Photo By Dawn Grimes | Aviation Machinist Mate First Class Alberic Mareus is the Substance and Alcohol...... read more read more
If you’ve ever met your command Substance & Alcohol Rehabilitation Program (SARP) counselor, you may not be aware of how arduous the path to helping others. Some may know that SARP counselors undergo a three-month training, but how many know SARP training has an average graduation rate of 30%?
Aviation Machinist Mate First Class Alberic Mareus knows. He is one of ten who graduated from his class in June 2018. Getting to that class was the last leg of a journey that took Mareus nearly a year or decades, depending on how you look at it.
Born in a small town outside of Port Au Prince Haiti, Mareus was raised largely by his grandparents. “My grandmother was an herbal doctor and midwife for the whole town, she was a teacher of natural medicine,'' Mareus explained. “That’s where I learned all the basics about plants and their effect on the central nervous system, and how they could play a part in healing addiction to substances.”
When Mareus left Haiti for the United States in 2001, he spoke French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. He learned English on his own and by 2004, at age 24, he spoke it well enough to join the US Navy. He hoped to travel and to become a law enforcement officer. “I found out when I was in boot camp that I could not go law enforcement because I was not yet a U.S. citizen, and it was not allowed.” For two years after basic training, Mareus served as an undesignated Seaman within the Deck Department on board USS WASP LHD-1.
“When I completed the time requirement, I crossed rate to Aviation Machinist Mate because I was qualified for it, and it was my best option over painting the ship.”
For the next dozen years, Mareus fulfilled Aviation Machinist Mate’s responsibilities in a variety of roles, including a four year assignment to the USS Wasp, four years with VAW-120, four years with VRC-40, and three years with NMRTC Portsmouth, VA. For the duration of these years, homeport was Virginia, except for the one year he served on Guard Duty with the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay (JTF-GTMO) in 2011. “In 2010 they were looking for volunteers to go to Iraq or Guantanamo Bay. So I volunteered and got selected.”
After serving within the detention facility, Mareus once again returned to Virginia where he found himself taking personal and career inventory. “I was a Deacon in my church working with people who were in recovery for alcohol or drugs and with an outreach program for homeless and at-risk youth. I was also going to school for Public Health, and I realized it was time to match my Navy Career with the civilian work I was doing.”
Mareus had the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) score needed to apply, but this was just the beginning. He also needed to demonstrate his aptitude for English, show proof of taking English composition courses and write and submit a comprehensive essay. Having proven himself academically fit, Mareus, requested and received referral from a SARP counselor to attend a 30-day inpatient treatment OJT.
“At the end, the counselors assess your performance on how you have handled the experience, to see if you have in any way been reactive, due potentially to past trauma.” Mareus explained. “The Navy wants to know how you do in a treatment environment because, if I’m carrying my own trauma, then I may have transference with someone else that has had a similar experience. I may react in a way that may not be in the patient's best interest.”
Only after completing the OJT program, with the recommendation of experienced SARP counselors, was Mareus allowed to apply for the program. Still he had months more training to do. “As part of the application process, you have six months to attend all the self-help groups: NA-Narcotics Anonymous; AA - Alcoholics Anonymous; Overeaters; Sex Addiction Anonymous; Co-Dependent Anonymous; Gambling addiction self-help group and you must attend multiple meetings for all the groups.”
Mareus completed the meetings every week while working his full-time job as an Aviation Machinist Mate First Class. “I was very fortunate; my command was very supportive, and they let me attend groups on Fridays.”
Nearly a year after he’d made the decision to try, Mareus was selected to attend the 3-month Navy Drug and Alcohol Addiction Counseling School (NDACS) in San Diego. “70% drop out or are deselected after the first week, some end up seeking up help for themselves for past unresolved issues either childhood or adulthood,” Mareus said. “When you’re in an environment where you’re with counselors who have been doing this for years, they know when you’re BS’ing. This is a very intense training.”
Mareus once again returned to Virginia, where he served as the SARP Counselor for Naval Hospital Portsmouth for three years before reporting for duty in the only other location he’d been to before, Guantanamo Bay. Now, as the SARP Counselor assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Mareus is responsible for providing treatment and education to all active-duty personnel on the installation. He will soon lead his first Prime for Life at Guantanamo Bay. It's an early intervention program formerly known as Impact, a 20-hours class over three days that takes place at the hospital.
Mareus emphasized that most often the individuals who are referred to him are dealing with more than the incident that usually precedes a referral. “I would describe the incident as the tip of the iceberg, besides what everyone has seen, what is beneath that’s going on?” Mareus said. “I want to help the person feel comfortable enough to open-up and help me to understand so I can help them help themselves.”
Mareus is under the supervision of Lt.j.g. Justen Bryant, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and US NMRTC GB Department Head for Behavioral Health. Bryant assesses individuals after Mareus has performed the Substance Use Disorder Screening to determine the diagnosis. Prior to Mareus’ arrival, Bryant was responsible for all aspects of Substance Use Disorder and mental health therapy.
“If a ship is lost at sea, the lighthouse guides them to shore. In addictions, the SARP counselor is that lighthouse. It’s a vital and rewarding role that can have lasting generational change.” Bryant said.
Mareus believes the work he is doing is an extension of the lessons his grandma taught him growing up. "I was raised to believe that if you can touch someone’s heart, you can change their mind and that’s where my caring aspect comes from.” Mareus added, “I hope that people will take advantage of the resources available here on island and remove the stigma that is associated with seeking help. ““Helping someone to help themselves so they can reach their full potential is my calling. I am not here to get them in trouble, I am here to help. The first step is to reach out and He will walk with you.”
After working in the profession for three years, SARP Counselors can apply for and take an international certification exam recognized by 40 states, 14 countries and a dozen federal-level certification boards. Currently, the Certified Navy Alcohol and Drug Counselor community is undermanned. Sailors interested in exploring the program can find more information at the Navy Bureau of Medicine website at: https://www.med.navy.mil/Navy-Medicine-Operational-Training-Command/Surface-Warfare-Medical-Institute/Navy-Drug-and-Alcohol-Counselor-School/
| Date Taken: | 12.14.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.14.2021 13:09 |
| Story ID: | 411096 |
| Location: | CU |
| Hometown: | PORT DE PAIX, HT |
| Web Views: | 432 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Substance and Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselors: The Steep Road to Helping Others, by Dawn Grimes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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