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The Surrender Project: Ministry Combats PTSD

THE SURRENDER MOVIE
In addition to being an active duty officer in the Air Force special operations, Damon serves as Executive Producer for “Surrender”, a faith-based film that follows true-life stories of six elite combat warriors representing four branches of the US Special Operations Command. The docudrama highlights these challenges and shares messages of hope and purpose to those who are suffering with post-traumatic stress and brings awareness to the suicide epidemic among veterans. Every 65 minutes a warrior commits suicide. “They believe that life no longer has meaning,” shares Damon. The film, an outreach of SOF Missions, gives viewers a glimpse of the powerful events that enable the story’s heroes to find strength and a path away from personal destruction to the One who heals both heart and soul. The backgrounds, branches of service, and personal experiences of each hero are vastly different, yet their personal pain is common to many—even to some outside of the service. The film reveals how God led each person to the point of fully surrendering to Him. To purchase the DVD go www.sofmissions.com/shop. In 2017, the DVD will be available on Amazon and iTunes.

THE SURRENDER PROJECT
The Surrender Project is a holistic approach to taking care of the entire warrior psychologically, physically, and spiritually. The program was created to help combat post-traumatic stress and to provide hope to warriors that are self-destructing. “When we heal the warrior, we heal the family and when we heal the family, we strengthen our nation,” share Damon.

  • Psychological – This phase of the program addresses post-traumatic stress by sending these warriors to camps to deal with their life dominating issues with other gunslingers.
  • Physical – In the second phase these warriors are sent to EXOS, the leader in integrated performance training, nutrition and physical therapy, to rehab combat injuries at world-class facilities often used by NFL teams.
  • Spiritual – The final phase, and often the most neglected, is the most important. Warriors are provided materials that will help them endure during dark times and offer them hope, purpose and strength.

DAMON’S STORY
Damon is a decorated combat veteran in the United States Air Force. He originally received his commission in 2000 as a United States Marine Corps Officer and later transferred into the Air Force Special Operations Forces as a Special Tactics Officer. He has served four combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism. His personal decorations include three Bronze Stars (one with valor), as well as the Air Force Combat Action Medal.

In April 2010, Damon, under the direct leadership of General Stanley McChrystal, deployed as the lead Joint Terminal Attack Controller to the Korengal Valley (Valley of Death), Afghanistan. He was tasked with defending US forces during the closure of the Korengal Combat Outpost. While under direct and indirect hostile fire, Damon engaged multiple Taliban fighters with close air support, which resulted in killing and wounding over 40 enemy combatants.

While under attack, Damon began to talk to God. He knew if there were not divine intervention he and the others would not all survive. So, he made a deal with God, “Lord I need your help. If You get me and my men out safe I will serve and worship You.” God revealed to Damon that He had made him for His purpose. Up until that point, Damon had been seeking glory for himself. Damon surrendered his life to Jesus that day, and all of his men made it out safely. Over the next eighteen months, God healed Damon, restored his marriage, and transformed his life. Today Damon says, “The only thing in this world that matters is Jesus.”

In 2011 Damon and his wife, Dayna, established SOF Missions, a faith-based humanitarian missions organization that has served an estimated 16,000 people through construction, medical clinics, disaster relief, schools and orphanages, as well as through food and supply distribution.

Mentioned in the Video

Guest Info

Credits

Founder/CEO, Shield Of Faith (SOF) Missions

Active Duty Special Tactics Officer with the Air Force

Iraq & Afghan veteran

Former Marine

Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Social Justice

Doctorate of Intercultural Studies (candidate) at Fuller Theological Seminary

Married to Dayna

Two children

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