Warrior Meditation Foundation Inc DBA Save A Warrior
Just Save One
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Veterans, active-duty military members, and first-responders are taking their own lives at alarming rates. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the number of Veteran suicides exceeded 6,000 each year from 2008 to 2017. This equates to nearly 20 Veterans ending their own lives each day; a rate 1.5 times higher than non-Veterans. Additionally, our nation’s first responders are taking their lives at increased rates. According to The Ruderman Foundation, more now die by taking their own lives than are killed in the line of duty. The brave men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to protect us are far too often finding their only way to peace through suicide. We do not believe this is acceptable and aim to provide a pathway to healing for our nation's heroes. With nearly 2,000 warriors served from all 50 states, SAW has proven to be a solution for our brave warriors with a 99.7% efficacy rate.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Save A Warrior Cohorts
Save A Warrior is a 72-hour program for veterans, active-duty military and first responders living with complex post-traumatic stress (C-PTS). Each cohort consists of 10 participants and focuses on beginning the healing from the devastating effects of C-PTS that leads to suicide and suicidal ideation. Our program uses evidence-based techniques to educate participants and provide them with healing opportunities that initiate long-term behavioral changes.
The healing process begins over our three-day program where staff guide participants through timeless rituals and powerful conversations such as processing of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Warrior Meditation, the Five Pillars of Servant Leadership, and C-PTS education with the support of returning alumni acting as shepherds. Each of our methods are complementary and have been proven to heal the heart and help repair the soul. Alumni leave with an ability to heal, grow in resiliency, and build a constructive peaceful life.
Save A Warrior Alumni Aftercare
Save A Warrior understands that the need for our program continues well past their three-day cohort. There is a recommended 500 day continuum of care program where our warriors are able to integrate the conversations and methods they were taught into their everyday lives. One of the most concerning risks that our team endeavors to mitigate is that some warriors return home and may still be considered as a high risk for suicide. As such, Save A Warrior has an alumni affairs team dedicated to supporting our warriors after their cohorts.
This assistance ranges from Ambassador calls to check-in on alumni, to 22 alumni-led meetings held weekly, to referrals to partner organizations focused on family unit healing, and coaching calls.
Where we work
Awards
Brain Trust: Pathways to Innovation 2017
Department of Veterans Affairs
Health Hero Award 2015
WebMD
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of program graduates
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Emergency responders, Military personnel, Veterans
Related Program
Save A Warrior Cohorts
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This metric includes Warriors served as direct participants in our cohorts, community follow-up, large format developmental experiences and in-person and online meditation sessions.
Number of participants attending course/session/workshop
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Health, Ethnic and racial groups, Military personnel, Emergency responders, Veterans
Related Program
Save A Warrior Cohorts
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
According to best practices across multiple disciplines, we utilize small groups to evoke a powerful, peer-led transformation.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Save A Warrior's program goals are to:
1. Be part of the ecosystem of solutions that help eliminate veteran, active-duty military, and first responder suicide. This is Save A Warrior's most important goal and the reason our organization was founded. Save A Warrior was established on the belief that if the program could "Just Save One" then it would all be worth it. Today, Save A Warrior has put nearly 2,000 of our nation's heroes in crisis through our program at no-cost to them.
2. Provide our Warriors with the necessary tools to help them heal by diminishing their pain allowing them to go on and lead happy, fulfilling lives that move them away from suicide and suicidal ideation. Our program introduces our heroes to the healing power that lies within themselves while connecting them to a Community of Practice that encompasses our Alumni. Every Warrior who completes our program has the fighting chance against becoming another life lost to suicide.
3. Create the greatest generation of servant leaders. This is done by introducing our Warriors to the Five Pillars of Servant Leadership; Service, Study, Contribution, Acknowledgement, Affirmation. Through implementing these five principles in their everyday lives they will continue to heal from the pain associated with their PTS and grow into contributing members of their local communities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
There are parts of the warrior that the traditional medical model is not equipped to heal or nourish and adds to their suffering. In ancient times, tribes understood that warriors returning from battle required emotional and spiritual support to harmoniously reintegrate back into society...an initiation that allowed them to heal their past wounds. Everyone, from the wisest village elder to the common man understood, accepted and embraced these truths which, today, seem further and further from reality. Authentic cultures carried these principles for thousands of years -- until they were lost.
