Patience and Recovery

BREMERTON, WA, UNITED STATES

08.26.2023

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Preston Jarrett 

USS Nimitz (CVN 68)   

Step 1 – Pre-contemplation

It took me years to realize, let alone admit, that I had a problem.

Nearly every justification you could think of ran through my head at some point. I’m less shy. It’s a way to break the monotony of everyday life. I wouldn’t have any friends if I didn’t. I’m miserable without it. I could quit anytime. The list continues, and for many, it might be an uncomfortably familiar one. Not once between waking up in vomit or hungover and failing to remember what happened the night prior did I acknowledge the need to change. I was desperate for help, and I didn’t even know it.

Though the Navy’s relationship with alcohol might be storied or debatably celebrated (“Drink to the foam,” anyone?), a fine line exists between “having a few” and “one too many.” It doesn’t take much for a relationship with alcohol to turn unhealthy, but luckily for those who find themselves in that situation, help is available, even underway.

Hospital Corpsmen 1st Class Ryan Tellier and 2nd Class Kevin Banta are the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP) counselors aboard Nimitz, specializing in assisting people with substance abuse problems in their journey through treatment and recovery.

Tellier, program director, was drawn to the field by its subjective and open-ended nature, as well as a desire to help those struggling with mental health issues.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all reason why people are suffering,” said Tellier. “There are so many ways that people react to situations, and for me, that was a big part of what drew me to it. It’s so unpredictable. No two clients are the same, even if they have similar experiences. Everyone’s different. Everyone has their own reaction, and for me, addiction was one way I could really break into the mental health field.”

Banta was introduced to the program by a fellow Corpsman, who recommended it because of Banta’s personable nature.

“They thought it was something I’d be successful in; once I started looking into the program and seeing what it was, I kind of agreed, mainly due to all the different things that happened in my family, whether it be drug abuse, suicide or infidelity,” said Banta. “I could relate to a lot of service members who may have ended up turning to drugs or alcohol, connecting with them on a personal level instead of keeping things strictly medical. I did a couple of interviews, and I realized it was something I wanted to switch my career path toward.”

Unfortunately, substance use disorders are often met with denial (yeah, right), possibly due to regular exposure to alcohol in many social circles. The consequences of intoxication in a dangerous environment can be severe, and entering treatment with an open mind is paramount to success.

“Alcohol is so culturally, socially and organizationally common. It’s something a lot of people look forward to every port call. It’s easy to say ‘If I only drink and get in trouble once a month, that’s not a big deal,’ but if that’s one of only, say, four days you can drink, and one of those times, you got in trouble, it becomes one,” said Tellier. “Treatment can consist of a lot of motivational enhancement strategies, where it’s just showing people that alcohol might be negatively impacting them. The military is very heavy-handed in the consequences of irresponsible drinking; that’s really to show people that it’s not OK. You don’t want to get on the flight deck managing aircraft while hungover, because that’s how you kill people. We’re heavy-handed because we’re not civilians. If any of us show up to work intoxicated, we can get people killed.”

For anyone seeking help for themselves or others, please contact the command DAPA (Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor) at [e-mail].

• Date Taken: 08.26.2023
• Date Posted: 12.21.2023 11:56
• Story ID: 460578
• Location: BREMERTON, WA, US