Tag Archives: Experiences

Why the Endless War Failed

Posted on October 25, 2021 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum The war in Afghanistan was a colossal failure that historians will speak about for generations to come. From the perspective of this veteran, who spent multiple years in Afghanistan in a number of different roles, the coalition … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Afghan American Relations, Afghanistan, ANA, ANP, Army, Combat Zone, current-events, dogtag chronicles, Experiences, GWOT, Military, OER, Officers | Leave a comment

Where Were You on 9/11? From the School House to the Sandbox

Posted on September 12, 2021 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum It was, admittedly, an inauspicious start to the day the world changed. So, there I was, at the Defense Language School (DLI), no shit. I was on the unit volleyball team, practice had ended and I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Never Forget, Random Memories, So There I Was | Tagged 9-11, 9/11, Afghan, Afghanistan, Afghans, Contractor, Counter Narcotics, current-events, Deployment, DLI, Experiences, Freedom Run, GWOT, Kandahar, Military, NYC, Sept 11, September 11, Taliban | Leave a comment

Hero’s Journey Home Step 5: The Turning Point

Posted on January 4, 2020 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum This is from five weeks into the Hero’s Journey Home project, a therapy program at the Seattle VA. I’m starting to see some benefits of this long term look at my military service. When I think about … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Experiences, Fort Lewis, Hero's Journey, Joseph Campbell, The hero's journey, the hero's journey home, VA, Veteran Experience | Leave a comment

Hero’s Journey Home Step 4: Mentors, Challenges, Trials and Descent

Posted on July 15, 2019 by psessum

By Peter Sessum Week four of the Veterans Administration therapy program. So far in our Hero’s Journey we have answered the call to adventure, crossed the threshold and now found mentors. Using the Matrix example, as the book often does, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, Military Leadership | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, Army, Blogging, Combat deployment, Deployment, Experiences, Hero's Journey, Khost, Matrix, Military, Mission, My Deployment, PSYOP, So There I Was, Soldiers, The hero's journey, the hero's journey home, Veterans Affairs | Leave a comment

No matter what you think you are made of, you are most likely wrong

Posted on February 16, 2017 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum The History Channel recently completed the first season of The Selection, their social experiment where they took 30 civilian through a mock special operations selection course. I know it wasn’t their intention, but my veteran friends and … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, So There I Was | Tagged Air Force, Army, Basic Training, Boot Camp, Burpees, Cross Fit, CrossFit, dogtag chronicles, Experiences, Fun Mudder, Grunt, History Channel, If Only Ranger, Infantry, Life Skills, Military, navy seals, POG, PSYOP, Quit, quitters, So There I Was, Soldier, Spartan, Spartan Run, Special Forces, The Selection, Training, Veterans, Vets | 1 Comment

Random Memory: The Power of the Sham Shield

Posted on November 6, 2015 by psessum

By Peter Sessum A recent post on social media about the attitudes of the enlisted ranks in the Army prompted me to write this. The breakdown of ranks were pretty accurate but I thought the Specialist one was too limiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, Military Leadership, Random Memories | Tagged AR 670-1, Army, CSM, dogtag chronicles, E-4, E4, Enlisted, Experiences, Germany, Leadership, Life Skills, Management, Military, Military leadership, Rank, Rnadom Memory, Sergeant Major, Sham Shield, So There I Was, Spec-4 Mafia, Specialist, Veterans, Vets | Leave a comment

The Duality of the American Veteran

Posted on October 29, 2015 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum Serving in the military is one of those few jobs that brand you for life. No matter what you do, you will always be a veteran. It is one of the few professions that stays with you … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Air Force, Army, current-events, Experiences, Life Skills, Marines, Military, Navy, PTSD, Soldier, Veterans, Vets | 1 Comment

I am Going to Cut Brian Williams Some Slack

Posted on September 28, 2015 by psessum

By Peter Sessum The Pope’s visit to America heralded the return of Brian Williams to news. While vets will long remember his statements and liken them to stolen valor, civilians will soon forget. As a vet, I do not take … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged Afghanistan, Brian Williams, Experiences, helicopter, Infantry, Iraq, Military, MSNBC, My Deployment, PSYOP, Service, So There I Was, Special Forces, Stolen Valor, Taliban, Veterans, Vets | Leave a comment

What it Feels Like to be a Veteran: Harry Potter

Posted on September 18, 2015 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum The military experience can be difficult to put into words that civilians understand. Not that they lack the mental capacity, but it is hard to put it in terms that they can relate to. Military life is … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged dogtag chronicles, Experiences, Harry Potter, Hogwarts, Leadership, Military, PTSD, Veteran Experience, Veterans, Vets, Voldemort, What is a veteran, What it feels like to be a vet | 1 Comment

Where Were You on 9/11? From Memorial Service to War

Posted on September 11, 2015 by psessum

By: Forrest Parks It was near the end of the day. We were all hanging out in the barracks waiting for the memorial service for one of our buddies that had been found dead in the barracks a few days … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged 9/11, 9/11/01, Army, current-events, Experiences, Germany, Sept 11, September 11, Soldier | Leave a comment