In 2021, Brickel sought help after dealing with depression and anxiety. He shared, "My problems didn't just start in 2021. You know, things from my childhood that I never addressed and then I'm also a survivor of military sexual trauma and never dealt with that either. So the problems started long before that."
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Adam Brickel, a veteran who served in the Air Force for 12 years, has transformed his personal battles into a mission to support fellow veterans through Impact Montana. This organization aids military members, veterans, first responders, and their families.
In 2021, Brickel sought help after dealing with depression and anxiety. He shared, “My problems didn't just start in 2021. You know, things from my childhood that I never addressed and then I'm also a survivor of military sexual trauma and never dealt with that either. So the problems started long before that."
For years, Brickel kept his struggles private, fearing the stigma attached to seeking help in the military. He expressed, “Because you're under mental health treatment or you're on medication, you are useless to the squadron, you're useless to the group, you're useless on the flight, you're just there. And now someone has to pick up your slack in the field.”
In 2021, at a breaking point, Brickel sought help at Malmstrom Air Force Base Clinic. He recalled a discouraging response: “I remember I was sitting in one of the doctor's offices at the Malmstrom Air Force Base Clinic, and the doctor looked at me and basically said, ‘You have two choices. You can choose to pursue the service dog path and the things with your mental health, or you won't, but you can keep your career.’ Just the callousness of that caught me off guard.”
At his lowest, Brickel faced a critical decision. He said, "I was not in a very good spot in my life and at that point I had already attempted suicide twice and was planning a third one.” Deciding to seek help, he found Impact Montana.
Initially hesitant, Brickel decided to give the organization a try. "I was at the end of the rope and figured, you know, screw it, I might as well try it. If it doesn't work for me, I've got my own solution," he said.
This choice marked a turning point for him. “I started the ketamine infusion and after about three or four treatments into the full round of treatment, it's like the darkness started to lighten up a little bit, just a little bit," he shared.
Impact Montana plays a vital role in addressing veteran suicide in the state. Brickel stated, "We are also top three in veteran suicides. So having services like this—I get emotional talking about it because we should not be top three in the nation for something like that. It shouldn't be a thing at all. But that's not the world we live in, so we do what we can from our end in order to provide the services we can so that that number doesn't continue to grow."
Now working with Impact Montana as a civilian, Brickel helps other veterans in similar situations. He said, "Nobody wants to relive what they saw overseas. Nobody wants to relive what, you know, their commander did to them behind closed doors because they wanted a promotion. Nobody wants to relive that crap. But in order to get to a point in life where it's no longer defining you, you have to go through to get out."
He understands the importance of the support provided by Impact Montana. Brickel emphasized, "Once I started the process of getting out [of the military in 2024], it's like I didn't exist anymore. But then I found Impact Montana. I found people that gave a damn and they prove it not just by saying it, but by doing what they say they're going to do."
For Brickel, the future is now a place of hope. He shared, "I found and reread my suicide note that I wrote. I don't know why I kept it, but I went back and read through it... And I thought to myself, if I had actually gone through with that, what then? People aren't going to think of me as I was. They're going to think of how I left."
Instead of being defined by his past, Brickel is now using it to help others. "I still struggle every day, but, you know, I find every little opportunity I can to be reminded that staying here is worth it. The work to the work to adapt to a new way of life is worth it. So don't deprive yourself of the chance to see that it's worth it," he said.
Impact Montana continues to change and save lives.
Brickel says Impact Montana isn't the only organization that supported him through his struggles, Dog Tag Buddies also was there.
Brickel emphasized the organization's unique approach, noting that they accepted Freyia, a German wirehaired pudelpointer mix, despite the breed's uncommon use in service dog work. "Deedee and her team allowed me to enter into the program while I was still active duty," Brickel said.
He spent two years in training with DTB, working with dedicated dog trainers who volunteered outside of their own work. "Freyia and I were an exceptionally unique challenge because of her breed and my life situations," he said.
However, the team at DTB never gave up on them. In August 2023, Freyia earned the title of "PTSD Service Dog" after thousands of hours of training and mentoring. Brickel continues to attend classes and participate in the DTB community.
"The biggest piece of why I make such an effort to be a part of the community still is the selfless work I see every week from the trainers," he stated.
Brickel highlighted the organization's impact on veterans across the state. "So many veterans struggle to find the support they need in their own communities," he said.
DTB aims to provide that support, helping veterans regain control of their lives through their work with handlers and service dogs. Brickel expressed his gratitude for the support he has received, saying, "With my DTB dog and the support of the team behind me, there isn’t a single austere situation in years that I haven’t faced head-on."
