Page 8 - A Soldiers Exposition

INTRODUCTION

A Soldier’s Exposition is my story, originally written as a personal journal. It was used during a writing
therapy program associated with the Veterans Administration counseling of my encounters as a soldier
and associated injuries contributing to my PTSD.

A Soldier’s Exposition is focused on trying to engage and provoke the reader to get involved and speak
up. I also want to reach out to active duty military and veteran personnel to provide hope that there is
help and that they do not have to walk alone. Our nation owes you a debt that it will never fully repay.

This is a story of my life experiences and my editorial of the events as best I can recall. To my
knowledge, I was successful at editing out embellishments and therefore have given you the straight stuff.

Many of the stories I will share are oral narratives. By this I mean I cannot personally recall all the events.
My familiarity with many of the events is solely based on having been told of the happenings by my
mother, sister, brother and other people close to me.

I developed my thoughts and opinions over the years of service to my country all the while making
mistakes, forgiving myself, asking forgiveness of others, reading, counseling, and living life as it comes.

I do not consider myself inferior or superior to any person. I believe we are in fact created equal.

Opportunity is what separates.

I consider myself blessed in that I was given opportunities that enabled my escape from poverty, the
attainment of a solid education and the ability to serve.

Life is balanced. Somehow, I know that to be true. Success and failure flow in and out all throughout our
lives. For example: In many ways, most of which will remain private, I am an abject failure. I failed as a
father, a husband and for many years as a human. Yet, I am at the same time considered a success.

The United States Army accepted me, trained me, influenced me and transformed my life. I owe who I
became to the soldiers, sergeants, officers, presidents, and perhaps mostly the events of serving for
twenty-two years, six months.

While sharing some of my opinions, thoughts, and encounters I hope you will be entertained, saddened,
shocked, encouraged, and called to service.

It has taken me many years to feel comfortable writing these words. I was encouraged by my long-time
and life-saving Veterans Administration (VA) psychiatrist without whom, I would have continued to “stuff –
stuff” and I believe would have spiraled downward into the depths of hell.

I decided the effort would be therapeutic for me and hopefully insightful for at least one reader.

My childhood days and especially my military service exposed me to conditions, happenings, and
situations that collectively grew until one day my soul had had enough. It fled. Enough is enough; my
soul had indeed experienced profusely. The journey without my soul was problematic. Gratefully, finally -
my soul sensed my remorse, felt safe, and returned.