The violence of action paradox is this: those actions and emotions that protected us in combat are dangerous to us at home, and those actions and emotions that are supportive at home were dangerous in combat. A recent discussion on LinkedIn points out a significant truth that seems to be Read more…
Even before joining the Army, Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried was a powerful read; going back and looking at it now, from the other side of military life, is even more meaningful. In a further attempt to help keep the awareness of veteran mental health in the conversation, I Read more…
For veterans, their time in the service really was both the best and worst of times. Their time in combat, even more so. Dickens had it right; like many fundamental truths that seem to be around, this one resonates. In a previous post, I talked about what PTSD is: a Read more…
There has been much discussion regarding Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans in the past thirty years, and rightly so. It is a very real condition that has a significant impact on the daily life of veterans, their families, and the community. There are some misconceptions about PTSD, however; it has Read more…
In January of 2016, I had the privilege of speaking at the Colorado State Capitol Building. Several state lawmakers have started the first ever Veterans Caucus at the Colorado General Assembly, with the goal of gathering together legislators from both sides of the aisles to learn about veteran issues in Colorado. Read more…
The Army’s Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer contains these critical lines: “My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind: the accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my Soldiers.” Those two points of focus encapsulated everything that I was as a leader: the mission I was Read more…