About Warrior Music Foundation

Warrior Music Foundation is dedicated to helping limit the impact of PTSD and reduce the number of suicides across the active duty, reserve and veteran population by maximizing the healing power of music in a facilitated environment.  We are equally focused on aiding military family members who are also dealing with the results of PTSD, deployments and life disruptions.  We have assembled a team committed to serving our nation’s sons and daughters by offering an approach that is centered around music lessons in both individual and group settings.  Veterans, military members and their families can enroll in lessons that are tailored to their skill level – from beginner to virtuoso.  In parallel, we will facilitate group band sessions that foster camaraderie among students.  These sessions will include “coaches” who are seasoned musicians who will work with the bands to shape their performances.  The entire program will be facilitated by an on-staff music therapist who will ensure the instructors and students are both aligned to maximize the output of the lessons.  Our therapists are a resource for the military members, veterans and their families to use as much or little as they desire.

Why you should Care

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced shocking, disturbing, traumatic or dangerous events.  The statistics as it relates to the US population are quite overwhelming.  A 2014 study estimated that 8% of all Americans have PTSD.  That equates to over 24 million people, approximately the population of Texas.  Women are twice as likely as men to experience PTSD, with an estimated one out of nine women developing symptoms.  People with PTSD have the highest rates of healthcare service use and almost 50% of all outpatient mental health patients have PTSD. 

PTSD is widespread among active duty and veterans.  According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 20% of soldiers involved in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom experienced PTSD – this is in addition to the Gulf War and Vietnam veterans already suffering.  The number of diagnosed cases has skyrocketed over the past four years (50% increase from 2013 to 2014 alone).  Reported rates likely underestimate the true magnitude of the problem; it is estimated that 50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatment.  Even more eye opening is the suicide rate within the military community.  Most studies indicate veteran suicide rates are as high as 8,000 a year.  That equates to 22 veterans committing suicide each day.  That rate is higher than the general population and rising.  When combined with other factors like alcohol abuse (39% among veterans), drug abuse and traumatic brain injury (TBI), providing assistance to active duty military, veterans and their families is a top priority for senior military leadership.

So where does music fit into the equation?  The use of music and music therapy to treat symptoms of war has formally been in place since World War II.  In 1945, the US War Department instituted a program where music was used for reconditioning service members that were convalescing in Army hospitals.  Following WWII, music therapy grew into a profession largely due to the research of the Army and Office of the Surgeon General.  The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) has thoroughly documented the therapeutic benefits of using music in individual and group settings.  In their 2014 report, “Music Therapy and Military Populations”, AMTA walks through the qualities of music that aid in recovery.  Of note, music provides sensory stimulation, emotional responses, facilitates social interaction, provides opportunities for communication, provides a diversion from inactivity and introversion and offers a measurable method to track progress in therapy.

 You Can Help 

Warrior Music Foundation is a Non-Profit organization and you can donate to help them fight their cause by clicking the button below.