"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
—Joseph Campbell
ABOUT THE BOOK
Veterans’ stories are epic tales. As warriors, you have overcome enormous difficulties. In doing so, perhaps you grew through great challenge, to become stronger, bigger and better versions of yourself. In your journey, you have the chance to put these things to work for good in civilian life. When we use what we have learned -- when we put to good use the things that required us to become bigger in the name of something higher than oneself -- we also earn a chance at redeeming a part of our lives. If you think of your life story in these terms and understand the power inside you, you have the potential to bring back great things and transform yourself, your friends and family, your community and our country in a way as full of inspiration, courage, selflessness and devotion to team and teammate as your time in the military. It reflects the nobility in you and what you can inspire in others. Every veteran is a hero and on this journey.
Rob, the veteran, and Alex, the non-veteran and military dad, formed a unique partnership as authors and friends along the way. They have combined their different life experiences and voices and yet shared values and vision in Warrior to Civilian: The Field Manual for the Heroes Journey. We pushed ourselves in service of veterans and their spouses and families to find insights, creative solutions to profound challenges and novel approaches to the transition and the larger context of where we as a country stand and what we as a people can do about it.
Access the Annexes to the book here:
- Annex 1 – List of Resources for Veterans and Spouses
- Annex 2 – Guidelines for Applying to College
- Annex 3 – Guideline for Preparing a Financial Plan
- Annex 4 – Sample Resumes, Cover Letters and Thank You Notes
The HeroEs Journey
The Heroes Journey is a way to conceive of your life after leaving the military in your return to civilian life – in a powerful way.
Many warriors have faced and overcome enormous challenges, both in their time of service to country and in their return to civilian life. In doing so, they have developed great moral and physical courage, discipline, leadership, resourcefulness, problem-solving abilities and a host of other skills. The journey through these challenges changes us. We have become warriors in a different way – warriors of the transition to civilian life, civilian warriors. That is not easy --- many feel caught between the meaning and fulfillment of their military lives and how to reintegrate into civilian life. But, when we use what we have learned, what we put to good use the things that required us to become bigger and better people in the name of something higher than ourselves, we are transformed in the journey.
Through this action we find a way to reintegrate into civilian life, to heal ourselves and even earn a chance at redeeming ourselves.
If you think of your life story in these terms and understand the power inside you, you have the potential to bring back great things and see your life as transformed, with the ability to lift up those to your left and right, your family, your community and our country -- in a way as full of inspiration, courage, selflessness and devotion to team and teammate. It reflects the nobility in you. It reflects what you can inspire in others. Every veteran is a hero and on this journey.
“You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.”
—Heraclitus
Statistics
We love our country, but have we as a country and as a people honored the promise we should make to our veterans, that we as a country will help them after they served and sacrificed, when they transition out? The transition to civilian life has proven difficult for many of our veterans, particularly for those who have suffered and are injured, whether the wounds are visible or not. While the terrain is different from what you encountered in the military, it is no less challenging to navigate.
The statistics speak for themselves: an epidemic of about 22 veteran suicides per day, substantially higher rates of PTSD and traumatic brain injury (particularly among combat veterans) substance abuse, sexual assault, physical injury, homelessness and a range of other sufferings compared to the civilian population Beyond the visible and invisible wounds of war, many veterans and their spouses face the challenge of refinding purpose in their lives after the military. The transition often takes a toll on marriages. Military spouses undergo a parallel transition.
WHY THE TRANSITION IS DIFFICULT, WHY IT IS WORTHWHILE AND ETERNAL HOPE…
We do not intend to paint a picture of our veterans as troubled. We believe that image is a misconception among some portion of the civilian population—negative myths that are just that, myths. In fact, a large portion of the problem in veteran transition lies with the society—our society—to which the veteran returns after serving our country.
Are there worthwhile things to look forward to in civilian life? Hell, yes. The picture should not be gloomy. It’s the opposite. In this next chapter of your life, the possibility of great things does exist. There is great opportunity and hope for healing, refinding purpose and mission, ambition in one’s work, a full life, adventure, discovery, fulfillment, love and joy.
