[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] December 3rd 2005 it’s a cold Chris day
December 3rd 2005 it’s a cold Chris day
December 3rd 2005 it’s a cold Chris day in Iraq me and my platoon of 20 warriors
in Iraq me and my platoon of 20 warriors
in Iraq me and my platoon of 20 warriors is coming off a mission hunting
is coming off a mission hunting
is coming off a mission hunting insurgents we’re dirty and tired to the
insurgents we’re dirty and tired to the
insurgents we’re dirty and tired to the point of delirium the rest of the 70 men
point of delirium the rest of the 70 men
point of delirium the rest of the 70 men in our company are back at the base
in our company are back at the base
in our company are back at the base sleeping soundly and we can’t wait to
sleeping soundly and we can’t wait to
sleeping soundly and we can’t wait to join them and it’s a long dusty road on
join them and it’s a long dusty road on
join them and it’s a long dusty road on the way back home it’s quiet as we pull
the way back home it’s quiet as we pull
the way back home it’s quiet as we pull up and park our trucks and just as we
up and park our trucks and just as we
up and park our trucks and just as we step out boom boom boom mortar rounds
step out boom boom boom mortar rounds
step out boom boom boom mortar rounds the size of footballs start falling
the size of footballs start falling
the size of footballs start falling directly with the other men are sleeping
directly with the other men are sleeping
directly with the other men are sleeping immediately we rush into the trailers
immediately we rush into the trailers
immediately we rush into the trailers get up get up get up get to the bunkers
get up get up get up get to the bunkers
get up get up get up get to the bunkers get to the bunkers get to the bunkers as
get to the bunkers get to the bunkers as
get to the bunkers get to the bunkers as I’m pounding on doors I stop and I think
I’m pounding on doors I stop and I think
I’m pounding on doors I stop and I think of my friend Jimmy where’s Jimmy I
of my friend Jimmy where’s Jimmy I
of my friend Jimmy where’s Jimmy I rushed over to Jimmy’s room i powered
rushed over to Jimmy’s room i powered
rushed over to Jimmy’s room i powered open the door the air is filled with
open the door the air is filled with
open the door the air is filled with smoke
smoke
smoke the sounds of wounded men and the smell
the sounds of wounded men and the smell
the sounds of wounded men and the smell of burning flesh like burnt hair that
of burning flesh like burnt hair that
of burning flesh like burnt hair that smell it always smells the same
smell it always smells the same
smell it always smells the same regardless of whether you’re a man woman
regardless of whether you’re a man woman
regardless of whether you’re a man woman child regardless of your race religion
child regardless of your race religion
child regardless of your race religion or ethnicity it always smells the same
or ethnicity it always smells the same
or ethnicity it always smells the same days I rush out and start looking for
days I rush out and start looking for
days I rush out and start looking for help just then the medics arrive rush
help just then the medics arrive rush
help just then the medics arrive rush into the room it’s chaos and I can’t be
into the room it’s chaos and I can’t be
into the room it’s chaos and I can’t be of any more help so I go and I get
of any more help so I go and I get
of any more help so I go and I get accountability in my men I head back to
accountability in my men I head back to
accountability in my men I head back to my trailer and I try to lay down
my trailer and I try to lay down
my trailer and I try to lay down several hours later I get a knock on my
several hours later I get a knock on my
several hours later I get a knock on my door
door
door it’s my section sergeant telling me what
it’s my section sergeant telling me what
it’s my section sergeant telling me what I already know that my good friend Jimmy
I already know that my good friend Jimmy
I already know that my good friend Jimmy is dead dazed and in shock I just start
is dead dazed and in shock I just start
is dead dazed and in shock I just start to laugh until I look over and see one
to laugh until I look over and see one
to laugh until I look over and see one of my soldiers with his head slumped
of my soldiers with his head slumped
of my soldiers with his head slumped against a Humvee steering wheel tears
against a Humvee steering wheel tears
against a Humvee steering wheel tears running down his face there’s nothing
running down his face there’s nothing
running down his face there’s nothing funny when a warrior cries several hours
funny when a warrior cries several hours
funny when a warrior cries several hours later the men that were closest to Jimmy
later the men that were closest to Jimmy
later the men that were closest to Jimmy started to gather around
started to gather around
started to gather around we sat told stories like when Jimmy
we sat told stories like when Jimmy
we sat told stories like when Jimmy would walk into a crowded restaurant and
would walk into a crowded restaurant and
would walk into a crowded restaurant and just yeah we’re me and everyone was
just yeah we’re me and everyone was
