Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Multiple people in my family clean my father, are veterans.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Troops that have been to war and now they're back.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
And think and be grateful for their.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Service, sacrifice, love for their country, just unselfishness, all that
they do for us.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
There are some people in this country who take extraordinary
steps to provide for the freedom and security.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
We forget that those people exist.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We know them as the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,
and Coast Guard. They call themselves soldiers, seals, rangers, airmen, sailors, devil.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Dogs, and so much more.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We call them fathers, brothers, sons and husbands, mothers, daughters,
sisters and wives. We call them friend and neighbor. These
veterans answered the call. Now we answer Theirs are the
best our country has to offer, and we love them. Today,
(01:06):
we honor them and we start them. David Malsby is
your host, and he welcomes you to this community of veterans.
As together we are building the road.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
To hope, and we are glad to have you along.
Those of you listening on the KPRC, the nine to
five O, and the AMDAL thank you for joining us
on a Sunday afternoon. We are truly appreciative of you
selecting to listen to us for a little while. We
share a little bit of hope. Everybody you run into
today could use a little bit of hope, So thank
you for listening. Those of you listening through the magic
(01:42):
of podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, we prefer the
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(02:03):
it with your network. You never know who might hear
about the programs that we offer that know someone or
maybe they are the someone that could really use our programs.
The great thing about the programs we offer, just like
the show, absolutely zero cost to the veteran or their family.
That's because we have a great, great community of supporters
(02:26):
who help make sure that the PTSD Foundation of America
can Hope is ready to serve America's veterans dealing with
combat related post traumatic stress. Big things to our show sponsors,
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the dream community, Republic Grand Ranch dot Com. All right,
we've got and I have four the shows over. I
think we're gonna have three vents in here right now.
We got two. So Adrian, you've been on the show before,
we let you take the lead introduce yourself, the grand
(03:56):
introduction to the world. A little world.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
All right, Hello Adrian Jones.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
Everyone calls me jonesy alphabet mentor here at Camp Hope.
Marine served in the Iraq. Did two back to back
tours fourteen months and then total, Yes, sir, what years?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Well, twenty eight months total, so.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
So they both for fourteen Yes, what years were.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
So I went in in October two thousand and two
and I left I believe it was like June July
two thousand and four. So so there's stayed twenty eight months.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
You were there very earlyer though too.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Yes, sir, we did the initial setup all of it.
We were part of what they called a Ford Events team,
so we went there before everyone came six months later
to set up the bases, and.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
So you were just sitting back, feed up, propped up,
smoking cigars, having what you were doing, right.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
I wish it was like that. That wasn't it, No, sir,
it was that at all. It was more of a
sandstorms and uh, trying to hunker down and things of
that nature. I wish it was a little laid back,
but it was kind of. It was crazy. First when
first went over there, I was I believe I was
the first one of that battalion that was actually in
(05:15):
a firefight over there, so it was it was young,
less corporal and it was just a ah pretty uh.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Exciting, exciting and uh that's a word that's scary experience
the same time, but you think, yeah, uh good gracious
all right, So yeah, we'll get into a little bit
of your story. But what year did you come through camp?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Hope?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
So I came in twenty twenty three, April of twenty
twenty three.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
And how long you've been on staff?
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Now, I've been on staff the twenty fifth of this
month of a year.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Not to get your jacket, Yes, sir, I'm ready. You know,
the year Jacket's kind of become a thing, which is cool. Uh.
And originally it was only for the mentors. Then it
kind of expanded and if you survived a year at
the organization any capacity, you got one. But that was
what was originally designed for because it was such a
(06:20):
hard time because we were paying them and we're still
not paying a lot of money, but we were paying
pennies and most of the guys were living on camp,
so they were just never away. Well, let's come up
with something to reward people, as small as it may seem,
but it did become a thing. It's like it's a
it's a cool moment when you get the year jacket,
(06:41):
Like I'm excited.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Actually it's to look forward to because I wanted a
few that actually been there the whole time. So I've
been there total. Uh see next month to be twenty
four months, two years, So yeah, it's something to look
forward to to show progress.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
So I'm I'm a oh yeah. Well when you think
about you know, day one, when you first step foot
on the campus, and you know your mindset that particular time,
what your mindset is today, it's almost not recognizable, all right,
Corret uh. For information on our programs, ptsd usa dot
(07:20):
org is the website ptsd usa dot org. There's not
only Camp Hope, which is the interim housing project six
to eight months guy has come to live with us,
sometimes up to two years, it can take a while,
but also our support groups that we run throughout the
country also virtually so you could be literally anywhere. Log
onto the internet you can be a part of those groups.
