Decision Tactical featured in award-winning Spectrum News 13 PTSD report

A Spectrum News 13 report that spotlighted Central Florida veterans using Decision Tactical to cope with PTSD won First Place in Health Reporting at the Society of Professional Journalists Florida Pro Chapter’s 2026 Sunshine State Awards. The recognition puts a Sanford training facility and the broader veteran mental health conversation back in focus.

Why it matters: - The award draws attention to non-clinical ways veterans are finding support, including peer connection and immersive scenario-based experiences. - The recognition also lifts visibility for PTSD conversations in Central Florida and the role community settings can play alongside traditional care.

What happened: - Decision Tactical said a Spectrum News 13 report featuring the company won First Place in Health Reporting at the Society of Professional Journalists Florida Pro Chapter’s 2026 Sunshine State Awards. - The honored report, aired in April 2025, was titled “Central Florida veterans share struggles with PTSD.” - Spectrum News 13 reporter Asher Wildman followed Army veterans Kevin Steinmann and Paul Mason as they discussed living with PTSD and using immersive scenarios at Decision Tactical. - The entry was recognized as “Vets Try New Methods To Cope with PTSD” and won First Place in the Television and Video Health Reporting category.

The details: - Decision Tactical is a Sanford-based immersive training and decision-readiness facility. - The company’s facility spans 43,000 square feet. - The space uses realistic environments, movement, communication and pressure-based scenarios to challenge how participants assess situations and respond. - Decision Tactical is built for civilians, corporate groups, law enforcement and other public safety professionals. - The original report included comments from the Orlando VA’s PTSD Trauma Team about established PTSD treatments and the possible benefits of social connection for veterans. - Steinmann said time at Decision Tactical helped him function better around sounds and environments that had previously caused fear. - Mason said participating with other veterans helped him reconnect socially. - Decision Tactical also develops The Matrix, a modular training platform that can turn real-world facilities into interactive training environments.

Between the lines: - The award adds a credibility boost to a business that wants to be seen as more than a training venue. - Decision Tactical is positioning its work with veterans as complementary to therapy, not a replacement for clinical care. - The company is using the recognition to highlight a broader need: veterans often benefit from multiple kinds of support, including community and peer connection.

What's next: - Decision Tactical plans to keep pointing veterans, law enforcement and Central Florida groups to its training programs and community-focused offerings. - The company’s website, DecisionTactical.com, is the place to learn more about its veteran and public-safety work. - The award-winning report is likely to keep PTSD and veteran transition challenges in the public conversation for some time.

The bottom line: - A local news award put Decision Tactical’s veteran-focused work in the spotlight and underscored the growing interest in nontraditional support for PTSD.