Ep 45: Ken Buckles on the Importance of Remembering and Learning from the Stories of War

Do you know someone who has been affected by war either by serving in the military or by getting caught in the crossfire? Have you heard their stories of how war affected them? My guest today, Ken Buckles, a retired high school teacher and football coach, has seen first hand the importance of hearing the stories from a diverse group of veterans and others affected by war.

Ken is the son of a Marine who experienced combat during the Korean War, returned home experiencing symptoms of PTSD, and committed suicide when Ken was just 30 years old. We will discuss how this caused ripple effects on him and his family but how ultimately, it inspired him to start a program at his high school called Living History Day, which allowed veterans and others affected by war to engage with his teenage students and tell their stories. As Ken began recording the many stories he was hearing, this ultimately morphed into a book with three volumes, the first titled, Remembrance Volume I: Remembering My Veteran Friends and Guests From Living History Days. It is a page turner to say the least and after hearing him speak with me today, is something that you will definitely want to get your hands on. He has opened a door allowing Veterans and others affected by war to share their stories and the atrocities they’ve had to face and conquer in his book with more volumes on the way.

Listen in to learn all about the adversities that Ken has had to overcome, all of the ways he has stayed positive, and the impact he has made on countless people over the years. 

Memorable Quotes: 

“So many people, they need to realize that you got to hang on to hope and you got to know there’s better times ahead, we can get through this and there’s so many lessons to be learned, you know, the choice is which way do you want to go?”

“When you accomplish something, no one can ever take it away from you.”

“I’m so proud of them, and they’ve carried that with them into their careers and raising their kids.”

“Coached a lot of kids who played at the college level whether it’s football or other sports, and one who ended up playing in the NFL.”

In this episode you will learn:

• All about Ken’s background and what made him into the man he is today.
• How he overcame adversities in his life and how we have the power to decide our own fate, despite going through hard times.
• The importance of perspective and how seeing things from a different lens can positively impact your life.
• All about Ken’s days as a D1 Athlete, High School Teacher and Football Coach
• The amazing program he started for his students to learn from Veterans and more.
• How Ken became an author of the book Remembrance Volume I: Remembering My Veteran Friends and Guests From Living History Days.