A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
The deep fractured fissures of the traumatic subjugated mind lay unrest. A coiled wrath waiting seemingly without care to unleash on what may not be there. Reacting without interacting racing and straining the rigors of rationalities foregoing the fulcrum of lucidity and stupidity. Reacting without reason the reflexive trigger rigorously ripping tripping and stripping the underneath (Father Has Passed as Has the Past).
Survival depends on a reactionary responsive reflex, a instantaneous engagement of life threatening situations (No Offense to Our Veterans?).
With the unprecedented levels of sustained combat and extended multiple tours our veterans will be facing the crippling effects of PTSD with their families as well as the public with generational consequences (Mental Health Field Unprepared for Epidemic of PTSD).
It was surreal, beautiful, terrifying, the most intense fireworks I had ever seen filling the entire sky illuminating the battlefield, I was in awe. It felt like I was one with the universe, out among the everything, feeling all and knowing all. I heard over the distance of what seemed like eternity, "Move out" (Dissociative Fugues).
Now that being said, I know a guy that did 5 tours in Vietnam which was uncommon, most soldiers did their two years and the ones that survived went home (Iraqi War Mental Health Epidemic).
I kept thinking of killing myself for 15 years or so, driving off the road, instigating fights, fingering my gun and imaging the relief I would feel if I just pulled the trigger (Never Give in to the Enemy).
A fight, it didn’t matter who, what, when or where, just give me that respite despite the spite. I kept plunging deeper dredging in demoralization stumbling into madness seeing only with my corrupted sight (Vision of Unrest).
So, I go forward because my balance depends on foiling the fall backwards. OK, OK stop it!…My mind goes into these circles of creativity circulating the circumference of creation (Responsibilities, Relationships, Compulsions and Convictions).
In his last speech Dr. King talked of the threats against his life, without saying the words he found forgiveness for his fellow brother who snuffed his life (Dr. King’s Light & My Emergence).
In a battle with no solid enemy and no apparent battleground the warrior having been trained to combat the physical comes in contact with a foe that can over shadow the imagination (PTSD, Combat & the Guilt of a Nation Mediated by the Media’s Lip Service).
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![[UPDATE] The “Face” of Military Dating Scams – The Wall of Shame](http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/themes/LondonLive/thumb.php?src=http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2.jpg&w=53&h=41&zc=1&q=100)
Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
to Anonn, thank you. i thought so. i just want a clear picture of his
Military Dating Scams (More Nigerian Scammers)
New Scam to be aware of……….I am 2LT. Anderson Darrell Clinton , an off
Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
New Scam to be aware of……….I am 2LT. Anderson Darrell Clinton , an off
[UPDATE] The "Face" of Military Dating Scams - The Wall of Shame
New Scam to be aware of……….I am 2LT. Anderson Darrell Clinton , an off
Critical Facts
rg:
Your comment re “never give in to the enemy” rings true in so many ways. Sometimes, I suspect, the problem is we do not know just who the enemy is unless “it” is shooting at us.
There are a lot of enemies to go around these days but, unfortunately, it is oftentimes difficult to figure out which of them are shooting at us and what it is they are shooting!
Roman General
For the combat veteran returning from war, it is the thought of killing, oneself or an other. Usually it is oneself. For them they seem to be getting it from all ends, the military, their peers, the media, and from seemingly benign but unthoughtful acquaintances, friends and well meaning civilians.
When returning from combat, the biggest enemy can be the mind of a combat soldier.
Isaac
Thanks for all your writings RG, I hope it will help me mentally prepare myself in my time to come.
Another thing I hate, is that everytime I tell people I volunteered for service, they give me “the look”, as if I just said I have AIDS or something. I just wonder, do these people compound the problem of PTSD and other kinds of stress a soldier faces? And do they realize it?
Roman General
Your are welcome Issac, to answer your question, does the public compound the problem? A big fat YES. The insensitivity is unreal, and the problem is worse in the military though.
No, I do not think that overall they are aware of it, most mean well but are ignorant of the cost and sacrifices that soldiers make. Most are not aware of their own biases, so this comes across much in the way you describe. For them it is a mental exercise without contemplation and expanding the issue, to know something does not mean we have realized it.
Knowledge is having information, wisdom is knowing what to do with that knowledge and having internalized and the realization of others perspectives as it relates to one another.
Isaac
RG,
I agree. A Captain I know who is still in service once told me that some people, consciously or not, get some kind of kick out of demoralising our troops, and sometimes, they succeed even on him.
The question he posted to test my own readiness though, is how fast you can recover from those times you feel down because of them. When you know the answer, as he said, you’re ready.
Isaac
One more thing RG, if you don’t mind, I’ll make reference to this over at my blog. Thanks.
Roman General
No problem Isaac, cross post any snippet or article you want.