A Soldier's Perspective: INFINITE PROGRESS

A Soldier's Perspective is one of the most visited military blogs in the Web today.  In this post, blogger CJ Grisham chronicles part of his progress in  recovering from PTSD, one of the most common conditions afflicting war veterans.  This is a good read as it allows one a glimpse into what former soldiers go through after their service.

I met with my social worker today for a counseling session and to give him a sense of where I am. We came to a few conclusions that I want to share. He helped me understand why I made a few decisions that I made in seeking out another deployment.

As many of you know, part of my PTSD comes from an artillery strike in the early days of the war in 2003. The Iraqis were able to walk artillery in on us by virtue of our convoy stalled on a high road and unable to turn around expeditiously. As such, I had the pleasure of basically having to sit there and hope it didn’t hit me. It did.

Throughout the war, numerous explosions and detonations occurred near me that led to my symptoms. RPGs whizzed literally inches from my head. 7.62 AK rounds cracked the surrounding air, violently shoving their way towards their target. The sounds of war are unmistakable. If you’ve never experienced it, the closest thing to reality that I’ve seen are the opening scenes to Saving Private Ryan. To fully gain perspective, though, you’ll need a good surround sound system. You probably also shouldn’t live in a townhouse. Turn that sucker up just enough to make it uncomfortable and you’ll get an idea.

Anyway, I had explained to Doc one of the reasons I wanted to deploy was to, I think, gain some closure. I felt like I needed to come back and experience combat again in order to deal with the experiences of last time. My initial intention was do what I’m currently doing and eventually weasel my way back into the fight. By fight, I don’t necessarily mean actually having to pull the trigger, but to just be able to walk the streets and conduct my normal mission.

Even without coming under fire, my job can be a stressful one because it involves walking through the neighborhoods and speaking to people that may or may not want to kill me. There is a heightened sense of attention to detail out there. Every day is a thrill and Doc said that many folks with PTSD want to relive that as a way to overcome their anxiety issues.

It made perfect sense, even though I may not have recognized it. In order to cope with getting shot at, blown up, and barely surviving I had to get shot at, nearly blown up, and fight for my life. Turns out, I came to the right place anyway.

In the first few nights here, I heard the sounds of combat I came to expect from my experience. Bombs exploding, A-10s rocking the Gatling, and jets streaking across the sky. The first few weeks weeks were rough.

Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban so it made sense to me that there would be sustained and heavy combat around me. Turns out that our living area is near a major range where AC-130 gunships, A-10s and other aviation assets sight in their weapons. Controlled detonations also occurred on this range.

The sounds I thought were combat were coming from a range, not a real threat. But, before I recognized that, I was able to learn to process the sounds of combat and put my anxiety control methods to work that I had learned over the past two years. I no longer grab my rifle with the expectation of a phone call to man the perimeter – though I’m always ready.

Another good thing about living on Kandahar – if it can be called that – are all the indirect fire attacks we have here. The Taliban are good at lobbing 107mm mortars and rockets at us. But a 107mm mortar has a much different sound than a 155mm artillery shell. But, the explosions that I’ve been near when they landed (not unsafely near) also added to my recovery.

I don’t know if that makes sense or not, but it does. The Lord has a funny way of helping us. Initially, I was complaining at having to be stuck at KAF for my entire deployment. However, it turns out that being here has actually been quite therapeutic. I’ve been able to face the very things that have chased me since 2003 and resolve them in my head.

Doc explained that what I’m experiencing professionals call “prolonged exposure therapy.” Many hospitals are using this method to treat Soldiers with PTSD across the country. Since many Soldiers have already left military service, they don’t exactly have the opportunity that I have to come back and face those experiences. So, programs have been created using scenarios in virtual realities to approach those same trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and situations that may have been avoided due to the distress they cause.

Another treatment is called “cognitive processing therapy.” In essence, this type of therapy helps you to understand and cope with those feelings and thoughts that won’t seem to go away. It provides an alternative rational for dealing with what are essentially irrational thoughts. One of the problems of PTSD is the feeling that threats are everywhere. CPT helps to train your brain that these threats don’t exist and how to handle those feelings when they pop up.

Through both types of therapy, I’ve come to recognize nearly instantly when I wake up to a perceived attack every time I hear an explosion that the most likely cause is training. I usually take a few minutes to make sure and listen for any alarms. If none are sounded, I’m able to convince myself that there is no threat and actually fall back asleep.

