By MAJ (RET) Montgomery J. Granger (Health Services Administration) – Grok assisted
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the urgent need for AI innovation to tackle the veteran suicide crisis—17 of us lost daily, a number that haunts every vet who’s fought the VA’s maze of care. I pitched VAGrok, an AI chatbot to bridge the gaps, remember our stories, and cut through the bureaucracy that leaves too many behind. Since then, I’ve reached out to experts, pitched to my Congressman Nick LaLota (NY-1), and even scored an interview for a book on TBI, PTSD, and the VA disability circus. But today, there’s a new spark: Dartmouth’s groundbreaking AI therapy study, published March 27, 2025, in NEJM AI. It’s not just hope—it’s proof VAGrok could work.
In my last post, I laid bare the stakes: the VA’s continuity of care is a mess. Vets bounce between specialists, retell traumas to new faces, and watch records vanish in a system that’s more obstacle than lifeline. I envisioned VAGrok as an AI “wingman”—a tool with memory to track our care, flag risks, and fight for us when the system won’t. Then came Dartmouth’s Therabot trial: 106 people with depression, anxiety, or eating disorders used an AI chatbot for eight weeks. Results? A 51% drop in depression symptoms, 31% drop in anxiety—numbers that rival traditional therapy. Participants trusted it like a human therapist, and it delivered 24/7 support without the waitlists or stigma.
This isn’t sci-fi—it’s happening. Dartmouth’s team, led by Nicholas Jacobson, built Therabot with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) smarts and safety nets: if it spots suicidal thoughts, it prompts 911 or crisis lines instantly. For vets, this could mean an AI that knows your TBI triggers or PTSD flare-ups from last year, not just last week. Imagine VAGrok at Northport VA Medical Center, my proposed pilot site in NY-1: it could sync with VA records, alert docs to patterns, and talk us down in the dark hours when the 988 line feels too far.
The Dartmouth study backs what I’ve been shouting: AI can scale care where humans can’t. Jacobson notes there’s one mental health provider for every 1,600 patients with depression or anxiety in the U.S.—a gap the VA knows too well. Therabot’s not a replacement for therapists, but a partner. For vets, VAGrok could be that partner too—bridging the trust gap with memory the VA lacks. I’ve emailed Jacobson about teaming up; no reply yet, but the pieces are aligning.
Next steps? I’m pushing LaLota to pitch this to VA Secretary Doug Collins—his high-energy drive to fix the VA could make VAGrok a reality. The Dartmouth trial isn’t just data—it’s a lifeline we can grab. Vets deserve care that doesn’t forget us. VAGrok, fueled by breakthroughs like Therabot, could be how we get it. Thoughts? Hit me up—I’m all ears.
Saving Grace at Guantanamo Bay 