25 Veterans of War commit suicide every day.

We teach our children for 18 years of their lives to be good to people, be respectful, be non violent and trust everyone. Then they go to war and must do the direct opposite of everything we have taught them in order to survive. Then they come home broken physically and mentally. Our children grow to be now war machines stuck in fast forward unstoppable. They are homeless, in jail, on drugs and useless to society for the next 60 years of their lives. That is the reality of our newest young war Veterans from our 10 year war. They weren’t even drafted they volunteered for this mess.

There is an unusual program out there designed to assist Veterans suffering with post traumatic stress disorder or known as PTSD. It is the fancy name for the mess they are feeling. These kids can’t even go to the grocery store without having to be suspicious of everything around them or hear a loud noise and think it is a bomb or have someone be rude to them and instead of walking away the soldier within them wants to just kill the enemy all over again. In war over there, you are allowed to kill the enemy. No time for a trial or jury. Kill.

PTSD

most commonly promotes feelings of anger and depression among those soldiers having difficulty readjusting to civilian life. I blame it on the Bush Administration that allowed the soldiers to sign up for many consecutive tours of duty. When a 19 year old kid has been doing nothing but killing for 4 or 5 years, not going to college, mot learning a skill, coming home is a horrible thing. American doctors are real easy to prescribe depression drugs but drugs wear off, Drugs just stupefies someone temporarily. It is not a long term solution.

There is a former soldier. A Veteran of combat in Iraq, worrier Todd Vance who came up with a better idea, and it is working to help these Veterans. He doesn’t have a fancy degree, just instincts. The guys get together and get to beat the crap out of each other and they feel great when done. They can’t spend all night out drinking and drugging because they have to be alert and fit for the fight in the morning. They have to have instincts on high alert again and they have to defend themselves again. They are home in the only home they have known for the past 5 years only now they are in a gym in America.

There is a place in San Diego called Veterans Village where many Veterans live and are being treated with about 8 medications at once. They take pills for PTSD, depression, anxiety and more. It is a home for traumatized soldiers who can’t adjust to normal life and who were homeless. The fight club that some of these guys chose to participate in is called P.O.W. this time for Pugilistic Offensive Warrior tactics. It is a non-profit charitable organization.

Todd Vance, the creator of P.O.W. is a former staff Sergeant in the Army who led over 200 combat operations during the height of the Iraq War. Mixed Martial Arts was a way for him to release his anger and frustration legally. You just can’t go out and beat the crap out of disrespectful people on the street any more. Then you are the criminal no matter what. The gym mentality is very much like the military. You become close friends with your he gym buddies, you train hard and there is a lot of physical excursion to blow off a lot of steam and frustration. Yes, a healthier way to deal with the voices in your head.

A quarter of a million veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD and many Veterans are in San Diego, the biggest military city in the country. They still have visions of seeing their friends die. They want to join their friends. Last year more active duty soldiers died from suicide than from active combat.