Ptsd usa dot org. Ptsd usa dot org. We're gonna
(07:43):
take a quick break and be right back with more
of Road to Hope Radio. It's goodbybe right there, hey,
(08:16):
and welcome back to Roade Hope Radio. Glad to have
you along. Remember, wherever you listen to podcasts, let's look
for Road to Hope Rady. If you would do this
big favor, hit that subscribe button. It'll download automatically every
time a new show gets posted, and it's absolutely free.
Appreciate you sharing that. One other piece of information will
(08:38):
give you real quick. If you everybody would get out
your phone. Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you
for anything. I'm gonna give you something. Pull out your phone.
Eight seven seven seven one seven seventy eight seventy three.
Got some comedians in the studio. Eight seven seven seven
one seven seventy eight seventy three. Now here's why you
need that phone number. You come and craws a veteran
(09:01):
or a family member, a friend, someone that knows a
veteran who's struggling, that's the number they need. Eight seven
seven seven one seven seventy eight seventy three. Now here's
what you need to know about that number. When the
phone is answered, it's going to be a combat vet.
It's not going to be a psych It's not going
to be some of our guys with PTSD. There's a
lot of paranoise. So it's it's it's not the CIA,
(09:24):
it's not Big Brother. It is a combat VET answering
the phone eight seven seven seven one seven seventy eight
seventy three. Will answer it anytime a day or night.
This is combat Trauma Support line. So please have that
in your phone. You may come across someone and who knows,
maybe you are the someone that will eventually need that number.
(09:44):
Eight seven seven seven to one seven seventy eight seventy three.
All right, So we've introduced Adrian, United States Marine Graduate,
a Camp Hope now mentor doing great work and grateful
for what you do, coming up on its year anniversary,
which is pretty cool. We also have a resident that's
in our program today, going to give you the chance
to do your own grand introduction if you would just
(10:06):
ride up next to that microphone and tell the world
who you are.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
My name is Nathan Peterson, but I go by Nate.
I was a thirty fourth ID out of Minnesota National
Card Unit and I was eleven Bravo. I end up
the point with a fifty first Engineering unit DIRAC in
two thousand and seven. In two thousand and.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Eight, when did you join the army?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I went to MEPs in two thousand and six. August
of two thousand and six.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Were you right out of high school?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
No? I worked at a casino a couple of years
prior to.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
This could be a fun conversation. I just lit up like, oh,
this could be fun.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
And they get off the reservation on my days off. Yeah,
A buddy was telling me, hey, you want to go
see a recruiter. So we went to see a recruiter.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Okay, now what sounded good about that?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Getting off the resume, getting off the reservation?
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Oh okay, gotcha.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
And the reason I joined the recruiter caught my eyes
when he was talking about to sign on bonus and
all this. So I signed up right there with my buddy.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
All right, got that bonus? What was the bonus? I'm curious.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
It was a twenty thousand dollars signing on bonus, all
right after jacks as you get it just over half?
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Yes, Yeah, it's always funny. The people who haven't never
had a hay check, like, yeah, it doesn't matter what
you make exactly, that's not what you get just because
that's what you make doesn't mean that's what you get,
all right. So a couple of years on the reservation,
then you join the army, yes, all right? And then
(11:56):
she deployed, oh sixty said oh seven, wait and how
long are you there?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Uh? Ten months? And I was out of bag the
Iraq but we were never there. We were all over Iraq?
Speaker 4 (12:11):
So what were you doing?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
I was infantry, but uh to get on the deployment
because I wasn't film the week in warrior stuff. I
went through training command and then I talked to sergeant
at Major out in Canada training with the Canadian Infantry
unit out there, and I asked about a deployment and
(12:37):
he got me on the deployment. But he said I
wouldn't go as infantry mint. I would go with an
engineering engineering unit. So that's how I ended up going.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Who had the better food? Canadians were there.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Us? Thank you?
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Right answer? Yeah, all right? So eight month deployment. Now
we're not a war story, so we're not going to
get into home you know, blood and guts and all that.
But give them give our audience some sort of an idea. Obviously,
if you're at Campo PTSD is a part of your life.
(13:19):
Uh where does that stem from from your time in
the service.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I don't regret joining the service, and I'm grateful for
Camp Hope. They're getting me out of my a show.
