Tess Banko prepares to take a photo with Past National Commander Brett Reistad at the National Commander’s Ball, hosted by Ronald Reagan-Palisades Post 283 at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall in Los Angeles on Jan. 4, 2019. (Photo: David Tenenbaum)
Former Marine and legionnaire Tess Banko was recently featured in a Q&A with military entertainment website We Are the Mighty (WATM) for her outstanding social work. Banko created and manages a partnership program between UCLA and the Veterans Administration to help veterans and their families cope with the stresses of post-traumatic stress and other ailments potentially caused by military service.
Banko, who serves as 3rd vice commander for American Legion Ronald Reagan Palisades Post 283, is the executive director of the UCLA/VA Veteran Family Wellness Center (VFWC).
“But really, I’m a social worker and public administrator,” she told WATM.
Much of the work that Banko and her team do revolves around the resilience of the human brain and the innate ability in humans to bounce back from trauma.
“The science behind the brain fascinates me because people that are in pain sometimes seem to think, ‘I’m damaged forever and I’m never gonna be able to do or be anything. There is no coming back from this,’” Banko said. “I understand where you’re at if it’s crossed your mind — I’ve been there too — but there’s so much possibility. We can’t change what happened but our brain is essentially plastic and able to rewire. The body and mind actively try to repair themselves, and we can support our own process through building resilience. There are a lot of tools for that belt, resilience isn’t just a buzzword.”
The center employs the FOCUS model — or Families Overcoming Under Stress — a holistic model co-created by UCLA and Harvard University currently being used on more than 30 active duty military bases around the world.
“Our center represents the first wider translation of FOCUS from active duty into the veterans community, which are distinctly different populations,” Banko said. “It’s a departure from traditional therapy models.”
Banko said her wellness center is doing things no other program is currently doing with veteran families.
“From a wellness-based resilience perspective this is the first center of its kind, especially paired with the VA which traditionally only sees individual veterans,” Banko said. “They took a huge step to open their doors to couples and families too. When you think about it, though, our families, friends and communities are on the front lines supporting after military service.”
Post military life can be tough and oftentimes agonizing not just for transitioning veterans, but their families.
Banko offered this general piece of advice for those looking to recover from trauma:
“There is no one size fits all to happiness, health and healing. If one thing doesn’t work, move forward. No matter what you face, keep reaching out and moving forward. Families, you are vital to service. You’re heard and seen. You matter.”
You can learn more about the center’s work online at vfwc.ucla.edu. If you’d like to start on your path to resilience training, contact familycenter@nfrc.ucla.edu or 310-478-3711, ext 42793.
Read the entire Q&A with Tess Banko on We Are the Mighty.
Author: Jared Morgan
Jared is the senior editor and web team lead for the Department of California and chair of its Media & Communications Commission. He became a member of the American Legion in 2014 when he joined Palisades Post 283 to find stories about veterans issues for a local newspaper while working as its news editor. He was soon brought in as 283's assistant adjutant and historian to help produce the post's award-winning community newspaper. Since then, Jared has used his media skills to help further the efforts of The American Legion in its advocacy of veterans and their families. Jared has also worked for several years to help revitalize the 100-year-old Santa Monica Post 123, formerly as its adjutant and as a member of its executive board, before transferring back to Post 283.