Sept16

Chuck Dean
War Zone to Comfort Zone
Vet 2 Vet
I’ve noticed that as I get on in life and communicate
with other senior veterans, most of
us did not expect to live into the golden years.
Therefore, being somewhat unprepared, the
reality of aging may present some stressful effects
for many of us.
We all know that aging can suggest weakness
and vulnerability, but yet we can easily remember
that as youngsters we went off to serve
our country feeling impervious to danger; the
military training gave us that confidence.
However, now our unstoppable aging seems to
contradict that reality.
For veterans, the law of the jungle (that the
strong survive and the weak get eaten) has a
deeper meaning than to most people. In the
realm of competitive business, when corporate
takeovers are part of the scheme of things, or
an employee is systematically cut out of their
job so someone else can get ahead in the
game, it is said to be adhering to “the law of
the jungle.” Only the strong survive.
But this ugly brand of jungle ethics exists
in a completely different venue than what
combat veterans have known. As part of the
training, warriors have always been expected
to be strong enough to survive life and death
situations.
That’s what it’s all about. They train for the
battlefield where they seek out the enemy -
and eliminate him.
This is far from what corporate America or
sports teams do to accomplish their goals. The
“killer instinct” that is so energetically thrown
around in locker rooms and sales meetings in
corporate America becomes a very real instinct
to soldiers in the heat of battle.
Without this instinct, a warrior is very
lucky…or very dead. At any
rate, every person who serves in
the military will always have a
different reality on the subject of
survival.
But when the once capable
body and mind begins to decline
with age, it is easy to feel more
vulnerable and challenged by
what were once ordinary life
circumstances. So, how do we
adjust to the frustrations of this
unavoidable journey?
My suggestion is to take a deep breath, get
in the moment, and then set out one step at a
time. Perhaps even re-visiting some of our past
military training is a good idea.
My favorite was “observation training.” Remember
the observation course? The idea was
to test our ability to see what was really in front
of us.
Have a good look around and assess where
you truly are in life. Observe and determine
what is in front of you before making any decisions.
As we age, nature is obviously in control, so
why not go with the flow? Mature within your
own comfort zone and not the hectic zones
dictated by the world around you.
Remember that relying on and reverting
back to some of that good old training of yesteryear
is not such a bad idea. The training is
still useful today.
It is life-knowledge (compliments of Uncle
Sam) that we are all familiar with. Enjoy the
march.
Chuck Dean served as an Army paratrooper in Vietnam, and through that experience
was led to address the many transitional issues veterans struggle with after war. In
2008, he was honored to receive the prestigious Hirsch Foundation Leadership Award
for his writing and work in support of veterans. Visit his web page at: http://chuckdean.artisancraftfestival.com/.
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