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Live Webinar

Silent Wounds: Eating Disorders in the Military and Veteran Communities

Leah Stiles
Grace Melrose RDN, CEDS
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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Recognize the unique sociocultural and systemic risk factors that contribute to eating disorders in military and veteran populations.

  • Explain how military culture—including weight standards, fitness testing, and stigma—impacts the development and concealment of disordered eating behaviors.

  • Assess the role of trauma, identity, and transition stress in the development or exacerbation of eating disorders in these populations.

  • Discuss the intersection of eating disorders with suicidality and comorbid mental health conditions in military populations.

  • Evaluate current gaps in eating disorder screening, diagnosis, and referral pathways within military and VA healthcare settings.

  • Describe how to collaborate with veteran service organizations and military-specific resources to create a multidisciplinary support network for clients.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is to increase understanding of the intersection of military culture and disordered eating.

Description

Eating disorders remain an overlooked and under-identified crisis within military and veteran populations—often hidden behind cultural stigma, medical misunderstanding, and systemic barriers to care. This training explores the intersection of military culture and disordered eating, focusing on the unique pressures faced by service members, veterans, and their families. Participants will learn how to better identify, understand, and support this underserved population through trauma-informed, culturally aware, and evidence-based approaches.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Dietitian
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Leah Stiles
Leah Stiles is a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief and the founder of SEA WAVES, the only veteran service organization focused solely on eating disorders in the military. With over 20 years of leadership and advocacy experience, she has transformed lived experience into national impact—creating training programs, building partnerships, and advancing mental health equity. Leah is now pursuing a Master’s in Nonprofit Management at UCF to strengthen her organization’s sustainability and expand its reach.
Grace Melrose RDN, CEDS
Grace Melrose, RDN, CEDS, is a seasoned nutrition leader with over 15 years of diverse clinical and leadership experience in eating disorder treatment, medical nutrition therapy, and wellness programming. As Director of Nutrition Services for Monte Nido in Arizona, she oversees multidisciplinary teams across all levels of care, develops innovative programs for complex conditions like binge eating disorder and diabetes, and leads a nationally recognized dietetic internship program. Her previous roles include outpatient dietitian at the Mayo Clinic, nutrition certification developer for Fit Body Boot Camp, and telehealth coach for Centene. A retired U.S. Air Force Reserve Dietitian and former Army National Guard member, Grace has held numerous leadership positions in military and civilian settings. She is a nationally recognized presenter and mentor, committed to person-centered, evidence-based care and professional development in the field of nutrition. Grace holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Science and Dietetics and is a Registered Dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Monte Nido