The more we learn about the world around us, the more we learn how complex it truly is. The more we figure out and understand, the more there is that Continue Reading
Veterans
Where Duty Turns to Doubt
Dearest Mom, The hardest thing about writing these letters is the fact that I can’t really talk about anything I do. It makes for rather dry Continue Reading
Smoke Over MSR One
On May 31, 2008, my squad was assigned as the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) for eastern Afghanistan in Nangarhar Province. While turning in documents at Continue Reading
The Day After We Forgot
The skies were empty. It was calm, savagely serene. There was an ominous foreboding in the wind. None of us knew what to do, but we knew nothing would Continue Reading
What the Air Force Took and What It Left Behind
I saw her in the pre-op holding area one day, and her usual composure was gone. “Are you OK?” I asked. She didn’t answer. She stared past Continue Reading
Ride Along
By Evan Young Weaver A late 1960s, used, white-top, tan-bodied Toyota FJ Troopy. That’s what my dad drove. The dog was Hairy Ass Trueman by name Continue Reading
Lifting of the Veil: Existential Struggles of Combat Veterans
By Chris Frueh, PhD “Trying to fit all warriors into the typical DSM PTSD paradigm or blaming violence is totally out of touch with who we are. The Continue Reading
Misfire Procedures
I was tired. It was mid-morning January 3rd and all I could think about was getting back to bed when the day was over. My fourth or fifth mug of Continue Reading
One Step at a Time: Delayed-Onset PTSD
My terminally ill son brought back memories of the war in Afghanistan. For years, I kept quiet about my deployment and suppressed anything associated Continue Reading
The Journey of Transformation: From Civilian to Warrior, From Warrior to Citizen
There is a profound transformation that happens when an individual steps forward to serve. A civilian makes the choice to become a warrior—not simply Continue Reading
An Open Letter to the VA and the Trump Administration
By Dan Hollaway This originally published in Dan's Substack. There is a tendency in modern politics to talk about veterans as if they are a cost Continue Reading
Words Mean Things – Setting the Conditions Before and After Service
The military is very good at setting conditions. We set conditions for success before a mission ever begins, through planning, language, Continue Reading