FOCUS MARINES FOUNDATION

THE FOCUS PROGRAM: THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FOCUS PROGRAM IS A SIX-DAY EVENT DESIGNED BY THE FOCUS MARINES FOUNDATION TO HELP VETERANS STRUGGLING WITH THEIR LIFE AFTER LEAVING THE MILITARY. INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FACILITATORS PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN PROVIDING THE PARTICIPANTS THE TOOLS THAT ADDRESS VETERANS' ISSUES LIKE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ADDICTION, NEGATIVITY, INSOMNIA, ISOLATION, RELATIONSHIPS, SELF-DOUBT AND SUICIDE. THE PROGRAM IS HELD FOUR TIMES EACH YEAR IN AUGUSTA, MISSOURI. THERE ARE THREE BASIC COMPONENTS: I. DAY 1: BUILDING NEW RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER VETERANS ATTENDING FOCUS. II. DAY 2-3: ADDRESSING THE QUESTION: "WHO ARE YOU AND WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE?" III. DAY 4-6: ADDRESSING THE QUESTION: "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO AND HOW WILL YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN?"ALL COSTS, TRANSPORTATION, ROOM, BOARD, AND MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS MARINES FOUNDATION. OVER 1,000 VETERANS HAVE ATTENDED THE FOCUS PROGRAM SINCE 2013, WITH LIFE CHANGING RESULTS. THE VETERANS CONSIST OF MARINES, NAVY CORPSMAN, SAILORS, SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN. THE AGES RANGE FROM 21-67, THE RANKS FROM PRIVATE TO COLONEL. THE FOCUS MARINES FOUNDATION HAS DEVELOPED A NATIONAL NETWORK OF EFFECTIVE VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP IDENTIFY VETERANS WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM THE FOCUS PROGRAM AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE VETERANS AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE FOCUS PROGRAM. THAT SUPPORT COULD INCLUDE MEDICAL, LEGAL, FINANCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL HELP. THERE IS A HIGH PRIORITY PLACED ON FOLLOW UP AND STAYING IN TOUCH WITH FOCUS GRADUATES. OVER 1,700 TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS ARE SENT EACH MONTH TO FOCUS GRADUATES INVITING THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF TWO ZOOM MEETINGS OFFERED EACH MONTH, "RE-FOCUS AND "THE BUDDY CHECK".

RE-FOCUS ZOOM MEETING: THE RE-FOCUS ZOOM MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE 3RD TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 7:00 - 8:00PM CST. THE MEETING IS RUN BY NATIONALLY KNOWN FACILITATORS AND MENTORS WHO ARE GRADUATES OF THE FOCUS PROGRAM. IT COVERS TOPICS TAUGHT AT THE FOCUS PROGRAM AS WELL AS INTRODUCING NEW RELEVANT MATERIAL. FOCUS GRADUATES ARE SENT MONTHLY EMAIL AND TEXT MESSAGES INVITING THEM TO EACH RE-FOCUS ZOOM MEETING.