One of the reasons why I struggle with deep participation in various veterans groups is that the previous generation typically wants to talk at the current generation about their experiences. I honor and respect previous generations, do not get me wrong. It’s merely the penchant of veterans to talk about what they have done. It’s
In one of my last acts as a non-commissioned officer before I hang up the uniform for good, I wanted to shed some light on the absolutely horrible landscape for survivors of military sexual assault or military sexual trauma that exists in the National Guard. This is in part prompted by a soldier of similar
July marked exactly 25 years from when I shipped to Fort Benning, Georgia, for One Station Unit Training and Airborne School. Around this time 25 years ago, I was wrapping up the first 8 weeks, getting ready for the next 5 or 6 weeks. If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to
In between this Memorial Day and the last, a former soldier with the 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry and a veteran of our 2008-2009 OIF mobilization, walked downstairs in his parents’ home, where his mother was eating breakfast, and put a gun to his head. His last words were, “I am in so much pain,” before
Yesterday, and I will not identify my unit because I don’t want to make this specifically about my chain of command, our company commander asked our first formation what anniversary falls on May the 4th. Given our upcoming training, an internal groan started in the pit of my stomach as I realized where this was
I ended Part I talking about the low personal worth many veterans struggling with moral injury suffer. Just as you are often told you go from “zero to hero” when you enlist or commission, you go from “hero to zero” in a manner I would equate with driving a car into a concrete wall when
Moral injury refers to an injury to an individual’s moral conscience resulting from an act of perceived moral transgression which produces profound emotional shame. The concept of moral injury emphasizes the psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of trauma. Wikipedia Definition for “Moral Injury” I’ve been reflecting of late on my work, now a few years
No, I’m not making a Game of Thrones reference, unless I’m skiing like there’s a hot Targaryen at the bottom of the ski hill. I’ve been a telemark skier for about 23 years. I’ve done alpine and I’m fine with it, and I’m mildly curious about splitboarding, but telemarking has become special to me. I
Writer, President of Bangor's Congregation Beth Israel, soon-to-be-retired-soldier, programmer, father, musician, Heeb, living in the woods of Maine with three ladies and a dog. Brian is also a rabbinical student with the Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary.
Director of Education for Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor, Maine, runs joint religious school with our sister congregation, special educator and former school board member, mother to Avi and Nezzie.
