Veterans Coping with PTSD Through Natural Plants: A Discussion with Ryan LeCompte by Donovan Ronin “It’s a fundamental wrong if I as an adult am not free over my own consciousness. Then I am absolutely not sovereign over anything. I can’t claim any kind of freedom at all.” -Graham Hancock Ryan LeCompte is a former United States Marine, 0311, Infantryman to be exact. … [Read more...]
Parenting with PTSD: A Veteran Looks at Father’s Day
Parenting with PTSD: A Veteran Looks at Father's Day by Donovan Ronin We’ve all been there. We know the cadence of trained killers running to the beat of one heart. We’ve all heard the incessant pounding of soles against pavement at a rate of double time. The flashes of greatness that glimmer through our mind’s eye as our lungs burn and we sing to keep pace. Remember it … [Read more...]
How Hard is Ranger School, Really?
How Hard is Ranger School, Really? by Donovan Ronin For a Ranger candidate, the cold desolate roadway leading up to Camp Darby is one filled with both anticipation and anxiety. The journey towards achieving the coveted black and gold tab is one of inspirational stories and heart-wrenching defeats. The journey is, as the sign says, not for the weak and faint of … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Heal PTSD and Save Money at the Same Time
5 Ways to Heal PTSD and Save Money at the Same Time by Donavin Ronin This first appeared in The Havok Journal November 9, 2015 I am not a doctor. I am a guy who is looking for an answer. Each of the following has worked for me greatly. Maybe they can work for you. I urge you to do more research, if you’re still skeptical. If you aren’t sure if we can learn how to hack … [Read more...]
Wounded Warrior Project Solicits Combat Medic — and He Rejoices
Wounded Warrior Project Solicits Combat Medic — and He Rejoices by Donavin Ronin A sensation of warmth ran up the back of my neck. A quick jolt of stress tingled behind the right rear portion of my skull. My ears began to ring in familiar tinnitus melody. A barrier of uneasiness exuded from my palms as the mailer unfolded. The last time I saw his face, it was impaled … [Read more...]
Medicinal Marijuana Use by Veterans and Law Enforcement
Medicinal Marijuana Use by Veterans and Law Enforcement by Donovan Ronin For years I wallowed in the depths of my own soul. A child cried out from within to speak out against the unspeakable memories I’d lived through. My facade was that of a bully, the guy who willing to swing the big stick whenever told so. The duality of my MOS (job assignment) complicated things even … [Read more...]
Redemption: 14 years and 1 Suicide Attempt Later
From within a luxury seaside villa I swallowed them all. I hit send on my phone and I closed my eyes. After that amount of VA candy, it’s a miracle I am still alive. I often ponder what made me wake up and decide it was all over. Had I decided later in the day, after a few drinks, like most days, I would be dead right now. Alcohol significantly increases the toxicity levels of … [Read more...]
Ranger School and the Women with Bigger Tabs than You
There are times when people associate too closely to their title. Some law enforcers, and stock brokers, and politicians, and “God Damn Army Rangers.” People who welcome questions like, “So what do you do for a living”? We all know people who like the idea that they’re special. If life was handing out gold stars, they’d have theirs plastered on their back window in reflective … [Read more...]
From Rangers to SEALS, “Live To Tell” is The Best Docu-Series on Television
It was mid way into baseball season when I received call from an old friend. Once upon a time, we were on the seizure of Haditha Dam together. I wondered if he had bad news. I must have let out a long sigh. “It’s not one of those calls”, he said, “This is a good thing. This is going to be a real good thing, Buddy,” as only my friend Matthew Sanders could say. “Tomorrow … [Read more...]
“Can You Hear Me Now?” Five Words, 100K Retweets For @Snowden On Twitter
I recently listened to a TedTalk about taking back the security of the internet in which the interviewer described his guest, Edward Snowden, as "a hero, a patriot and a traitor." Speaking remotely from somewhere in cyberspace, Snowden expressed his disagreement with these labels and described himself simply as “an American and a citizen just like everyone … [Read more...]
