The Broken Toy Resistance

I have tried to live my life by that old adage, “never be the smartest guy in the room”.  The idea being if I surrounded myself with people who were far more interesting than I was, I would learn and improve.  This mantra has led me to some interesting and strange places throughout my military and law enforcement careers.  It is how I now find myself surrounded by Green Berets, riding in an unassuming rental van through the Florida Everglades, for the purpose of hunting the Burmese Python. I wonder, “what the hell am I doing here?”  It would not be the last time.

I wrote those words almost one year ago, after attending a Walking with Warriors Foundation Python Hunt, as part of a larger short story about the experience.  One year later, I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on alternative healing methods for Veterans and First Responders.  I can honestly say, this was the best option for me.  As a US Navy Veteran and a current law enforcement officer, I find myself at a crossroads for mental health treatment as I believe a lot of others in similar situations do.  I simultaneously benefit from dedicated Post Traumatic Stress/Moral Injury evaluative experiences and am unwilling to utilize medication to accomplish this due to personal beliefs and professional requirements.

As a Veteran of the Global War on Terrorism and Operation Vigilant Mariner, I assisted in conducting Anti-Piracy missions within the 5th Fleet Area of Operation.  As an active Law Enforcement Officer and member of my agency’s Hostage Negotiation Team, I continue to amass experiences that weigh heavily on the soul.  To be present professionally and personally, I have learned that I need to take time for myself.

I’ve found that the best way to center oneself without medication or therapy, is to be outdoors.  The benefits of outdoor activity on mental health have been proven time and time again through scholarly research, particularly after Covid lockdowns.  Personally, I find this time quiets the mental noise.  Don’t worry, your tinnitus will still be there to keep you company!  Having a break from screens, phones, and in my case constant radio transmissions, lowers stress by eliminating overstimulation.  Veterans/First Responders are notorious for feeling overstimulated in situations where they can’t control what’s happening.  Think the last time you sat in a crowded theater or your spouse made you go to the grocery store at 1400 on a Saturday.  That feeling right there?  Yea, let’s eliminate that.

Luckily, there are many outdoor activities you can do around the world that will alleviate these stressors.  Personally, I turn to hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing.  Veterans and First Responders are mission oriented.  We need tasks to accomplish and strategies to plan.  These activities allow for all the planning and tasks you want (or don’t want).  They allow for something as in-depth as, “How do I schedule a bush plane to take me into the Alaskan wilderness to hunt bears?”.  Or something as simple as, “Which park do I want to take my dog to today?”.  I find the monthslong planning, scouting, and preparation to be just as soothing as the trips themselves.  Starting this can be as easy as walking into your local outdoors store and asking what’s in season, searching the internet for “X state’s best primitive campsites”, or searching out programs similar to the Walking with Warriors Foundation for free trips geared specifically towards you.

My Python Hunt with the Walking with Warriors Foundation hosted several Army S.F. and Navy Veterans, as well as 9/11 surviving New York Firefighter.  The ability to come together on a multi-day trip with a specific plan in mind was reminiscent of my time in the military.  A group of people whom had never had the pleasure of meeting before all working toward a common goal.  They say the hardest thing you’ll ever do is to get out of the military.  I’ve found this to be accurate.  The lack of purpose was soul-crushing and the camaraderie I experienced on this trip was something I wish I had found immediately upon separation.  I suspect that I would have had a much easier time.

I have utilized outdoor activities over the years and seen great benefits in my mental health because of them.  There are several ways that you can incorporate this into your life through hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, or just going for a walk in a park.  The Walking with Warriors Foundation and programs like it come highly recommended as they are often free and are tailormade to get Veterans and first responders outdoors.

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To see the entire story on my Python Hunt, check out the Walking with Warriors Foundation:  https://walkingwithwarriorsministry.org/event-sign-up

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