A Recovery Resource for Idaho Veterans Living with TBI and PTSD

Sometimes the most valuable information shared within The Veterans Club comes directly from one veteran telling another veteran, “You should know this exists.”

That recently happened when Veterans Club member Brian Putney contacted us before leaving North Idaho for a month-long program in Boise. Brian was selected to participate in Mission43’s Operation Resilient Path, where he expects to complete 40 hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions through Summit Hyperbarics & Wellness while staying at the Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse.

Brian shared the information with us for a simple reason: if this experience can help him, he wants other veterans to know the opportunity is available.

That makes Operation Resilient Path worth putting on the radar of veterans, first responders, family members, and anyone helping someone search for additional options related to traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, or substance use challenges.

What Is Operation Resilient Path?

Operation Resilient Path is a Mission43 program designed to help veterans and first responders dealing with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Substance Use Disorder (SUD).

Rather than offering a single treatment, the program works to connect participants with organizations and treatment programs appropriate to their individual circumstances. Mission43 describes the process as confidential and says its team works with participants to identify their needs and connect them with available resources.

Perhaps one of the most important details for veterans considering the program is cost. According to Mission43, treatment programs accessed through Operation Resilient Path are provided at no cost to participants.

The program is also intended to help veterans navigate a process that can sometimes feel overwhelming. A veteran doesn’t necessarily need to know which treatment provider to contact or which program is right before reaching out. The Operation Resilient Path team can help identify possible resources and make those connections.

Brian’s Path Leads to Summit Hyperbarics & Wellness

For Brian, that connection led to Summit Hyperbarics & Wellness in Boise.

Summit provides Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, commonly called HBOT, along with behavioral health services. During HBOT, a person breathes oxygen inside a pressurized environment. Summit specializes in working with veterans, active-duty military personnel, first responders, and their families, including people experiencing challenges associated with traumatic brain injuries, post-concussive syndrome, and PTSD.

Brian will be in Boise from September 5 through October 6, 2026, with plans to complete 40 hyperbaric dives during that period.

Summit is also involved in research examining hyperbaric treatment and behavioral therapies. That research component is important because treatments involving HBOT for conditions such as TBI and PTSD continue to be studied. Veterans considering any treatment should discuss their individual circumstances, potential benefits, limitations, and risks with qualified healthcare professionals rather than assuming another veteran’s experience will necessarily predict their own.

Brian understands that as well. He isn’t going to Boise claiming that he already knows what the outcome will be. He is going because he has an opportunity to participate, commit himself to the process, and see what happens.

As he put it, he’s interested to see “what kind of difference 40 dives and a month focused on recovery makes.”

More Than a Treatment Appointment

Another interesting part of Brian’s experience is where he’ll spend that month.

Summit Hyperbarics & Wellness is located on the Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse campus in Boise, a facility that serves Mission43 veterans and spouses as well as athletes associated with the Challenged Athletes Foundation–Idaho.

The Fieldhouse is designed around much more than sitting in a waiting room for a medical appointment. The campus provides opportunities for training, physical activity, recreation, recovery, and interaction with other people working toward their own goals.

For someone spending an extended period focused on recovery, that environment may be an important part of the experience. Brian isn’t simply traveling to Boise for individual appointments and immediately returning home. He will have a month in an environment where recovery and personal improvement become part of his daily routine.

Why We’re Sharing Brian’s Story

The Veterans Club is not a medical organization, and we don’t recommend one treatment over another. Our role is different.

We help veterans and first responders connect with one another, and sometimes connection means making sure useful information travels from one person to the next.

There may be a veteran sitting at a Patriot Pour who has struggled with the lingering effects of a traumatic brain injury for years. Someone else may have tried several approaches for PTSD and still be searching for additional options. Another veteran may have a spouse, friend, or former service buddy who needs help but doesn’t know where to begin.

They should know Operation Resilient Path exists.

Mission43 says veterans and first responders struggling with TBI, PTSD, or substance use disorder can contact the Operation Resilient Path team confidentially. If its programs aren’t appropriate for a particular individual, Mission43 says the team may still be able to help connect that person with other resources.

There is no promise that one program will change someone’s life. There is, however, value in knowing another door exists.

We Hope Brian Will Tell Us What He Learns

Brian’s willingness to share his experience gives us another opportunity.

Right now, we can tell veterans what the program is. When Brian returns to North Idaho, we hope to sit down with him and talk about what the experience was actually like.

What was a hyperbaric dive like? What did a typical day look like? How difficult was the month-long commitment? What surprised him? Did he notice changes along the way? What would he tell another veteran considering applying?

Those answers may ultimately be even more useful than a description of the program itself.

For now, Brian is doing something we encourage throughout The Veterans Club: one veteran sharing information that might someday help another.

If you or someone you know is dealing with TBI, PTSD, or substance use challenges, Operation Resilient Path may be a resource worth exploring.

Learn More

Mission43 – Operation Resilient Path
Confidential assistance connecting veterans and first responders with resources for TBI, PTSD, and substance use disorder. Mission43 states that treatment programs provided through Operation Resilient Path are available at no cost to participants.  (https://mission43.org/operation-resilient-path)

Summit Hyperbarics & Wellness
Located in Boise on the Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse campus, Summit provides Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, behavioral health services, and conducts research related to its treatment approaches.  (https://www.shwidaho.org/)

Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse
A Boise training and gathering facility serving Mission43 veterans and spouses and Challenged Athletes Foundation–Idaho participants.  (https://www.idahofieldhouse.org/)

Connect with Brian Putney

Brian Putney is the primary contributor to North Idaho Insider, where he shares information, stories, events, and resources from throughout the North Idaho community. Veterans interested in following Brian’s work—and learning more about his experiences—can connect with him through North Idaho Insider.

Visit North Idaho Insider: northidahoinsider.life

The Veterans Club shares resources such as these so veterans and first responders know what opportunities are available. Information in this article is educational and should not be considered medical advice. Treatment decisions should be made in consultation with qualified healthcare professionals.