Travis Mills Foundation Recalibration Program Tied to Veteran, Couple Gains

RESILIENCE Study results show improved veteran wellbeing, post-traumatic growth, and couple relationship satisfaction after a family-inclusive retreat program.

NARRAGANSETT, RI, UNITED STATES, November 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Seriously injured post-9/11 veterans reported more energy, better emotional wellbeing, and more post-traumatic growth within a week of the Travis Mills Foundation recalibration retreat, and their spouses and partners reported higher relationship satisfaction, according to interim results of the RESILIENCE Study presented at the 11th Annual San Antonio Combat PTSD Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

The presentation, “Recalibration and Reconnection: Immediate and Durable Improvements in Veteran Wellbeing and Couple Relationship Satisfaction Following a Family-Inclusive Retreat Program,” was given by Peter Hurwitz, President of Clarity Science, LLC. The Principal Investigators of the Study are Benjamin “Kyle” Potter, MD, FACS, Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and past chair of orthopaedic surgery at Walter Reed; Kathryn M. Magruder, MPH, PhD, Professor Emerita at the Medical University of South Carolina; and Michael R. Clark, MD, MPH, MBA, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Families of seriously injured veterans carry lasting physical, psychological, and relationship strain. Previous research has found that 66% of seriously injured post-9/11 veterans report post-traumatic stress, and three in four report family strain after leaving the military. The Travis Mills Foundation, based in Rome, Maine, hosts retreats for post-9/11 veterans with disabilities that include their spouses and partners.

“Veterans with serious injuries and their families carry strain that is rarely measured alongside the care they receive,” said Peter Hurwitz, President of Clarity Science, LLC. “In these interim data, veterans reported more energy and emotional wellbeing, and their spouses reported greater relationship satisfaction, both immediately after the retreat and at longer-term follow-up. We see these as encouraging signals, and we look forward to sharing more data in the coming months on comparison group subjects.”

Key Interim Findings
● Veterans: energy and fatigue scores improved with a large effect size (d=0.91; 84% of veterans improved), emotional wellbeing improved (d=0.67), overall health-survey scores improved (d=0.56; 77% improved), and post-traumatic growth rose (d=0.45).
● Spouses and partners: relationship satisfaction improved at one week (d=0.71; 83% improved), and 73% had improved scores at the longest follow-up (p=0.001). Relationship distress fell from 34% to 22%.
● Couples moved together: changes in the veteran's and the partner's satisfaction were positively correlated (r=0.28), suggesting a shared benefit of attending as a couple.
● Most gains persisted at the longest follow-up, with relationship satisfaction the most consistent effect over time.

“Families are at the heart of everything we do at the Travis Mills Foundation, and a retreat is a chance for veterans and their spouses to step away, reconnect, and recalibrate together. We are grateful to the veterans and families who took part in this research, and we are encouraged that their experiences are showing up in the data,” said Craig Buck, Executive Director of the Travis Mills Foundation.

About the Study
RESILIENCE is an observational, prospective survey study being conducted under Institutional Review Board oversight. The interim analysis included 45 veterans and 42 spouses/partners and evaluated outcomes from validated instruments including the RAND 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, and the Couples Satisfaction Index.

For more information visit www.travismillsfoundation.org.

Acknowledgment
The authors thank the Travis Mills Foundation and the veterans and families who took part in the study.

About Clarity Science, LLC
Clarity Science LLC is a contract research organization (CRO) headquartered in Narragansett, Rhode Island. It designs and manages clinical and observational studies of drug and non-drug health technologies and other programs with academic and clinical partners. Its studies run under independent IRB oversight, and its findings have appeared in peer-reviewed journals. Learn more at www.claritysciences.org.

Media Contact

Peter Hurwitz
Clarity Science LLC
peterh@claritysciences.org