What distinguishes Save A Warrior is how we invite our warriors to revisit these "lost" ancestral experiences. In order to make this journey possible, we had to push the boundaries of the healing arts. By combining historic rituals and ceremonies with contemporary innovations, we witness astonishing results.
Our approach is holistic in totality, and led by a group of wounded healers who have each gone through our transformative program themselves.
Through the timeless art of storytelling and story listening, combined with well-grounded instruction informing solid, daily practices, warriors encounter a sense of being simultaneously present and vitally alive. Some liken what we do to The Hero's Journey. We simply call this "SAW".
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The SAW staff relies on current research as it applies to healing the mind and also the heart. Staying up to date on current mindfulness practices such as meditation , peer-to-peer support, equine-assisted therapy and depth psychology while reintroducing rituals and healing techniques utilized centuries ago is what sets Save A Warrior apart from any other Integrated Intensive Retreat (IIR) programs.
The Save A Warrior team is comprised of veterans, active-duty military, first-responders, and elite professionals who have eached sat through our program. We understand the challenges of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress and it is our mission to help our warriors overcome the struggles associated with their mental and moral injuries.
In June of 2022, and in partnership with legacy Veteran Service Organization DAV (Disabled American Veterans), we opened the first-ever National Center of Excellence for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress that will allow us to scale our impact in serving our nation's heroes struggling with C-PTS.
Jain, S., Mclean, C., & Rosen, C. S. (2012). Is There a Role for Peer Support Delivered Interventions in the Treatment of Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? Military Medicine, 177(5), 481-483. doi:10.7205/milmed-d-11-00401
Scharff, C., Ph.D. (2017, August 23). The Therapeutic Value of Horses. Retrieved March 15, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/ending-addiction-good/201708/the-therapeutic-value-horses
Nazario, M. R. (n.d.). PTSD and the Military: Depth Psychological Perspectives and Resources. Retrieved March 15, 2019, from https://www.pacificapost.com/ptsd-military-depth-psychological-perspectives-resources
Fabian, R. (n.d.). How Art Therapy Can Heal PTSD - Healthline. Retrieved March 15, 2019, from https://www.healthline.com/health/art-therapy-for-ptsd
Short, A. M. (2015, May 1). Walking In Circles For Your Health: The Calming Effect Of Labyrinths. Retrieved March 15, 2019, from http://reset.me/story/walking-in-circles-for-your-health-the-calming-effect-of-labyrinths/
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Save A Warrior has provided this novel and disruptive experience aimed at the deep wounds associated with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress to nearly 2,000 warriors at no-cost to them since our inception in 2012. Serving both men and women nationwide, our novel program is rapidly increasing our lifesaving impact in communities across the nation.
Upon completion of our program, Save A Warrior alumni are returning home transformed, and it is obvious to those around them; their families, friends, and employers. Our list of applicants continues to grow primarily through word-of-mouth referrals and we are doing our best to meet the growing demand for our work.
Through the generosity of our supporters, our organization operates on a 350-acre property, named the S/Sgt Dick Wood Warrior Village, in Hillsboro, Ohio. On this property, the first National Center of Excellence for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress opened in June 2022 as a result of our supporters that will expand our capacity to serve our veterans/military and first-responders.
It is our aim to serve nearly 1,000 of our nation's heroes in crisis each year, while also offering expanded alumni programming and a virtual academic center that provides access to our materials wherever and whenever our alumni need.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Warrior Meditation Foundation Inc DBA Save A Warrior
Board of directorsas of 03/10/2023
Tim Agajanian
Ropers Majeski
Term: 2012 -
Tim Agajanian
Ropers Majeski Koh & Bentley
Ronald "Jake" Clark
Todd Robinson
Larry Wendling
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/01/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.