LZ-Grace Warriors Retreat Foundation Healing special operations warrior veterans and their families.

P.O. Box 57010, Beach, Virginia 23457 (757) 784-3220 / (757) 453-6428 fax [email protected] www.lz-grace.com What is LZ-Grace? • Special Operations Forces (SOF) Warriors and Tier 1 First Responders (T1FR) come to LZ-Grace to seek rest. Our retreat is designed to provide a confidential and secure environment for these individuals to decompress after war and trauma with support so they can re-enter family and professional life refreshed. • The LZ-Grace Warrior Retreat, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is a 38 acre waterfront farm with a four-bedroom farm-house, an addition that sleeps up to ten individuals, a six-room bunk house with service or companion dog kennel runs attached, a woodworking shop, art room, Team-Room gym, 35 foot climbing wall, 12-station fitness and riding trail around the property (in progress), a children's play yard, kayaking/fishing dock, life-size chess board, fire-pit, meditation garden, vegetable garden, hops yard, horse stables, indoor and outdoor arenas, and an in-ground saltwater pool with outdoor kitchen facilities. • Horses, barn cats, miniature donkeys, guinea hens, and companion dogs live on the property along with the Founder, Director and Volunteer Staff, providing a rich welcome-home environment to those seeking respite.

2 Special operations warrior veterans need LZ-Grace

“Special operations commands have recognized the importance of establishing transition time for members returning from overseas so that there can be a deliberate pause that facilitates a shift in mindset between the two environments. LZ-Grace supports this practice by offering a safe, private environment free from the stressors and distractions of daily home life. Their beautiful, quiet location, and enriching activities provide families with the opportunity to take a needed pause and focus on reestablishing their relationships.”

George Steffian, Ph.D., ABPP CAPT, USN (Ret) Clinical Psychologist

“15 f*****g years at war and my brain’s broken; and my family nearly broke. The Navy might be throwing me away, but my wife and kids are keeping me. Thank God for the right seizure meds, my service dog Storm, and LZ-Grace.” “JM” – E6 , Navy EOD [Storm is a Service Dog trained to alert JM to oncoming seizures]

3 Special operations warrior veterans need LZ-Grace

“16.3 percent of veterans shared prescriptions to “Veteran suicide rates are manage their pain, and 29 significantly higher than percent of veterans the rest of the resorted to alcohol or population” street drugs to treat pain. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) Thirty-five percent of veterans used a combination of both.” (Journal of Pain and Symptom “Lack of access to mental Management) health services contributing to high suicide rates among “Veteran unemployment veterans” rates are significantly (U.S. National Institutes of Health) higher than non-veterans” (National Veterans Foundation)

(Pew Research)

4 Special operations warrior veterans need LZ-Grace

“Returning home from a residential or inpatient medical stay after the battlefield can be an abrupt, jarring experience. Progress and insights made in treatment may not always survive the onslaught of work and home life demands as well as long established patterns of behavior in the home environment. LZ-Grace offers a safe, neutral and nurturing transition environment allowing family’s to reunite with their loved one away from the triggers of old behavior patterns. When combined with the appropriate therapeutic interventions, such an environment can ease the adjustment and allow time for families to both negotiate and establish new, healthier patterns of behavior.” George Steffian, Ph.D., ABPP CAPT, USN (Ret) Clinical Psychologist

“When we come back from these deployments sometimes the feelings of our loved ones are lost or misplaced in our minds during the shuffle between survival and wanting to come home. LZ Grace helps heal the living and provides the proper fodder to our mental state to nurture us back into family life. LZ Grace is a place where we can go to feel safe, decompress, breathe in life and find the misplaced feelings.”

Masa James, BUD/S 183 Bi-Coastal SEAL Teams

5 LZ-Grace history

Steve Bukowski, a 32-year veteran Navy SEAL, had a dream of building a retreat for special operations warrior veterans returning from war. A sanctuary far away from everyday pressures, where warriors would have a chance to heal and reconnect with their families. A place for their silent nurturing. A place to provide important counseling, when needed, to help warriors decompress. A place with career coaching and placement resources to help warriors transition back into civilian life. A place to help warriors see their future after the battlefield.

After retiring from the Navy in 2010, Steve started to build his dream on a small farm in , but six months later he died from a sudden heart attack. Steve’s wife Lynn, however, held on to and continued his dream. In 2014, Lynn realized their dream by opening the LZ-Grace Warriors Retreat on 38 acres in Virginia Beach.

