Watch Royal Marine Veteran and BASE jumper Tim Howell discuss why he’s BASE jumping 22 times in a single day to raise awareness of Veterans’ suicide and funds for mental healthcare:

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Learn More About 22 Jumps

Learn More About 22 Jumps

The “invisible wounds of war” are not so invisible: The high rates of suicide and other maladies gripping our nation’s military families are right in front of us.

As people experience brain trauma differently, the field has been stymied by a one-size-fits-all approach and lack of objective tools and treatments to effectively diagnose and manage TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). TBI and PTSD are risk factors of suicide. Learn about how organizations are collaborating and advocating to bring new solutions to Veterans and others who have sustained brain trauma.

In September 2021, Tristan Wimmer, Marine Veteran and Scount Sniper, Founder of 22 Jumps moderated a discussion with the 22 Jumps participants and veterans, including:

  • Marcus Ellison – USAF, 8 years, Bridge Day organizer
  • Eric Johnson – USA, Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, 21 years, Lt. Col (retired), USA trauma surgeon. Currently: Colorectal surgeon in Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Professor of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
  • Dustin “Dusty” Gebhardt – USA, 11 years, still active, Afghanistan veteran as Pathfinder, Current Golden Knight
  • Pepe Campos – USMC, Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, Infantryman, Prior Dept of State high-threat security contractor
  • Michael Murphy – USMC, 11 years, still active, Current MARSOC Raider
  • Brent Lake – USA, 8 years, Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, 2nd Battalion 75th Regiment (special operations)
  • Chantelle Ferland-Beckham, PhD – Director, Policy and Advocacy, Cohen Veterans Bioscience

Conversation with BASE Jumpers

Participants and Veterans include: Marcus Ellison, Eric Johnson, Dustin "Dusty" Gebhardt, Pepe Campos, Michael Murphy, Brent Lake.

Moderated by Tristan Wimmer.

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In May 2022, John Greenway, President of Mission2Alpha, moderated a discussion with the recent 22 Jumps participants and veterans, including:

  • Tristan Wimmer, Marine Veteran and Scout Sniper, Founder of 22 Jumps
  • Nick Cliche, US Air Force
  • Andrew Katz, US Army
  • Mark Zervas, PhD, Deputy Director, Translational Research & Development, Cohen Veterans Bioscience
  • Mahmoud Ghannoum, PhD
  • Eric Johnson, MD

Conversation with BASE Jumpers and Speakers of 22 Jumps Idaho

Participants and Veterans include: Tristan Wimmer, Nick Cliche, Andrew Katz, Mark Zervas, Mahmoud Ghannoum, Eric Johnson.

Moderated by John Greenway.

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More About 22 Jumps

Our country’s heroes are increasingly taking their own lives as a result of the invisible wounds of war. Tristan Wimmer—a Marine Veteran Infantryman and Scout Sniper—has made it his mission to bring awareness to the epidemic of suicide among Veterans. Tristan’s own brother, a Raider and Recon Marine Veteran, struggled with TBI-related depression and anxiety for nearly a decade before he ultimately succumbed to suicide.

Through 22 Jumps, a series of fundraising events where Veterans and others BASE jump 22 times in a single day, Tristan brings new hope to this epidemic by partnering with our organization to raise money for research and new effective solutions for all patients living with the effects of TBI.

Traumatic Brain Injury Can Be an Underlying Cause of Suicide

TBI is caused by a blow or jolt to the head or penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal functioning of the brain. TBIs can range from mild, with a brief change in mental status or consciousness (commonly called concussions), to severe, with an extended period of unconsciousness or memory loss. TBIs are a risk factor for suicide. Currently, there are few available treatments for severe brain injuries.

By the Numbers

0

There are few FDA-approved treatments for TBI.
By the Numbers

There are few FDA-approved treatments for TBI.

According to the FDA website: The FDA has not cleared or approved any medical products that are intended to diagnose or treat TBI alone without other diagnostic tests or treatments managed by a health care provider.
Learn More about TBI
By the Numbers

4x

Four times as many Veterans of the post 9/11 wars have died by suicide than have died in combat.1
By the Numbers

Four times as many Veterans of the post 9/11 wars have died by suicide than have died in combat.

For a population that has given more than we could return, we owe it to them to get treatment in the hands of those who need it.
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By the Numbers

380k+

More than 380,000 service members experienced a TBI from 2000 to 2018.
By the Numbers

More than 380,000 service members experienced a TBI from 2000 to 2018.

See How we're changing that

Why Cohen Veterans Bioscience (CVB)?

Tristan has chosen to support CVB because of the organization’s mission to spearhead a cutting-edge research program that advances TBI research. He values the organization’s innovative approach towards gaining a better understanding of the causes of TBI, discovering new biomarkers that will lead to better diagnoses and identifying new targets for treatment. CVB is also supporting advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the lives of people suffering from TBI.

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Watch Tristan Wimmer & Frank Larkin Discuss 22 Jumps

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More From 22 Jumps

How To Get Involved and Make a Difference

Please join the 22 Jumps campaign – as a spectator, sponsor or supporter – for suicide prevention awareness and CVB’s brain trauma research.

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Learn More About 22 Jumps

Learn More About 22 Jumps

Learn More About 22 Jumps