At SEA WAVES, our name isnāt just a catchy acronym, itās the heart of our mission. Each letter represents a critical pillar in our fight to support service members, veterans, and their families struggling with eating disorders.
Itās how weāre tackling a crisis thatās too often overlooked in military mental health and building a future where no one has to face it alone.
S ā Support
At SEA WAVES, support means so much more than handing someone a phone number or a pamphlet. Itās about actively bridging the massive gap between the military community and the highly specialized eating disorder care they need, care thatās incredibly hard to find.
Eating disorder treatment is already scarce and fragmented in civilian life. In the military community, itās even more complicated:
Thatās why we step in. SEA WAVES acts as a connector and advocate, guiding service members, veterans, and families to trusted civilian eating disorder organizations, specialized treatment providers, and peer support networks who get it.
We also help them navigate the financial, logistical, and bureaucratic hurdles that too often stand in the way of getting help. From understanding TRICARE paperwork to identifying sliding scale options or grants, weāre there.
Weāre filling a critical gap in military mental health by making specialized eating disorder care more accessible and less overwhelming.
Because no one should be left to figure it out alone ā not after giving so much in service to our country.
E ā Education
Education is a cornerstone of prevention and early intervention. Thatās why we created our MEDAL program ā Military Eating Disorder Awareness and Literacy.
Itās the only training of its kind specifically tailored for military life, and it serves three crucial audiences:
We donāt just want to make leaders aware ā we want to empower them.
Our MEDAL sessions give command teams practical tools they can use right away: how to spot early warning signs that often masquerade as ādiscipline,ā how to open conversations with compassion, and how to create environments where troops feel safe coming forward.
Because strong leadership isnāt just about mission readiness ā itās about knowing how to care for your people.
Even in civilian sectors, eating disorders are widely misunderstood.
Studies show most healthcare providers receive less than 15 minutes of formal education on eating disorders in their entire training.
That lack of knowledge is magnified in military clinics, where providers may default to treating weight issues purely through the lens of āPT standardsā or BMI charts.
Our MEDAL program equips them to see the bigger picture ā understanding how trauma, deployment stress, and stringent body standards contribute to disordered eating, and why a holistic approach is essential.
We also bring MEDAL to VSOs and community nonprofits. These groups are often on the front lines of post-service support, yet many have never considered eating disorders part of veteran care.
We give them tools, conversation starters, and referral resources so fewer veterans slip through unnoticed.
Because eating disorders thrive in silence ā and early, informed intervention doesnāt just change lives, it saves them.
A ā Awareness
Awareness is about shining a light on whatās been kept in the dark for far too long.
At SEA WAVES, weāre determined to expose the silent epidemic of eating disorders in the military ā to break through stigma, outdated beliefs, and the dangerous normalization of harmful behaviors.
Our founder ā a retired Navy Senior Chief and someone who knows this fight personally ā uses her voice at speaking engagements, conferences, and on podcasts to make sure this issue is no longer ignored.
Because so many simply donāt know what they donāt know.
Eating disorders are serious mental health disorders ā often coping mechanisms for trauma, stress, and identity struggles.
They do not discriminate by gender, age, rank, or body size.
And they are profoundly dangerous at any weight.
In the military, weāve normalized countless disordered behaviors under the guise of ādisciplineā or āstandards.ā
Things like:
These arenāt signs of toughness ā theyāre red flags of distress.
We raise awareness by partnering on national initiatives ā like our coalition work with Face the Fight ā to ensure eating disorders are finally included in suicide prevention conversations.
Through social media campaigns, blogs, interviews, webinars, and sharing lived stories, weāre making it clear:
Eating disorders donāt have a single look.
They donāt come in just one size.
Theyāre complex mental health issues that deserve serious attention and compassionate care.
W ā Wellness
Healing doesnāt happen in a vacuum. Thatās why we host and participate in events that center connection, empowerment, and whole-person wellness.
Because wellness is about more than treatment ā itās about community and connection.
Self-care is not fluff. Itās a frontline defense.
Through The Lighthouse Project, we offer mentorship, peer support, and digital campaigns that encourage service members to care for themselves before they reach crisis.
We create simple, accessible tools that empower people to take those first steps toward healing ā and remind them they deserve to.
Because real prevention happens when we foster communities of care ā and lift each other up.
A ā Advocacy
Awareness alone isnāt enough ā weāre fighting to change the entire system.
Because when institutions finally recognize eating disorders as a readiness, retention, and suicide prevention issue, real change happens.
V ā Validation
Validation is more than being heard ā itās being seen and believed.
Because when we back lived experience with real data, systems can no longer ignore the truth: this is a life-threatening issue in our ranks.
E ā Eating Disorders
At our core, SEA WAVES exists because of eating disorders ā and the military families they impact.
š 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men in the military community struggles with disordered eating.
ā ļø Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any mental illness ā with suicide as the #1 cause of death.
šØ 90% never receive treatment ā and the gap is even wider for military families.
Thatās why weāre the only veteran service organization in the country solely focused on eating disorders.
We fill a gap no one else does ā because the cost of silence is far too high.
S ā Suicide Prevention
Eating disorders are not just about food or weight. Theyāre about pain, identity, trauma ā and too often, they end in tragedy.
Thatās why suicide prevention is our final pillar. We refuse to let this connection go unseen.
Because saving lives requires more than crisis lines. It requires listening earlier, acting sooner, and building cultures where people arenāt afraid to say: āI need help.ā
But we canāt do it without you.
š Visit seawaves.org to learn more, sign up for our newsletter, and explore all the ways you can join us.
Because need a light? Be a light. Together, weāre building a military community where eating disorders are seen, understood, and treated with the compassion they deserve.
Do you have questions or need support? Donāt hesitate to reach out ā our team is here to help and would love to hear from you!