Dont thank me for my service! I did not join for gratitude! I was a 23 year old single dad who had ran out of options to support his son. I needed an escape from a bad situation and the United States Navy provided it for me. Now 12 years later I along with many other veterans battle the long term effects of what at time can be crippling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).In my daily profession it was implied that I should not write about or discuss my PTSD because it could make people uneasy and uncomfortable around me! While my internal response was "You think it's uncomfortable hearing about it?" "Well try fucking living with it every day!" Nevertheless I heeded the warning and stop sharing my experiences via social media. However, this is my blog and my rules!

I will be the first to admit I never saw combat, yet a three year period of living in constant vigilance broke my psyche beyond repair.Being seperated from my family for 503 out of a possibl…