This progress didn’t happen overnight. It’s taken me nearly two years (and about 60 rocket attacks since arriving in theater). I still get anxious during a rocket attack, but that is a natural reaction. I also understand that my life is in the hands of God. If it’s my time, it’s my time. I can’t shoot a rocket out of the sky and I can’t redirect its path. So, I have to do whatever I can to stay alive.

Another good thing I’ve done is that I recently fired Doctor Grisham. He’s the guy that keeps telling me it’s okay to stop taking my anxiety medications. My other Doc made the suggestion and I took his advice. I even had his “license” revoked so he doesn’t try practicing his destructive medicine on others. The medications have helped to regulate my moods, especially anger and frustration. And contrary to some ignorant people’s ignorant ramblings, this anger and frustration doesn’t make me violent.

On Thursday, I will restart group therapy as well. This is a necessity that I sorely needed in Ft. Hood, but never found. Not only do I need the camaraderie that comes with meeting with fellow veterans that have faced similar experiences that I have, but I think it’s the responsibility of survivors to share their stories and methods of success with others still struggling. That is one reason why I’m working on a proposal to develop a new program within the Army that focuses on using survivors to help the struggling. I also refuse to allow certain individuals to affect me emotionally, personally, mentally, or professionally in spite of their best failing efforts.

The bottom line is that progress is again being made. I’m dedicated to getting better and being there for my family. I think the military is doing it right with the programs available in theater to assure this progress for me and so many others. We’ve learned something over the years.

Lt. General Frank Kearney: Becoming beacons of hope for the nation's warriors

While he has long since left the battlefields, Lt. General Frank Kearney still remembers how difficult it is to be a soldier. While the work is noble and filled with purpose, it cannot be denied that the risks soldiers face each day and the separation from their loved ones can be hard to bear alone. These are just some of the reasons why it is important for the people back at the homeland to take some time to show their support in any way they can.

Frank Kearney | Image credit: rt.com

Soldiers risk their lives and face difficult tasks for more than just their families. They do it for the whole nation and this is why veterans like Lt. General Frank Kearney hope that more people would sign up for or donate to organizations that support the soldiers in deployment and those who are coming home.

Frank Kearney | Image credit: articles.baltimoresun.com

There are many ways to help out and it is easy to find an organization that resonates with a person’s desire to help. General Kearney himself is a part of some organizations such as the Team Read White and Blue, which is for the rehabilitation of veterans, and he actively supports the Wounded Warrior Project, which aids injured soldiers and encourages them throughout their recovery process.

In supporting the nation’s troops, honoring them through stickers and t-shirts is not enough. What these brave souls need is to know that they have a whole nation back at home waiting for them and are willing to lend them a hand if and when they need it.

Frank Kearney | Image credit: intuitturbotax.files.wordpress.com

Get more updates on Lt. General Frank Kearney by following this Twitter page.

Striking without bullets: Frank Kearney and military combatives

Frank Kearney Image Credit: airforcetimes.com

In order to accomplish their duty as the country’s protectors, soldiers like Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney are trained in various aspects of combat. They are conditioned to become efficient killing machines, and are trained in using a large array of weapons that includes their own bodies.


In combat, there are instances when weapons are nowhere close. In cases like this, soldiers defend themselves or launch a counterattack by using the only arsenal they have left. They make good use of their bodies, converting their fists, elbows, knees, feet, and even their heads into instruments of pain and submission, with the intention of disarming or crippling the enemy. At times, hitting the right spot with the right technique can even result to a kill.

 

Frank Kearney Image Credit: aerotechnews.com

Like Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney, anyone looking to pass military school must undergo a rigorous training in combatives or hand-to-hand combat techniques. For practical reasons, the U.S. military places greater emphasis on weapon use, but learning weaponless combat remains an essential aspect of any soldier’s training.


Currently, the military uses modern combatives developed by Matt Larsen, who in 2001 established the United States Army Combatives School at Fort Benning. New soldiers typically begin their hand-to-hand combat training during the first few parts of their Initial Military Training, around the time they receive their rifle. They are taught basic options upon encountering a resisting opponent, and are expected to be able to take part in competitive bouts using the basic rules upon their graduation.

 

Frank Kearney Image Credit: tpc.dodlive.mil

The gun remains as one of the best self-defense measures. Even Bruce Lee carries one. But when the going gets tough, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for a brawl, especially if your job puts you on the battlefield.


For more information about Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney, go to this Facebook page.

Frank Kearney and The Quiet Man: Fighting to find home

Frank Kearney Image Credit: theletterwritingrevolution.blogspot.com

Frank Kearney is a man who understands what it is like to fight for home and how sometimes it becomes a fight to find home. Soldiers like him often find themselves in situations where death is not a specter but a lord and master. In those moments where life and its end stand on equal ground, any man, however patriotic, may find himself conflicted and utterly lost.

