This I Perceive as a Veteran…
by Mike Kim Veteran
Whatever happened to just listening to your own words flowing from your mind about your “lived reality” as a Veteran? Ever paid attention to how that TV show about war made you feel?
Ever met one of those “career military” Veterans who entered the Veteran landscape and now speaks for all Veterans? The one who still thinks he is on active duty trying to preach “The Vet Gospel” on his new podcast about how the VA Hospital is bad for you.
Then there is the other “Expert”. The social worker or therapist “Vet Know it All” telling you everything about military culture and how much you need to change your life.
So many Interpretations!
I have a dear friend who was one of those tough hardened soldiers who rarely spoke about the war he fought in. He once called unexpectedly late one night. I Was about a year from deployment and had spent a sleepless night trying to figure out my new lived reality of being a parent. Well, this friend spent an hour unloading on how the movie “Restrepo” was triggering him. I could only listen. There was something profound about the rawness of the moment that occupied an hour of two Veterans readjusting.
Where is the rawness in initial thoughts and deeper pondering? How about becoming attuned to readjusting to your “Veteran Self” and unfolding your “Veteran World”.
Personally, I am not letting fabricated social and literary constructions define me. Mass media, Vet organizations, and even the government I proudly served cannot comprehensively define my Veteran lived reality. Only I can offer the key descriptions and definitions of how I belong in the world as a Veteran.
Every day I discover something new about my Veteran Self. I reflect and have insights about my world. The analogy/fantasy/romanticizing of the lost Veteran from Hollywood movies only goes so far. I know where I am even in darkness, both in and out of uniform.
I invite you to ponder your “Veteran Self” frequently. This practice grounds me and helps me understand my past instead of fighting it. I can make another leap and interpret the world instead of letting others interpret my successes, challenges, broken ties, and strong bonds with others. I do not ignore the fabricated constructions about my Veteran narrative. I just do not remain fixed on it. It is in my interpretation of myself as a Veteran that supersedes the fictional stories/fairy tales made about my Veteran life. Experiencing this special kind of understanding and interpreting is a Veteran phenomenon only a simple daily reflection away…
To learn more about this topic check out this episode of Veteran Et Cetera. EP:33 Understanding the Veteran Self with Dr. Alec Grant on YouTube or at Veteran Et Cetera Podcast
References
Mike Kim Veteran Readjustment Culture Theory (2021)
Anthony De Mello Awareness (1990)
Maurice Merleau-Ponty Phenomenology of Perception (1945)
Paul Ricoeur Oneself as Another (1994)
