Page 829 - Total War on PTSD

CHAPTER 13 - RIDE IT OUT
Reese the Border Collie and Cojack the Golden Retriever/Yellow Labrador - Jeff: I was basically Infantry (11B) in the U.S. Army, Active Duty. I enlisted in February of 2007 and was medically retired as of September 2010. In between those times I deployed to Iraq the first time from November 2007 to July 2008. The second time I deployed was from August 2009 to November 2009. With the 82nd Airborne I got my Airborne Badge. I went to Sniper School and Ranger School and completed/graduated from both. So, when all was said and done, I was an Airborne Ranger. Would I go back in? Absolutely, because it gave me a sense of purpose. It made me feel good about what I was doing. I was 36 years old and a lot of the other Soldiers were ages 18 to 22 on average so they all kind of looked up to me, and even though I started so late, we all had the same rank. The Army gave me a life. It gave me something to do and it gave me something to look forward to every day. It made me feel good about what I was doing. Getting to be around the guys, and pushing each other taught me how to push myself.
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