just yeah we’re me and everyone was laugh you know and then we just went
laugh you know and then we just went
laugh you know and then we just went back to our trailers laid down tried to
back to our trailers laid down tried to
back to our trailers laid down tried to get some sleep woke up in the morning
get some sleep woke up in the morning
get some sleep woke up in the morning went on our next mission because that’s
went on our next mission because that’s
went on our next mission because that’s what we do we ignore the pain we suck it
what we do we ignore the pain we suck it
what we do we ignore the pain we suck it up and drive on nobody ever came to
up and drive on nobody ever came to
up and drive on nobody ever came to check on us ask us how we were feeling
check on us ask us how we were feeling
check on us ask us how we were feeling how we were doing there was no chaplain
how we were doing there was no chaplain
how we were doing there was no chaplain or therapist psychologist no one because
or therapist psychologist no one because
or therapist psychologist no one because we’re warriors we don’t need that we
we’re warriors we don’t need that we
we’re warriors we don’t need that we don’t ask for help and if you do ask for
don’t ask for help and if you do ask for
don’t ask for help and if you do ask for help then that means you’re broken it
help then that means you’re broken it
help then that means you’re broken it means you don’t want to be a warrior
means you don’t want to be a warrior
means you don’t want to be a warrior anymore you want to go home
that was my third and final tour the
that was my third and final tour the military breaks you down as an
military breaks you down as an
military breaks you down as an individual and builds you up as part of
individual and builds you up as part of
individual and builds you up as part of a squad it teaches you to adapt and
a squad it teaches you to adapt and
a squad it teaches you to adapt and overcome in some of the worst situations
overcome in some of the worst situations
overcome in some of the worst situations a human being could possibly face and
a human being could possibly face and
a human being could possibly face and never ask for help yet the deep scars
never ask for help yet the deep scars
never ask for help yet the deep scars that we carry physically emotionally and
that we carry physically emotionally and
that we carry physically emotionally and psychologically they never go away for
psychologically they never go away for
psychologically they never go away for us the war doesn’t end once we get home
us the war doesn’t end once we get home
us the war doesn’t end once we get home and the only way to get help is to ask
and the only way to get help is to ask
and the only way to get help is to ask for it and this broken system has been
for it and this broken system has been
for it and this broken system has been well documented since at least the
well documented since at least the
well documented since at least the Vietnam War in that conflict over 58,000
Vietnam War in that conflict over 58,000
Vietnam War in that conflict over 58,000 American warriors lost their lives in
American warriors lost their lives in
American warriors lost their lives in battle and another hundred and fifty
battle and another hundred and fifty
battle and another hundred and fifty thousand took their own lives after
thousand took their own lives after
thousand took their own lives after returning home today we lose six
returning home today we lose six
returning home today we lose six thousand seven hundred and twenty
thousand seven hundred and twenty
thousand seven hundred and twenty veterans a year to suicide that’s five
veterans a year to suicide that’s five
veterans a year to suicide that’s five hundred and sixty a month 140 a week and
hundred and sixty a month 140 a week and
hundred and sixty a month 140 a week and twenty a day is it their fault
twenty a day is it their fault
twenty a day is it their fault no because there’s a stigma associated
no because there’s a stigma associated
no because there’s a stigma associated with seeking mental health care mental
with seeking mental health care mental
with seeking mental health care mental health issues are a sign of weakness in
health issues are a sign of weakness in
health issues are a sign of weakness in a culture that’s built on strength as a
a culture that’s built on strength as a
a culture that’s built on strength as a veteran one of the hardest things I’ve
veteran one of the hardest things I’ve
veteran one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do was ask for help because
ever had to do was ask for help because
ever had to do was ask for help because of the stigma
who doesn’t know a veteran perhaps your
who doesn’t know a veteran perhaps your father your grandfather your son your
father your grandfather your son your
father your grandfather your son your mother your sister your neighbor a
mother your sister your neighbor a
mother your sister your neighbor a co-worker someone its veterans all
co-worker someone its veterans all
co-worker someone its veterans all around us veterans issues affect us all
around us veterans issues affect us all
around us veterans issues affect us all warriors support everyone we need
warriors support everyone we need
warriors support everyone we need everyone’s support there’s a few things