Frank Kearney Image Credit: filmsite.org

This is perhaps one story found in the 1952 film The Quiet Man. Sean Thornton was a professional boxer—not a soldier—who finds himself looking for home when he accidentally puts an opponent to death. He then reclaims his family’s land in the Irish town of Innisfree and realizes something that soldiers, like Frank Kearney, would understand: going home isn’t always quite so simple.

Frank Kearney Image Credit: ferdyonfilms.com

Thornton finds himself a wife, the sister of a squire who bears a grudge after Thornton outbids him for the land beside his farm. Conflict ensues after the town conspires to get Thornton out of his own house so that the sister, Mary Kate, could wed Thornton. The squire discovers the deception and refuses to release the rest of Mary Kate’s dowry. Thornton’s refusal to stand up to the squire and demand his wife’s dowry—a must in Irish custom—leads Mary Kate to run away.

Thornton follows her and hauls her back to Innisfree, where he finally confronts the squire. The squire and Thornton engage in fisticuffs, after which they finally resolve the issue. The dowry, while released, ended in flames by Mary Kate’s own hand.

In the end, Thornton finds home but not after fighting hard for it. The story ought to be familiar to any soldier headed for home.

For more information about Frank Kearney, visit this Facebook page.

Lt. General Frank Kearney on celebrating the Fourth of July

Frank Kearney Image Credit: acus.org

Retired Lt. General Frank Kearney understands how easy it is for any citizen of America to get lost in the festivities for the Fourth of July. Indeed, as one’s senses are bombarded with noise from fireworks, parades, carnivals, fairs, and concerts, and as individuals are given the opportunity to celebrate such an important historic event with their relatives, friends, and neighbors, it is also easy to forget to take some time to reflect and understand what exactly it is that the nation is celebrating.

Frank Kearney Image Credit: boatshop.com

As an army veteran, Mr. Kearney looks at the celebration of freedom as an important time to reflect on the efforts of many men and women to ensure that this freedom is well protected. It is Lt. General Frank Kearney’s wish to have more people understand the plight of the soldiers currently in deployment and for more people to take time to show their appreciation for those who work in the service of the nation.

Image Credit: Frank Kearney

There is nothing wrong with wanting to celebrate the nation’s independence with much fervor. However, if the nation directs some of its passion to celebrate its independence at efforts that care for the modern-day heroes that do their best to protect this sovereignty from malicious elements that wish to do it harm, then it will be taking great strides in the direction of the image of the ideal country its founding fathers wanted to build.

The good army veteran insists that people should continue to celebrate by all means. But he also notes that people should make sure that those who work in service of the country have something to celebrate as well.

Get more updates from Lt. General Frank Kearney by following him on Twitter.

Frank Kearney: Training for battle on the rugby field

Retired General Frank Kearney is a retired soldier. His interests include the sport that Henry Blaha calls the “beastly game played by gentlemen”—rugby.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: 4.bp.blogspot.com

When one understands the physical demands of modern rugby, one begins to understand why most—if not all—rugby players are built like tanks. The goal of the game is to score, and points are garnered by carrying the ball across a 100-meter field while evading, tackling, or being tackled by other players. One has to face the possibility of incurring or causing injury for the glory of the team. These demands require players to train specific aspects of their physique, so that they can give their best as they battle it out in the rugby pitch.


Retired General Frank Kearney is passionate about rugby. He sometimes acts as a coach of the sport.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: rev3tri.com

Muscular strength and endurance rank among the top physical requirements for rugby players. This is necessary for effective tackling, and so players can last for the entirety of the game. Several laps of jogging contribute to muscle endurance, while weights compose most of the exercise needed for muscle strength.

Speed is a requirement in rugby, just as much as power. Players must have an explosive level of acceleration and a fast sprinting speed, developed by sprints and other speed exercises. Players must also enhance their agility and flexibility so they can avoid injury better and have a wider range of movement.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: workwithcarin.com

Most importantly, a player must develop discipline. This is important as players are required to obey orders from their coach. With discipline, they can make more responsible decisions, and develop a mentality focused on teamwork.

More updates on General Frank Kearney is available on this Facebook page.

