Last week, state Rep. Wyatt Gable from Jacksonville announced that $1.5 million has been allocated in the newly approved state budget for the nonprofit group HBOT4Heroes. This organization offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
HBOT enhances oxygen delivery to the body by supplying pure oxygen within a confined space at elevated atmospheric pressure.
American Family News spoke to Dr. (Ph.D.) Robert Beckman, co-founder and executive director of TreatNOW.org, another organization that has successfully implemented HBOT in more than 33,000 instances for treating PTSD, TBIs and concussions since 2011.
He says there are more than 31,000 veterans in North Carolina suffering from TBI and/or PTSD, with 256 suicides occurring annually and 2,380 individuals dealing with opioid use disorder. “The new appropriation from the North Carolina legislature supplements the funds that were previously allocated on July 26, 2019, following House Bill 50 and Senate Bill 149,” Beckman said.
North Carolina is among 14 states that have enacted similar laws, with the overall funding across the nation amounting to more than $34.5 million. There are 100 Veterans on a waiting list in NC. “Over 60 Marines from the Wounded Warrior Battalion East at Camp Lejeune have already benefitted from HBOT healing due to state and foundation funding,” Beckman shares.
For the past two decades, he says that more than 180 clinics within the TreatNOW Coalition have been effectively caring for veterans using protocols that have been demonstrated to be both safe and effective in 31 peer-reviewed clinical studies.
Service members frequently face explosive blasts and other high-impact incidents, leading to a concerning prevalence of TBIs, he explains, adding, “We’re successfully treating and healing these injuries, not just masking their adverse symptoms.”
Beckman states that data from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) indicates that from 2001 to 2025, there have been 556,502 veterans who have either been diagnosed with or have screened positive for a TBI. He contends, “This number likely underestimates the true figure, as it only includes veterans who received care through the VA and does not take into account cases misdiagnosed as PTSD or those that went undiagnosed.”
Eric W. Koleda and Beckman co-authored the book The National Brain-Wounded Veteran Brain Drain: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Changing the DoD and VA Standard of Care for TBI and Suicide Prevention, estimating the overall total to be more than 875,000 in 2021.
“For many,” he laments, “suicide becomes a means to escape the mental or physical suffering linked to their brain injuries.” Since the events of 9/11, he says there have been 163,000 suicides among veterans.
Numbers show the need
The alarming statistics and the pressing need for effective treatment underscore the importance of initiatives like those championed by Rep. Gable and organizations such as HBOT4Heroes and TreatNOW.org.
“As more funding becomes available for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, there is hope that the lives of countless veterans suffering from TBIs and PTSD can be transformed,” Beckman shares.
“With ongoing support from state legislatures and a commitment to this therapy, we can pave the way for healing and recovery, ensuring that those who have served our country receive the care they truly deserve.”
For him, the fight against veteran suicide and the impact of invisible wounds must remain a priority, as every life lost is a constant reminder of the urgent need for action.
