Former Naval Flight Officer and Naval Physician Dr. Alta DeRoo and Vietnam War infrantryman Dr. Don Elverd from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation join Hoover Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster to discuss substance use disorder, ways to prevent and treat addiction, and its implications for national security. As experts in treating substance use disorders and supporting service members through recovery, Drs. DeRoo and Elverd share insights on the addiction crisis affecting Americans, mental healthcare and addiction treatment for veterans, and how communities can support individuals undergoing substance use disorder treatment. They emphasize a focus on resilience, growth, and emerging stronger from overcoming a substance use disorder.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Dr. Alta DeRoo is medical director of the Betty Ford Center's three California facilities. She served 24 years in the US Navy as a Naval Flight Officer and Naval Physician and was among the first cohort of women to fly in combat. Dr. DeRoo is board-certified in OB-GYN and addiction medicine and is a leading expert on maternal and fetal health implications of substance use disorder treatment. She currently serves on the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s board.

Dr. Don Elverd served as an Army combat infantryman in the Vietnam War, where he received three purple hearts, a bronze star of valor, and the combat infantry badge. He then earned his doctorate in clinical psychology. Dr. Elverd is an expert on multicultural approaches to healing and speaks on healing and recovery from psychological trauma. Dr. Elverd’s clinical focus is supporting active duty and veteran service members. He has worked with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation for thirty-three years.

H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He was the 25th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.

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