Rachel Freeman-- 03/14 Class Reflection

 Yesterday's presentation of chapter 7 of Dr. Redick's book was insightful, emotional, and truly inspirational. Not only did Dr. Redick spend years of his life dedicating himself to our country, but he turned away from a lifestyle that many people do not recover from, overcame the statistics of veteran suicide, homelessness, and severe mental and physical health disorders, and transformed his life into one that truly reflects his values and nature. What I think is most important is how he used what's in our own backyard to create his own path of healing, his genuine energy in describing his experience in this journey, and his passion for bringing this possibility to other veterans through his research. 

As someone who plans to commission as an officer in the US Army upon graduation, I often struggle with the unimaginable ways it will affect my life later on. While I don't plan on joining any combat arms branches within the service, it is a career choice that is truly so unpredictable. I see myself being fulfilled in a life of love and service to the country, but I was taken aback when Dr. Redick was talking about the manipulation of those values into something used for possibly more harm than good; it's something I hadn't thought about from that perspective and I know I wouldn't be able to handle training to kill as Dr. Redick described. Then I remember how different military tactics and training are between then and now, and I notice that the training I receive in ROTC is more of a balance between leadership, strategy, and critical thinking, rather than "kill, kill, kill." While in the military you have to be ready for any combat situation, but we are not living in the same world that we used to be, and the need for well-rounded leaders in the military is more important and valuable than ever. This is one of the reasons why the JAG Corps and Army environmental consulting really stuck out to me as my career path, because I know I can accomplish good in an organization that has a reputation of violence against people and the planet. 

Dr. Redick also talked about how many servicemen and women form their identities around being in the military from such a young age that it is difficult to transition back into society. I heard some of these stories firsthand from speakers at a conference at the US Naval Academy, and I've been thinking about ways that I can make sure that I maintain a work-life balance in such a demanding field. Being in touch with nature is definitely at the top of the list because there is no career with more hustle than the military, and like Dr. Redick said, the slowness and peace within ecotherapy is a great way to escape that. In practicing mindfulness and connection with nature, I can learn to balance stress and healing, instead of bottling up emotions and dealing with everything at the tipping point. This way, I can also create experiences and memories that aren't associated with the structure of military life, and it will be easier for me to relate to those not in the service and transition into civilian life. However, I think that taking the ROTC to commissioned officer route has given me this advantage because I gain meaningful structural skills and live a normal college life simultaneously. 

Where the emotion settled for me the most during this presentation was how not everyone has the kind of opportunity that I ended up with. My dad joined the Marine Corps in 1988 as soon as he turned 18 because he had no other options, but unlike Dr. Redick, he didn't get to experience ecotherapy and healing himself of what he had been trained for. Although he doesn't talk about it much, I can imagine how the things that he saw in Iraq at the Battle of Fallujah, just days after fellow marines were hung above the Euphrates River, changed him. But when he came home, he had responsibilities like returning to life with a wife and a year-old daughter, and no time to hike the AT like I'm sure he would be too stubborn to quit once he started. I wonder how he would be different today if the idea of holistic wellness and healing were more accepted and expected of veterans, and how we can work to give back to our service members in the way that they have served us. 

My last note is that I can't imagine a better way to find purpose in a career, and sometimes the most difficult paths are the most rewarding, but there is always room for listening to and taking care of ourselves. I'll definitely be going on more walks at the Noland Trail soon.