Disabled Marine Corps Veteran founds nonprofit business, Team Overland, to help combat Post Traumatic Stress
TAP recently discovered this vital outdoor adventure oriented non-profit organization called Team Overland and we had to give it a shout out.
Team Overland is a newly founded nonprofit organization that uses outdoor adventures as an outlet to overcome challenges associated with combat related Post Traumatic Stress and to help facilitate veteran’s reintegration into civilian society. CEO and Founder Matthew Havniear, a Marine Corps Veteran, believes that in order for Team Overland to have a realistic impact on veteran reintegration the organization must have both veterans and civilians working together.
Here are some stats on our returning veterans and some input from Matthew: 5.5 million of the 21.9 million veterans in the U.S. have service-related disabilities. “Due to the quality of medical treatment on the battlefield improving, they return alive, but not always whole. Military members are trained to depend on each other. After the military, many veterans feel disconnected and alone. They experience a lack of camaraderie as they return to the civilian world.”
The Adventure Portal is based out of San Diego’s north county. We rub shoulders with our veterans and active service members frequently as Camp Pendlton is practically in our backyard. Service men must never be forgotten and must alway be supported. This is a TAP endorsed company that we hope our readers help support . Read on for more of Matt Havniear’s background, service, what Team Overland does and how you can help support his organization.
A Corporal in the Marine Corps, Matt Havniear served as an infantry Assaultman and Marine Raider with 2nd Battalion 7th Marines Fox Company Weapons out of Twenty-Nine Palms, CA. Matthew deployed to Now Zad, Afghanistan in 2008 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His company found themselves embroiled daily in heavy firefights. They were surprised to discover the town looking like a ghost town. It was like a modern-day battle of Stalingrad. The city was in ruins, mined and dangerous. The fighting went from house to house then from one plot of land to another.
Upon his return from Afghanistan in 2010, Matthew was diagnosed with service connected Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome. He struggled with the symptoms and searched for healthy outlets, but only found long waits and clinical approaches from doctors. Knowing that he needed to find a better outlet for stress management, he became very active with volunteer work. Matt quickly realized that there was a benefit from being part of a team and serving the community. Matthew’s late father Dale Havniear, was an avid outdoorsman and taught Matt, at an early age, the importance of staying connected with the outdoors and nature. Being part of a team and staying connected to nature would prove to be very important in Matthew’s journey of re-integration into civilian life.
As a result of him struggling with reintegration into civilian life and the effects of Post Traumatic Stress, Matthew decided to combine his life-long passions for both the outdoors and for non-profit service to create Team Overland. Team Overland provides guided, overland expeditions to veterans that want a healthy and natural outlet for their stress while learning stress- management techniques. Active military members are trained to depend on each other. After the military, many veterans feel disconnected and alone. They experience a lack of camaraderie as they return to the civilian world.
Team Overland’s mission is to help vets overcome the effects of combat injuries; both physical and mental. It provides veterans with a healthy and natural way to manage their personal stress while increasing their social network. The Team Overland experience provides veterans with camaraderie, encouragement, reintegration and a support system that has proven vital to their reintegration and healing.
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Matthew describes Team Overland in his own words: “We impact veteran lives by helping members tackle personal challenges. We encourage members to positively manage their stress by providing healthy social environments and by planning activities that improve cognitive coping skills. We inspire our team members, and encourage veteran reintegration. Our approach assists in the rehabilitation process by providing members with positive reinforcement and the support of a like minded community.”
“On the trail, we work as a team to overcome the obstacles encountered on the way to our destinations. Team Overland is unique in that it is not exclusive to just military members. We want to have an impact on veteran reintegration and we believe that that it is only possible by having an organization with veterans and civilians working together. At Team Overland, we value and lean on our non-military members. We noticed early on that the civilians were passionate about “sharing the burden” of service. We have found that our approach builds bonds between military and non-military members through the shared interest of outdoor adventure and teamwork on the trail.”
“Team Overland has also quickly gained interest on a national level. We have secured sponsorship from Warn Industries, Snugtop, Cascadia Vehicle Tents, K&N Filters, AEM Intakes, Factor 55, Overland Solar, Diabolical Inc., Crux Off-road, M&M Paint Supply of Medford Oregon, L. T. Wright Knives, IH8Mud.com, Adventure Ready, Sign Dude of Medford Oregon,Northwest Trails Innovations, and Full Force Metalworks with more partnerships forming daily. The support of those companies has been incredible. There is a lot of gear needed to operate safely and effectively and those companies have helped us to a great start.”
There is still a lot the organization needs to continue. “We are hopeful that more companies that believe in our mission will come on board so that we can continue providing veterans and civilians the camaraderie, support systems and adventures that has proved so powerful. If interested in becoming a member of the team or supporting our cause please visit www.TeamOverland.org . You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamoverland , and on twitter at www.twitter.com/teamoverland.”
Article and photos courtesy of Matthew Havniear CEO and Founder of Team Overland
