PsychArmor’s “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know” continues to shape Veteran-centered care and connection a decade since launching
CARLSBAD, CA, UNITED STATES, January 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — PsychArmor is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know,” its flagship course that has helped more than 350,000 learners across the country better understand Veterans and the military-connected community.
Since its launch, “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know” has equipped mental health professionals, healthcare providers, employers, teachers, caregivers, military family members, and community members with practical, accessible insights that foster connection, trust, and culturally informed support. For many learners, the course serves as their first introduction to military and Veteran cultural competency and a catalyst for more meaningful engagement.
“Cultural competence is not optional; it’s foundational,” said Tina Atherall, CEO of PsychArmor. “When people understand even just a piece of the Veteran experience, they can communicate differently, lead differently, and care differently. “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know” has proven for a decade that small shifts in understanding can create measurable, life-changing impact.”
As much as people want to support Veterans, they don’t always know how. That gap is what inspired PsychArmor to create “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know,” a push led by Chief Clinical Officer Heidi Kraft, a psychologist and Navy combat Veteran. PsychArmor asked Veterans across the country a question: “What’s the one thing you want civilians to know about you?” Their answers provided the content for this course, designed to meet people where they are while delivering insights that resonate across professions and communities.
It offers 15 insights into what Veterans said matter most, including things like: that not everyone in uniform is a soldier, that asking for help is incredibly hard, that invisible wounds don’t make someone dangerous, and that their families serve alongside them. The course received an update in 2024.
“The reason ’15 Things Veterans Want You to Know’ really worked is that it’s simple enough and it resonates with everybody,” said Marjorie Morrison, founder of PsychArmor. “Every American should know the 15 Things. You never know when the person you’re interacting with is a Veteran.”
In response to the course, learners highlighted the new perspectives they gained and the insights they can use going forward. One learner said, “There were a few of these things I knew, but a lot I didn’t…This video has been instrumental in helping me give compassionate support to my clients who are Veterans!” Another learner said, “I knew I would learn some things. Turned out to be 3x of what I expected. Well done!”
Organizations across diverse sectors, from community-based suicide prevention to national healthcare systems, have been utilizing “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know” to bring cultural awareness training to their teams. To mark this milestone, partners are sharing the ways they bring this course to life every day in their work.
One such partner is The Fire Watch, Florida’s leading community-based Veteran suicide prevention initiative. With more than 10,000 trained Watch Standers statewide, cultural competency is foundational to their model—and many begin with “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know.”
“PsychArmor is one of the world’s leading military and Veteran cultural affinity training platforms,” said Nick Howland, Executive Director of The Fire Watch. “That relationship has been instrumental from day one.”
At Humana, “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know” has become a foundational tool. According to Tonya Schram, National Sales Executive at Humana, the training has helped teams better understand the lived experiences, values, and perspectives of Veterans, equipping associates, clinicians, and customer service staff with the confidence and empathy needed to build trust, foster meaningful conversations, and deliver more personalized, respectful care.
“With [15 Things Veterans Want You To Know], we’ve really seen meaningful changes within our teams, our clinicians, our center staff members,” Schram said. “Everybody is more confident in their interactions with a Veteran. Another huge aspect of this is that we continue to see that trust is established more quickly, and our Veterans feel genuinely seen and heard because people understand them better.”
Summit Behavioral Healthcare (BHC), a national organization that operates 39 behavioral health facilities in 20 states, recently became the first behavioral healthcare organization to earn PsychArmor’s Veteran Ready Organization status across its entire network of substance use disorder facilities. Summit BHC’s Tactical Recovery Program®, which incorporates PsychArmor’s training, has also earned national recognition, including the Best Health and Wellness Program award at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 23rd Annual Citizens Awards.
“We remain committed to culturally competent, quality treatment,” said David T. Vandewater, President and CEO of Summit BHC. “Our partnership with PsychArmor helps us establish cultural competence as we drive to what we consider the gold standard of care.”
To celebrate the 10th anniversary, PsychArmor is not only honoring the legacy of its most widely adopted course, but also reinforcing a central truth: cultural competency is not a one-time lesson—it is an ongoing commitment that strengthens communities, improves outcomes, and saves lives.
To learn more about “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know,” visit psycharmor.org.
About PsychArmor
PsychArmor is a national nonprofit that transforms the way our nation engages with the military and Veteran community through the power of education and training, increasing cultural awareness to improve health, social, and financial outcomes.
All references to “Summit Behavioral Healthcare” or “Summit BHC” in this release refer to Summit Behavioral Healthcare, LLC and its affiliates.
“15 Things Veterans Want You To Know” is currently sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
Claire Logue
Psycharmor
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