Lieutenant General Frank Kearney: Team Red, White & Blue and guiding veterans to a new life

To describe a life of combat as “difficult” may well be an understatement. Only people like Lieutenant General Frank Kearney—those who have experienced it firsthand—can really fathom the hurdles that soldiers face at an almost daily basis. It is not uncommon for soldiers to leave the Army scarred—physically, psychologically, and emotionally—and unable to return to their pre-service lives easily.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: teamrwb.com

This is the primary concern of Team Red, White & Blue (RWB), a non-profit organization that aims to help army veterans reintegrate themselves into society. Team RWB understands that some wounds cut deeper than flesh and bone, and that it is only through friendship and the establishment of individual relationships that such injuries are healed. Additionally, the organization recognizes the significance of raising the morale and self-esteem of soldiers.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: rev3tri.com

Himself an army veteran, Lieutenant General Frank Kearney serves as an adviser of Team RWB, helping facilitate the organization’s activities for retired soldiers. Team RWB’s programs follow a multifaceted approach focused on four key areas.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: farm8.staticflickr.com

Primarily, the organization helps veterans establish a meaningful one-on-one relationship with a member of the community, from whom they can find support and opportunities for growth. Secondly, Team RWB hosts events that bring soldiers and members of the community together, allowing veterans to connect with citizens who might want to extend any kind of help. The organization also creates athletic events meant to inspire people, and to raise awareness about Team RWB’s mission. These events generate funds used to directly help wounded soldiers and support the organization’s programs. Finally, Team RWB opens opportunities for citizens to support wounded veterans by utilizing their unique skills.

Being part of the army is challenging, but for soldiers, they cannot serve their country more directly, and it is an honor to do so. The efforts of Team RWB and its advocates certainly go a long way in assuring soldiers that their sacrifices do not go unnoticed.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: makingcreativematter.com

Get more updates from Lieutenant General Frank Kearney by following him on Twitter.

Restrepo: General Frank Kearney supports the clearing of insurgency in the Korengal Valley

Restrepo is a 2010 documentary film that chronicles the Afghanistan war, directed by American journalist Sebastian Junger and English photojournalist Tim Hetherington.

As a former armed forces member, Lieutenant General Frank Kearney had experienced the military environment, surviving near-death situations. In the documentary film Restrepo, the lives of American soldiers deployed during the Afghanistan war is chronicled, revealing a lot of truths about the hardships and struggles that military men suffer during their deployment.

Frank Kearney Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

Restrepo follows the 2nd Platoon of Bravo Company on a 15-month deployment in the Korengal Valley of northeast Afghanistan—considered by the National Geographic Channel as “the deadliest place on Earth” at the time. The deployment aimed to clear the Korengal Valley of insurgency and reclaim the trust of the local masses.

Frank Kearney Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

The former fellow soldiers of the now retired Lieutenant General Frank Kearney started their deployment at OP Korengal, and early in the campaign, PFC Juan Sebastián Restrepo and another team member, PFC Vimoto, were killed. Negotiations with the local people, construction of an advanced outpost, OP Restrepo, and the challenges and intermittent firefights that soldiers faced during the war are some the highlights that are shown in the film.

Frank Kearney Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

The Operation Rock Avalanche was also documented, showing some of the tragic consequences that it produced, such as dead civilians and soldiers, and the emotional distress that the surviving warriors were left with in its aftermath.

Restrepo won the Grand Jury Prize for best documentary at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Respected movie critic Roger Ebert acclaimed the film and awarded it with four out of four stars.

For more information about Lieutenant General Frank Kearney and the military organizations that he supports, log on to ODGroupLLC.com.

Frank Kearney: Assisting organizations from different sectors and industries

General Frank Kearney, in his 35 years of service in the U.S. Army, has accumulated enough experiences needed to learn the most essential and complicated processes involved in securities and intelligence. Today, beyond his retirement from the army, he still continues to use his acquired knowledge through helping businesses develop.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: workwithcarin.com

General Frank Kearney has recently joined Opportunities Development Group (ODG), a strategic consulting firm that enables global businesses, government institutions, and non-profit organizations meet their core objectives through maximizing their global impact. General Kearney’s know-hows were efficiently needed by the company since one of the firm’s primary goals is to address chronic and systemic threats to global security and economic growth.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: women2.org

ODG decided to work with General Frank Kearney because the company recognizes the unique commitment and qualifications that many military veterans display. True enough, Frank Kearney’s extensive training in his field of expertise has groomed him to become a productive addition to the company’s roster of experts. His professional and educational experiences granted him the capability to aid organizations in the fields of education, energy, government, disaster relief, and more.

Frank Kearney Photo Credit: wordpress.com

With General Frank Kearney and ODG working together, they do not only open opportunities for citizens and enable improvements for businesses, they also make a difference today for the future generations.

General Frank Kearney is a 1976 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Learn more about him and Opportunities Development Group by visiting ODGroupLLC.com.