LZ-Grace today makes a huge difference in warrior veterans’ lives by giving them healing, resources, and hope.

6 Scope of operations and services today

Housing for 12 program guests. Healing through equine therapy. Community meals.

A stress-free environment to reconnect with long-missed family members.

Canine therapy and Meditation and counseling garden. companionship.

Kayaking and water activities.

Fitness equipment. Group counseling and discussions by a campfire. Peaceful surroundings to encourage healing.

7 Career, executive, and life coaching • Nick Sullivan, CAPT USN (Ret), provides pro bono career coaching, executive coaching, and life coaching for veterans at LZ-Grace

Identifying passions

Targeting careers Living a balanced life

8 Testimonials

“As a Marine Corps veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan I know and understand the struggle of adjusting back to life at home after returning from a deployment...despite being cleared by military doctors as not having PTSD or TBI, the first few weeks returning from my tour in Afghanistan were stressful…there was nowhere for me to find peace because I was not diagnosed as having an injury. The LZ Grace ranch has the fellowship, serenity, and support to help those mentally exhausted from battle get mentally and emotionally fit again.” Matthew M. Adams Staff Sergeant, USMCR, Iraq 2008, 2009; Afghanistan 2010, 2011

“Not at all sure I would have stayed in, reconnected with my mom, or for that matter, lived, if I had not spent some time at your “home away from home.” A long way from Cali, but I desperately needed the sleep and good food and fishing and picking up a paint brush to canvas again. Head on straight and back at it.” West Coast U.S. Navy SEAL

“LZ-Grace is a little piece of paradise that helps calm the soul and provides a plethora of avenues for each warrior to find peace in their hearts and minds.”

LTJG, VFA-154 Intelligence Officer, CAG-11

9 Community involvement • 12 Eagle Scout projects • 2 Gold Award Girl Scout projects • Bi-Annual Volunteers: • Virginia Beach Fire Department • Virginia Beach Police Department Bomb Squad • Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office • Dominion Virginia Power Volunteers • Local SEAL Team members

10 Making a difference for veterans • 115,000 service hours since 2015

• 1,098 served on-site = 105,408 service hours

• 89 served remotely = 3,026 service hours

• 1,876 family / groups served = 6,576 service hours

11 There is life after the battlefield

12 The way forward • Update main kitchen (~$53 thousand) • Make handicap accessible • Improve stove and vent system • Complete the fitness and horse trail (~$22 thousand) • Install handicap accessible bathroom in equine area (~$27 thousand) • Make swimming pool and picnic area handicap accessible ~$16 thousand) • Large outdoor screen for fireside movies (~$2 thousand) • 20 fold-out tables and 200 chairs for command events ($4 thousand) • Materials for Art Room therapy (~$1 thousand) • Two two-seater kayaks and four safety vests (~$2 thousand) • Four climbing harnesses (~$500) • Wagon for hayrides and working barn (~$2 thousand)

13 Executive team Lynnette Bukowski, Founder and Chief Executive Officer — is an Author, Speaker, Artist, Founder and the Executive Director of the LZ-Grace (Landing Zone Grace) Warriors Retreat Foundation, a place of rest built in memory of and born from her late husband’s dream of providing a place where his SEAL and Special Operations Forces “brothers” from all branches of military can come home from combat and decompress with support so they can reenter family and community life renewed. Master Chief Bukowski served as an active duty SEAL for 32 years. Lynnette and Steve were married for 31 years before his death. They have three children and fifteen foster children, now grown. Lynnette's undergraduate education is in English and psychology from San Diego State University, with graduate studies in law administration and crisis management from Northern Arizona University.

Sheri Lynn Bukowski, Director of Operations and Logistics — is the Chairman of the Board and Director of Operations and Logistics at LZ-Grace, LLC (a for-profit entity owned by the Foundation). She is an Author, Speaker, Artist, and Clinical Mental Health professional. She is the adult daughter of Steve and Lynnette Bukowski. Along with extensive experience in coordinating missions and travelling world-wide, her undergraduate education is in political science from Christopher Newport University, Theology studies at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry and graduate studies in clinical mental health from Regent University.