everyone’s support there’s a few things
everyone’s support there’s a few things that can happen in the military it’s
that can happen in the military it’s
that can happen in the military it’s essential to establish mandatory mental
essential to establish mandatory mental
essential to establish mandatory mental health checkups for every man and woman
health checkups for every man and woman
health checkups for every man and woman regardless of rank but in order to do
regardless of rank but in order to do
regardless of rank but in order to do this we need to put a system in place in
this we need to put a system in place in
this we need to put a system in place in the military someone’s in charge of
the military someone’s in charge of
the military someone’s in charge of everything and no one’s in charge of
everything and no one’s in charge of
everything and no one’s in charge of mental health someone’s in charge of
mental health someone’s in charge of
mental health someone’s in charge of staples and no one’s in charge of mental
staples and no one’s in charge of mental
staples and no one’s in charge of mental health
health
health this isn’t about softening up our
this isn’t about softening up our
this isn’t about softening up our nation’s military this is about building
nation’s military this is about building
nation’s military this is about building a fighting force of sound mind and body
a fighting force of sound mind and body
a fighting force of sound mind and body so what can we do well thankfully
so what can we do well thankfully
so what can we do well thankfully there’s over 40,000 veteran service
there’s over 40,000 veteran service
there’s over 40,000 veteran service organizations working to empower
organizations working to empower
organizations working to empower veterans and their families across the
veterans and their families across the
veterans and their families across the country and they can sure use your
country and they can sure use your
country and they can sure use your support a lot of veterans service
support a lot of veterans service
support a lot of veterans service organizations working in this community
organizations working in this community
organizations working in this community and many others and we can discuss the
and many others and we can discuss the
and many others and we can discuss the idea of stigma the idea of mental health
idea of stigma the idea of mental health
idea of stigma the idea of mental health care and fully reintegrate our nation’s
care and fully reintegrate our nation’s
care and fully reintegrate our nation’s warriors and help them identify a new
warriors and help them identify a new
warriors and help them identify a new identity mission meaning and purpose
identity mission meaning and purpose
identity mission meaning and purpose while we focus on the three pillars of
while we focus on the three pillars of
while we focus on the three pillars of health of mind body and spirit in a
health of mind body and spirit in a
health of mind body and spirit in a nation that is so divided on so many
nation that is so divided on so many
nation that is so divided on so many issues this is one issue
issues this is one issue
issues this is one issue well we can all stand together and say
well we can all stand together and say
well we can all stand together and say no more but in order to do that we have
no more but in order to do that we have
no more but in order to do that we have to redefine what strength is I’ve always
to redefine what strength is I’ve always
to redefine what strength is I’ve always been a lawyer and I always will be and
been a lawyer and I always will be and
been a lawyer and I always will be and as sergeant Rodriguez in the 101st
as sergeant Rodriguez in the 101st
as sergeant Rodriguez in the 101st Airborne Division I associated strength
Airborne Division I associated strength
Airborne Division I associated strength with fierce determination and extreme
with fierce determination and extreme
with fierce determination and extreme violence of action never giving up at
violence of action never giving up at
violence of action never giving up at any cost
any cost
any cost but now as a father as an entrepreneur I
but now as a father as an entrepreneur I
but now as a father as an entrepreneur I associate strength with being honest and
associate strength with being honest and
associate strength with being honest and open about my human vulnerabilities my
open about my human vulnerabilities my
open about my human vulnerabilities my weaknesses and learning from people with
weaknesses and learning from people with
weaknesses and learning from people with vastly different life experiences
because this is how we end stigma and
because this is how we end stigma and when we end stigma we save lives
so as we shift form from warriors in
so as we shift form from warriors in battle to Warriors beyond the battle
battle to Warriors beyond the battle
battle to Warriors beyond the battle please remember that the health of our
please remember that the health of our
please remember that the health of our bodies and our minds is worth fighting
bodies and our minds is worth fighting
bodies and our minds is worth fighting for and that we are not broken thank you
”
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