Introducing, guest reviewer, Greg Drobny who posts and writes reviews ’round the net’ under the name: Mr. Twisted. He is a writer for Ranger Up and Rhino Den. His concerns revolve around giving a public voice to Veterans who’ve returned from combat and are suffering–either mentally or physically or both. PTSD has many tentacles, including a high rate of suicide among returning military veterans. These daily deaths are just one reminder of the challenges of re-integration and transition that face warriors returning to every day civilian lives, families and jobs.
“Mr. Twisted” counts these at the top of the list that he feels need the military community and general public’s attention.
From my own civilian point of view, I see “warriors” coming back with all manner of skills. Most, my peers and I might never think to master. Nor would we consider ourselves capable of performing at such a physically fit level. We could not even claim control by virtue of the discipline instilled along with determination in our nations’ warriors.
Some of these are awesome powers and we wonder, us non-hero accredited folks, how does it feel to come home with that kind of mindset and bodily energy to a civilian, smaller and limited playing field?
The book, Redeployed, has been embraced by Greg and his colleagues, because it reflects their and other warriors’ experiences. Speaking as a civilian, looking into the ‘ring’ of sport and competition that some veterans enter, we see a memory bank of intensive muscle and mind training. We wonder how they will channel all that energy and experience from the battle ground into the mixed match set up of every day life. We hope that they are equipped and know ‘what to do with themselves’ in such ordinary, yet challenging circumstances. (HK for MilSuccessNet)
The MilSuccessNet team met Greg Drobny on a rare occasion – in that its unusual for all three of us to be in the same country, same city and in this case, one Writers’ Conference. The event, Sangria Summit , held in Denver, Colorado was designed for aspiring and experienced Mil Writers. Others will be featured in coming posts. (SUBSCRIBE NOW and be alerted to your battle buddy’s debut)
Now to Mr. Twisted’s review of “Redeployed”, in his own words…..
Redeployed: How Combat Veterans Can Fight the Battle Within and Win the War at Home (Paperback) Written by Brian Fleming and Chad Robichaux Ph.D
Reviewed by Mr. Twisted
Not that long ago, the public voice available on behalf of the Veteran community was relatively small and fairly unassuming and non-aggressive. In recent years, that has begun to change.
Redeployed is a book that not only addresses the important issues faced by returning combat Veterans, but it smashes the misperceptions people may have about the problem while laying out a road map of how to deal with them–all from people who know what they are talking about, both from an experienced point of view as well as an educational one.
The book lays out the issues faced by Vets on their return from combat in language that makes sense. This does not imply that it “dumbs things down” because the opposite is true; both of the authors have a knack for discussing some detailed issues without sounding like the guy in the lab coat analyzing your blood cells.
Chad Robichaux and Brian Fleming are not short on experience, to be sure. What sets them apart more so than their background, is their willingness to lay open their own wounds for all to see; being honest in their own struggles and how they faced them makes this a truly unique and needed work.
Redeployed takes readers into that challenge of recognizing the need for help and then asking for it.
Chad Robixhaux was one of those warriors. With seven deployments as a Force Recon Marine, Chad found himself in some pretty dark places upon returning home. Through training and competing in Mixed Martial Arts, he was able to deal with some of the things that haunted him, but there was still something missing.
He knew how to fight for his country and in the ring, but he didn’t know how to fight for his wife and children. In Redeployed he shares his journey and the turmoil and stress, Chad and his wife were able to face and work through.
Co-author Chad has earned his MBA and a PhD, as well as becoming a certified PTSD counselor. He collaborated on this guide to fighting the battle within based on his experience, physical training regimen and specialized counselling training.
Brian Fleming “blown up guy”
Brian C. Fleming, aka “the Blown Up Guy,” is Redeployed’s co-author and a former 11B Team Leader with a Reconnaissance Platoon in the 10th Mountain Division.
Brian’s journey in veteran advocacy began when a suicide bomber blew himself up only three feet away from him and plunged him into many months of burn treatments and reconstructive surgeries. Out of his pain came multiple books and live and media speaking opportunities.
The book offers lessons learned from the military—lessons from training, combat, and the very structure of what makes military life so unique—and applies them to an issue that, as many of us believe, would be considered a national epidemic if it received more attention.
The book is about how to deal with being in those incredibly dark places, and it is authored by guys who know all too well what those dark places look like, and now, how to get out of them successfully.
It’s a book that should be in the hands of all Vets to help them take the important steps towards addressing problems existing in their lives and in the community.
Chad and Brian–are also involved with the Mighty Oaks Foundation so they take Redeployed spirit into a practical place for families to heal together.
This book deals with the -45% of America’s population who chose to serve in the military. It details, what and why problems exist as a result of injury during service and how to manage them.
As a result this book is for a much wider audience than just returning combat Veterans. Those who are in the family of a combat Veteran or those who work in the field of Veteran’s advocacy would benefit highly from its contents. In fact, it would serve the psychologists employed by the Veterans Administration well to read it prior to treating any more new patients.
Isaiah 6:8 is a familiar Bible verse to the warrior community. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, `Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, `Here am I. Send me.'”
Redeployed is a book for those who answered the call of their country by saying “send me.” It is for those who said those words and realized that life would never be the same, for better or worse, because of the path that call took them on.
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