We’re very pleased that the US Military is recognizing the value of The Warriors Guide to Insanity as a guide for our Troops dealing with combat related stress issues. It’s recently been approved by The Department of Veteran Affairs for the distribution to all the Vet Centers around the country as a “clinical tool”, a communication bridge between the Combat Veteran and the clinician.
The primary focus of The Warriors Guide is to (in the harsh language Combat Vets can relate to) help the returning Combat Veteran survive the residuals of combat trauma and then successfully survive life. This is accomplished by demonstrating through example, how to effectively deal with primal issues that never go away, but can be controlled by applying “effective” self-control techniques. It’s the candid story of my odyssey from the horrors I’ve experienced as a combat rifleman in Viet Nam, and later a Force Recon Marine, being diagnosed with PTSD (which I now call “Psychological Training for Superior Discipline) and living 40 years with the residual effects of war. Since then, I have found effective ways to deal with the painful memories of the battlefield to find a measure of peace and a worthwhile life. In fact, life can be better than good, it can be excellent. That is, if we’re in control.
We’re really excited about this opportunity to carry forward our mission of getting the word out about understanding that the feelings Warriors are dealing with relating to their combat experiences are normal, that there is hope and that a path to healing can be found.
My personal hope is that by sharing my experiences in dealing with my own combat trauma, PTSD and transitioning back to civilian life and how I found the path to healing can provide help to our young troops returning from battle as well as veterans of previous campaigns. There is hope, and it begins with understanding how the warrior’s mind works, effectively dealing with these feelings which will always be with us and the importance of getting help to successfully make the transition back to a more normal life.