JULY 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 7

One Tribe Foundation:

One Tribe Foundation: Restoring the Value of Life Through Empowerment “Human beings need three basic things in order to be content: they need to feel competent at what they do; they need to feel authentic in their lives; and they need to feel connected to others. These values are considered “intrinsic” to human happiness and far outweigh “extrinsic” values such as beauty, money and status,” Sebastian Junger, Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging. In continuing to highlight the wonderful missions of Texas based organizations that focus on the mental health needs of first responders, I contacted Jacob Schick, Chief Executive Officer with the One Tribe Foundation. Based in Dallas, Texas, the One Tribe Foundation was created (originally as 22KILL) when the push up challenge went viral as a response to the VA study findings that 22 veterans a day were dying by suicide. Since that time, the foundation has grown into a HIPAA-compliant mental and emotional wellness organization that provides both traditional and non-traditional therapies for veterans, first responders, law enforcement officers, frontline medical workers, and their families. They serve those who run toward the fight. Jacob Schick is a third-generation combat Marine, motivational speaker and actor who epitomizes service and sacrifice. Jake helps individuals and teams maximize their potential by using his experience and the effects of being severely wounded in Iraq. His story is one of recovery and resilience and motivates individuals to live well and is a staunch advocate of mental and emotional wellness of the human tribe as a whole. After a triple-stacked tank mine detonated below his vehicle in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq in 2004, Jake suffered compound fractures in his left leg and left arm; multiple skin, ligament, and bone losses; varying burns; partial loss of his left hand and arm; amputation below the knee of his right leg, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Jake has undergone over 50 operations, 23 blood transfusions, and countless hours of rehabilitation. He will tell you his physical injuries were not the worst that happened to him. DR. TINA JAECKLE For years, he dreaded his TBI and PTSD diagnosis, a common mindset amongst warriors and people alike. Jake has appeared on James Gandolfini’s HBO special “Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq,” as well as “60 Minute Sports” and various other local and national mediums. Jake has been featured in roles in Clint Eastwood’s productions of “American Sniper” and “The Mule”, and appeared in Bradley Cooper’s production of “A Star is Born.” One Tribe Foundation is fully aware of the struggles and demands of the work police officers do and advocate through traditional and non-traditional therapy and social media campaigns to bring awareness as well as science-based solutions to these struggles and the need for tools to combat mental health issues. They have over 30 therapists on staff that serve the tribe through our Stay the Course program and four non-traditional programs to include WATCH (We Are the Children of Heroes), Wind Therapy, and Forge & White Star Families. They also provide peer-topeer conversations through their Tribal Council. Another significant goal is to break the stigma and influence leadership to encourage their officers to ask for help. Law enforcement officers should not have to be concerned with losing their gun and badge to better their mental and emotional state, in fact, it would only better equip them as public servants. One Tribe Foundation focuses first on prevention and begins with awareness. This means educating themselves and the public, opening the conversation, and learning to become comfortable with the fear of being vulnerable. By doing this, they can identify the often avoided or unaddressed issues that can lead someone to thoughts of suicide, and confront those issues as they come, rather than letting them accumulate into something much worse. The next step is empowerment. One of the biggest challenges veterans and first responders face is finding a sense of purpose after service. 22KILL has successfully built a vast network of organizations and resources across the country, and whether through its own programs, or through external sources, veterans, first responders, and family members can locate services to help them find or rediscover that sense of purpose. The other side and of equal importance is engagement. Often one may come to realize that all they really needed was the brotherhood and camaraderie that may have been absent from their lives 86 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 87 To since leaving service. The 22KILL “Tribe” allows service members to connect with like-minded individuals and gives them the opportunity to get involved with community events and projects, and be a part of something great. Our deepest gratitude to you Jake for choosing to pay it forward and all at One Tribe Foundation for your life saving mission. More information on all can be found at: 1tribefoundation.org.