After a 14-year career in the US Army infantry with heavy combat in Afghanistan, Mark Oravsky was on the brink of suicide, seeking a place where he could “dig a hole and scream in to it.” In his last attempt to keep his finger off the trigger he discovered a Rite of Return to wholeness and sense of belonging in the world as ancient as war itself.
Here is his story…
A bootcamp back to humanity and a field hospital for the veteran soul.
Having experienced the true welcoming home that is every warrior’s birthright, Mark sought out on a mission of piloting a 12-day ceremony of return for veterans. Under the wings of elder and senior guide Larry Hobbs, with decades of providing wilderness rites of passage across the earth for all peoples, a pilot rite of passage specifically for veterans was convened in 2017.
Armed with fiscal sponsorship and support through the School of Lost Borders, empirical evidence of veteran transformation, and a quantitative independent study to back it up, Mark and Larry ignited what would become Veteran Rites.
Results from the independent study are showing unprecedented promise in establishing a more holistic understanding of what we as a culture are willing to accept as ‘military transition.’
In 2018 a rite of passage serving 12 veterans was documented by Warrior Films. Touched so deeply as a witness to the ceremony, film producer John Crary joined Mark and Larry to solidify a foundation for the future.
OIF Veteran Ryan Mielcarek was hired as founding Executive Director in 2019.
Through the generosity, grit, and courage of countless veterans and civilian angels showing up to meet the Whole Veteran and their Stories, Veteran Rites has evolved into a wildly diverse organization that Grounds, Initiates, and Integrates prior service members into their True Identity, Purpose, and Belonging.
Co-Founder and Senior Guide Larry Hobbs
Co-Founder and Veteran Rites Board Chair John Crary
Founding Executive Director and Seabee (OIF) Veteran Ryan Mielcarek
veteran rites
The mission of VeteranRites is to initiate Veterans into Whole Identity, Purpose, and Belonging after military service.
Veteran Rites honors everyone’s individual journey, regardless of ability, combat experience, military service, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual, religious, political, or spiritual preference.
WELCOME HOME
““I was able to accomplish more there and kind of come to closure and peace...than I was able to with years and years of trying to see therapists or go to group therapy.” ”
Veteran riteS at a glance
Fifteen Rite of Return rites of passage and one guide training initiating 105 veterans, survivors of suicide loss, providers, spouses, and partners.
Hundreds of peer-led Circles of Return that combat isolation that nurture Love of Body, Love of True Self, Love of Others, Love of Nature.
Mirroring for Empowerment Workshops that integrate earth based, deep listening, and mirroring practices for peer empowerment.
Independent study published in the flagship journal of the American Counseling Association with ongoing evaluation with Dr. Mark Van Ryzin at the University of Oregon Research Institute.
Guided participants suffering from Post Traumatic Stress, Suicidal Ideation, Military Sexual Trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, Alcoholism, Moral Injury, Survivor’s Guilt, Combat-Related Disabilities, Depression, Isolation, Type 1 Diabetes, Racism, Sexism, Ageism, Homelessness, and Permanent Blindness.
Rising Together in Unity and Difference, Veteran Rites proudly welcomes home the wild, whole, and perfect diversity of our military family. We heal the bonds of betrayal and bigotry by deeply witnessing each other’s grief and celebrating each other’s wholeness.
Documentary Film, Veterans Journey Home: Leaving it on the Land from Warrior Films by Academy Award nominated documentarian Frederick Marx (Hoop Dreams) received numerous recognitions.
Leadership and guides balanced with female and male, veteran and civilian, with intentional outreach to cultivate accessibility, growth, and leadership for all veterans.
A lifeline for individuals and families with potential as a referral source by VSOs, Therapists, Service Providers, Governmental, Corporate, Civic, Faith-Based, Arts, or Community-Based Organizations.
Community partnerships with the American Lake VA, WDVA, Nine9Line Veterans Services, Path with Art, Task Force 12, Seward Park Audubon, and many others to prevent suicide and bring Veterans to wholeness.
Intentional holistic apprenticeship, training, and deep integration supports, with an obsession to nurture and deploy veteran guides and council facilitators to deploy with communal protocols for suicide prevention and reintegration. It should be just as easy to find a Veterans Council Community as it is a 12-Step Meeting.
