range provides an impressive view to the east. The newly constructed hospital provides inpatient, acute behavioral health and addiction treatment for adolescents, adults and senior adults.  Seattle International Airport is one hour away from our facility and easily accessible by ground transportation.  Military lodging for escorts is available at the Naval Support Base only two miles from Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital. For more information, please visit www.smokeypointbehavioralhospital.com.

About US HealthVest

US HealthVest is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services. US HealthVest operates Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, Chicago Behavioral Hospital, Ridgeview Institute-Smyrna and Ridgeview Institute-Monroe and Lake Behavioral Hospital. US HealthVest is developing additional psychiatric hospitals across the country. Accredited by The Joint Commission, US HealthVest’s hospitals provide specialized psychiatric care to patients with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents, adults and senior adults. US HealthVest was founded in 2013 by Dr. Richard Kresch, formerly Founder & CEO of Ascend Health Corporation and Heartland Health Developments. For more information, please visit www.ushealthvest.com.

 

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Extra Mile Military Care Now Open

Feb. 19, 2018 – Marysville, Wash. – Extra Mile Military Care opened at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital today. The program is designed for inpatient care and treatment for active duty, guard & reserve service members. The evidence-based clinical program is specially designed for combat induced PTSD or pre-existing PTSD aggravated by military service, alcohol dependency, substance misuse to include opioid dependency, dual diagnosis, depression, anxiety and mood disorders.

The features of the program include:

  • An international referral number is available 24/7, staffed with trained Military Admissions Coordinators to assist all callers, at (855) 755-6555.
  • A clinical and nursing team comprised of professionals, many of whom are veterans, who possess a passion to work with the US Military, Guard, Reserves, and Veterans.
  • Dedicated treatment unit for military and veterans only.
  • Dedicated Medical Director, Program Director and Military Liaison leading the Gold Standard of Care.
  • Proven, evidence-based treatment curriculum in accordance with DoD / VA guidelines.
  • Direct involvement in care and treatment, to include weekly treatment team meetings, for referring professionals and Commander.
  • Daily supervised access to exercise room with scheduled PT daily.
  • Access to outdoor courtyard directly off the dedicated EMMC treatment unit.
  • Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital is an in-network provider for TRICARE®, TriWest Healthcare Alliance’s Veterans Choice, Choice Plus and PC3 networks of care.

We understand the concept of teamwork.  The clinical and nursing staff is comprised of professionals, many of whom are veterans themselves, who possess a passion to work with the US Military, guard and reserve service members.  Our mission is to see Extra Mile patients successfully rekindle his or her personal and professional life.  To accomplish this we rely on evidence-based treatment partnered with holistic approaches and a strong community spirit in support of the patient’s recovery and rehabilitation journey.

If you or a loved one knows someone seeking the Gold Standard of Care, please call the international number, 24/7 at (855) 755-6555 and the Military Admissions Coordinator can assist you.

About Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital is a 115-bed behavioral hospital located just north of Seattle, Washington.  The majestic Olympic mountain range is to the west, and the equally beautiful Cascade range provides an impressive view to the east.  Seattle International Airport is one hour away from our facility and easily accessible by ground transportation.  Military lodging for escorts is available at the Naval Support Base only two miles from Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital.

About US HealthVest

US HealthVest is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services. US HealthVest operates Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, Chicago Behavioral Hospital, Ridgeview Institute-Smyrna and Ridgeview Institute – Monroe and is developing additional psychiatric hospitals across the country. Accredited by The Joint Commission, US HealthVest’s hospitals provide specialized psychiatric care to patients with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents, adults and senior adults. US HealthVest was founded in 2013 by Dr. Richard Kresch, formerly Founder & CEO of Ascend Health Corporation and Heartland Health Developments. For more information, please visit www.ushealthvest.com.

Contact:
Richard Kresch, M.D.
President and CEO
US HealthVest
212-243-5565

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