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“I came home from work; it was a normal day,” said Logistics Specialist 1st Class Aaron Wells, a Sailor aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). “There was not any excessive or amplifying stressor. That is how I knew the problem was not the stress from work, it was alcohol itself.”
On his way home, Wells picked up a twelve pack of beer as he admitted he often did. He was awaiting a call from his daughter who lives in Houston.
Over the next hour and a half, one by one, he sat back on his sofa and watched the twelve pack disappear. When he finally woke, he could only think of one thing: “I missed the call.”
“My daughter has autism, so schedules and doing things on time when they are supposed to happen is very important to her,” said Wells. “She was in tears almost the entire conversation when we spoke next.”
Wells said he was filled with remorse and ashamed knowing that alcohol affected his ability to talk with his daughter, and that was his defining moment when he realized he needed help. When that help arrived, it was another Sailor in his chain of command who began guiding him toward recovery and redemption.
“One of my chiefs who had went through the [Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP)] could recognize that if I did not get myself help, I would be headed toward an alcohol-related incident, which could really derail the last part of my career,” said Wells. “The difference between me self-referring versus getting into an incident is astronomical as far as getting better help to where I was not forced to go.”
SARP provides screening, preventive intervention, and dual diagnosis rehabilitative services for mild, moderate, and severe alcohol and/or substance use disorders. IKE is equipped with a command SARP counselor and several in-patient facility options including, SARP, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), one of the largest military rehabilitation centers in the nation, to provide its Sailors with a myriad of substance abuse treatment plans.
According to the “Substance Use and Military Life” publication by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Alcohol use disorders are the most prevalent form of [substance use disorders] among military personnel.”
SARP exists to ensure Sailors have the necessary tools and resources to combat drug and alcohol abuse. Sailors are able to self-refer, which is initiative-based, or they may be command referred, which is often due to an incident.
Wells recalled a very compassionate chain of command when he decided to seek help and said he did not experience any repercussions for self-referring to the program; a widespread misconception among Sailors.
“Most of my chain of command was incredibly supportive,” said Wells. “Everyone was wanting to make sure that I got the help that I thought I needed. I was lucky that this was not due to an incident or something that happened.”
Wells was a level three in-patient at SARP, NMCP. He stayed at the provided living facility there and received daily treatment for about five weeks.
Dr. Lynette Rushing, a licensed psychologist and SARP, NMCP program director explained that SARP provides credentialed substance abuse counselors, licensed psychologists and social workers.
Patients experience a variety of treatment options including daily hours in the fitness facilities, art and music therapies, and group and individual counseling sessions with NMCP staff.
“For folks who come to treatment, it can be really life changing,” said Rushing. “Folks come here thinking all they are going to do is talk about drugs and alcohol, but really, a big part of treatment is getting into all the other aspects of their lives that either led them to choosing drugs and alcohol or were also impacted by their use. People leave here getting so much more out of treatment than they ever thought that they would.”
Wells said that one of his major self-discoveries is that he was substituting alcohol for feelings of comfort.
“I was using alcohol to cover up a lot of holes in myself that, when I took a hard look in the mirror, I realized that I am just as good a person if I do not drink,” said Wells. “I do not need alcohol to make me funny, to make me sociable, to make me a good partner, and the hold that it had on my life was actually keeping me from reaching my highest potential.”
Aboard IKE, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Desereae Cummings is the command SARP counselor for Sailors seeking treatment, education or post-recovery.
“When patients come back from different levels of [rehabilitation], my job is to help them in their continuing care and build on that foundation they created in treatment,” said Cummings.
Wells credited the SARP, NMCP abstinence-based program for his ability to quit alcohol use, however, he emphasized the importance of continued aftercare.
“A lot of times, once the initial cravings go away, you get to a point where you don’t think about alcohol, and that is when alcoholism is at its most dangerous,” said Wells. “It is when you do not expect it, so being aware and engaged with your sobriety through mindfulness is important.”
Cummings said her goal is to treat the human behind the uniform because it is the person that “holds it up.”
“The role that I play here does not just affect their time onboard this carrier but could be a lifetime change for them,” said Cummings.
Wells initially struggled with noticing the signs of his alcohol dependency and finding the courage to ask for help, but he was eventually able to do so through the support of friends, family and his chain of command. SARP is a tool, which strengthens the Navy’s manpower through retention. It prepares Sailors with substance dependencies by detecting the source of addiction and destructive behaviors while implementing meaningful and lasting solutions.
“It is okay to ask for help,” said Wells. “It does not make you any less of a person or less of a Sailor to tell and admit to someone that you need some help.”
Disclaimer: Petty Officer Wells consented to the use of his full name and offered his testimony willingly, separate from SARP, in hopes of inspiring others that may also need to seek help.
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2023 00:08 |
| Story ID: | 438901 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Recovery and Redemption: A SARP Story, by PO1 Asheka Lawrence-Reid, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
