How do we understand and do something about veteran suicide? First we need to understand suicide itself. Typically, when someone kills themself three things have happened. In reality it’s obviously more complicated than this, but it is a good place to start: 1) They are in long-term physical and/or emotional…
Here is another heartbreaking story about the toll of war on our special forces. They are the best trained of our Armed Forces, yet as I hammer home in my workshops and lectures, life can break anyone. Yet, Special Forces suicide has become an all too common reality. http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/18/special-forces-suicide-rates-hit-record-levels-cas/ This…
Today I had the honor to teach a class on “Creating a Culture of Resiliency” at the first Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s Leadership Academy continuing education course at Franklin University. Every opportunity I get to spend with police officers is always a blessing. Today it was a special blessing. I…
A US Marine, Sgt. Merlin German, died April 11th, 2008. Sgt. German was burned over 95 percent of his body after a bomb blew up his humvee February 21, 2005 enroute to Ramadi, Iraq, he survived and after 17 months of treatment against all odds was able to move home.…
Police officers with PTSD is a problem impacting departments all over the country. Sadly, it is a problem that seems to always hit a wall. The blue wall. Twice in the last few days I was reminded of the police “Blue wall of PTSD.” The first was at a workshop…
As Iraq falls, souls crumble. That is what I was thinking last week as ISIS overran northern Iraq. I was getting ready to hit the road for Wisconsin where I would be speaking to veterans benefits and services counselors from colleges across Wisconsin, but all I could think about was…