14 Board of directors

• Larry W. Bailey, CAPT USN (Ret) — Captain Larry Bailey is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State College, and spent almost 27 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL. He obtained his commission from Navy Officer Candidate School in 1962. Since his retirement, he has championed issues of national policy and has chaired Gathering of Eagles since 2007. He is also co-chairman of Special Operations Speaks, an organization that speaks out on defense-related issues, particularly those involving special operations forces. • Masa James — Masa is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, earning distinction and experiencing combat for twelve years, thereafter serving as a Global Security Advisor to local, state, Federal and international governments to ensure timely flow of accurate intelligence and threat identification for the safety of personnel and operations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Florida State University. • Joel P. Lambert — Joel is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, earning distinction as both a combat veteran and Lead Instructor for Basic Underwater Demolition School (BUD/S), and as an actor in both film and television worldwide. • Steve Owen, Esq. — Steve has been in the private practice of law since 2003 focusing on real estate law, collection law, mental commitments, criminal and traffic defense, family law, and consumer protection litigation. Steve served as a magistrate in Virginia Beach for nine years, serves as an arbitrator and Vice Chairman for the Virginia State Bar Committee on the Resolution of Fee Disputes, and sits on the Virginia State Bar Council, which is the governing body of the State Bar, representing the City of Virginia Beach.

• Nick Sullivan, CAPT USN (Ret) — Captain Nick Sullivan retired from the U.S. Navy after 27 years of service in information technology, logistics support and acquisition management, and returned to work as a Navy civilian as Director of Corporate Strategy at SPAWAR Systems Center Atlantic. Nick earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Villanova University, a master’s degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School, and is a graduate of The Executive Program at the Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia. Nick serves LZ-Grace as a Strategist and Executive Coach. • Joshua Xenakis — Joshua is a 15-year member of the Virginia Beach Fire Department, currently serving as a Fire Captain and Nationally Registered-Paramedic with special training in hazardous materials and combat casualty care. He earned an Associate Degree in Emergency Medical Services from Tidewater Community College. He works with numerous U.S. organizations including Jacobs Engineering at the Dougway Proving Grounds Army Facility in Utah, the Norfolk FBI SWAT team, and the Deployment Medicine International and Academy Training Center in North Carolina.

15 Advisory board

• Allen Fabijan — Allen is the Creative Director, Social Media Director, Marketing Consultant, and ON-AIR Personality at Sinclair Communications (WROX-FM, WNOB-FM, WUSH-FM, WNIS AM – WTAR AM – 96.5 ROCKS). • Carl Flanagan, Ph.D., CAPT USN (Ret) SEAL — Carl was a special warfare operator with Top Secret security clearance (1977-2014). Dr. Flanagan currently serves as President of the Tampa Chapter of the UDT-SEAL Association, Senior Advocate and Mentor for a Veterans Treatment Court of the Florida Judiciary (since 2015), and Security Expert for the Mediators Beyond Borders (MBB) Kenya project (since 2015). • Zachary Frayne — Zachary serves as CTO at Pershing Square Capital Management, CFO and Co-Founder of AITEC LLC. He earned a B.A. in Mathematics and Computer Science from CUNY and an M.B.A. from New York University. • William Freed — Bill is an architect and contractor with over 48 years of experience. After completing his education at Boston Architecture College and Texas A&M University, he was employed by HQ Army Air Force Exchange. • Karen Kraft — Karen, a former U.S. Army reserve officer, is an award-winning writer, director, producer, and television executive. She also founded the Hero Media Group, and is Board Chair of Veterans in Media and Entertainment. • Coleen McCauley — Coleen is a Corporal with the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office. She also is a Board member for Beach House Inc., and coordinates civilian and Law Enforcement volunteers for Autism Buddies. • Michael Morlino — Michael is an 18-year-veteran U.S. Navy SEAL, experienced leader, and specialist in small-team collaboration, overseeing complex projects in high-stress environments. • Rebecca Murga — Rebecca, a former U.S. Army captain and Bronze Star recipient, is an award-winning filmmaker, a passionate advocate for veterans and women’s issues, and UCLA’s 2017 Veteran of the Year. • Don Noha — Don is a Master Police Officer with the Virginia Beach Police Department and Bomb Squad, and also works with the Norfolk FBI Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and is a duly appointed Deputy U.S. Marshal. • Michael Ostrolenk — Michael is President of Global Integral Solutions (2001-present) and a leading public policy strategist. Michael serves as Lead Instructor for SEALFIT Unbeatable Mind Academy, and is a licensed psychotherapist. • Christopher Zyda — Chris is CEO of Mozaic, LLC. He is an executive with over 30 years of senior investment and finance experience at several high-profile companies including The Walt Disney Company, Amazon.com, and eBay.

16 LZ-Grace Warriors Retreat Foundation

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