Medal of Honor Recipient Leroy Petry Speaks to Soldiers at Alaskan Military Bases

Medal of Honor recipient Leroy Petry visited soldiers at Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright located near Fairbanks, Alaska this past July. Petry, who is the official ambassador and quality control advocate for the Extra Mile Military Care program at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, spoke to Airmen and civilian employees during his visit. Petry is currently advocating for mental health services that are available for active military personnel and veterans.

 

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:

Team EMMC at Fort Wainwright, Alaska

“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”.

 

Petry spoke about how important it is for soldiers and airmen to take care of their mental health, and to be aware of mental health services available to them.

 

Programs such as the Extra Mile Military Care help active military personnel and veterans get the help needed.

 

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

 

At Eielson Air Force Base, Petry met with the base commander and with Air Force clinicians, discussing treatments and options for soldiers who need to seek mental health services.

 

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.

MSG Petry with Gold Star Families at Fort Wainwright, Alaska

 

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

 

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 Awareness with Soldiers

 

MSG Petry and Army MEDEVAC Team

Medal of Honor recipient Leroy Petry visited the city of Fairbanks, Alaska in late July 2018. Petry, who is 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. While visiting, Petry advocated mental health services that are available to both active military personnel and retired veterans.

 

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 continued to fight. After recovering from his wounds, Petry re-enlisted in the Army and was deployed to Afghanistan once more. 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.

 

“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. Statistics like this showcase just how essential mental health services are.

 

Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD for short, may feel as though there is no help available to them without a stigma attached. Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital is hoping to change this, especially with programs like Extra Mile Military Care.

 

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

On June 6, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital will officially dedicate the first in-patient care and treatment program for Active Duty Military, Guard, Reserves, our honored Veterans, and family members in Washington State. Register here.

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, will be 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 invited include Governor Jay Inslee, Washington State, Major General General Brett Daugherty (Washington National Guard), Brigadier General Jeremy Horn (Washington Air National Guard), Lieutenant General (ret) Michael Linnington (CEO, Wounded Warrior Project), and esteemed guests representing Joint Base Lewis McChord, Bremerton Naval Hospital, Everett Naval Hospital, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Wounded Warrior Project – Seattle and Washington Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

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.

 

Contact:

Brookski Bottari

US HealthVest

[email protected]

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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 toll free 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 toll free 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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