The Power of Peer Support for Veterans
by Leslie Parsons
In 2022, Merging Vets and Players released the movie MVP. MVP tells the story of an Army veteran and a recently retired professional football player who both find it difficult to transition back to “civilian” life once their careers have ended. After a chance meeting, the two begin to form a tight bond as they realize that though their backgrounds and circumstances are vastly different, they share the same lack of purpose and desire to build a new “team.” This bond—and the strength it gives to both men as they work through their individual struggles—is the heart and soul of the movie. Through its compelling characters and engaging plot, MVP highlights a very important aspect of the military transition experience, namely the power of peer support.
MVP’s writer and director, Nate Boyer, has first-hand experience with just how impactful peer support can be. Boyer, who also starred in the film, is a former Green Beret and member of the Seattle Seahawks. He has a unique perspective on the struggles of transition since he has gone through it twice. His first transition occurred when he left the Army and he went through it again when he retired from professional football. He recognized the similarities between the two experiences and how important peer support was to him in both situations.
Boyer and TV sports personality, Jay Glazer, founded Merging Vets and Players (MVP) in 2015. They wanted to address the challenges that veterans and former professional athletes face once the uniform comes off. The program is built on a foundation of peer support which has many benefits for mental health. Once a week, members gather at local chapters or online to work out together and to participate in group discussions designed to help them find a renewed sense of purpose and to cope with the struggles of everyday life.
According to an article from Military Medicine on veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, peer support programs are important for the veteran’s journey to recovery. Knowing that there are others who are going through similar experiences and emotions can help bring transitioning veterans out of isolation and help them understand that the recovery process is normal and can alleviate fears about being seen as weak.
The True North Foundation is proud to work in partnership with MVP. You can learn more about MVP (the organization), here and here. MVP (the movie) is available on several streaming services including Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus, and the Roku channel.