I spent a lot of time isolating and not doing
things I should be doing what Camp Hope has got
me doing. So, I mean, it's a great opportunity to
be either so and I'm doing stuff I would never
(13:49):
do before, like going out to horse ranches, are going
to the gym regularly, so, communicating with a fellow residence
and stuff as well.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Sure, how long have you been in camp by the way.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I've been at Camp Hope since December tenth.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Okay, so you're still pretty early in the program. But
you're making progress. Yes, that's gotta be exciting. It is
challenging too, I'm sure it is.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
It could be frustrating because I'm not used to having
all these roommates or roommates or being on a schedule.
But I needed it, you know what I mean, to
get me out, get me out, I'm not sure how
to say, but to give me back on track with life.
It's not isolating now.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Along with PTSD, AD another diagnosis.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I got TBI and sleep happening. TBI is from a
roadside bomb in Iraq, So I think we're entering Soud,
your city when it went off. But uh so I
messes with my memory a lot.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Sure, which so you know, Adrian, we talked about this.
Sometimes the programs designed in sixty nine months, Sometimes it
could take much longer than that, and there's a thousand
reasons for that. But diagnosis such as a TBI can
be part of that. Not necessarily, but it can be.
But we've had guys come in and they literally lived
(15:28):
by sticky notes. The first three or four months they
were there. They were putting sticky notes everywhere to remember
where they were supposed to be and what their responsibilities
were that day. There were sticky notes everywhere all right.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
I mean to get through, you know, the initial phase,
to just to get your mind said on where you are,
to get past that fog of what was going on,
little reminders. I remember a gentleman, you know, it was
kind of his go to for a reminder. He'd come
to me and not write them down because he can't
get it together. As far as memory and TV is
(15:59):
pretty bad. So it's a process.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Yeah, I imagine I would assume, Well, it's not a thing.
So you you mentioned isolating. Do you know why you
were isolating? Do you understand that yet.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Out of the depression and anxiety being around certain crowds
or big crowds. It takes me out of my comfort zone.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
So coming to Houston, for one thing, I'm sure it
was uncomfortable coming to someplace you've never been seen. You
don't know who's there, but you step in and it's
everybody else is combat PTSD. Not everybody else has TBI,
but you're not the only one with TBI. Did that
kind of help make the transition for you?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yes, I can relate with you guys other than Seville
and Steal. You understand half the time. Oh, with these
guys they understand fully so, and it brings up good
stories or good memories to talking with them. We ask
(17:13):
each other where you've been this, and I all do
remember this and that country?
Speaker 4 (17:17):
So yes, And it can tend to get a little dark.
Humor sometimes comes to the uh yeah, to the I
eds and such. They can get, you know, combat vets.
They will say some things that you know, the whole
pre funeral cortex thing filters off. This just completely shut down,
(17:38):
so it can get pretty dark. Uh, but the point
is camaraderie, like you're walking in and you're with others
who the shared experience, and that's what works. We're gonna
take a quick news break for those of you listen
on the nine to five. Oh, will be right back
with more of Road to Hope Radio. I guess there's
(18:12):
some basketball going on that I don't know, some march madness.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
I think it's I think it's starts this week.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Yeah, this is something going on today. I'm glad you're
with us. This is so much better. This is so
much better than watching US sixteen seed beat up on
a one seed.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Anyway, welcome back to Road to Hope Radio. We've got
Adrian our United States Marine Graduate, Camp Hope mentor at
Camp Hope, and then we've got Nathan United States Army
vet served in Iraq seven O eight PTSD TBI. Which way,
we never talked about what that is because people we
use the terminologies because we're just used to it the
(18:55):
old acronyms. But traumatic brain injuries. Who I think you
kind of self explained it with the the roadside bomb.
If people get the idea. How armored up was that vehicle?
Remember I was in a Humby I bilget. His doors
were about five hundred pounds apiece. It was pretty armored, but.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
You know, when it goes off, you're still going to shake,
and so I remember hitting my head on the stealing
with the cavalon.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
So where did they take you?
Speaker 2 (19:30):
We got rushed back to Cobber, I wanted to say,
And then they met at BacT to mein guys that
were severely wounded. One died on the dropper, but I was.
They got phoned back to the Green Zone to Camp
of Liberty, I believe. No, that's the main camp, one
(19:53):
of the three main camps in the Green Zone.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
You said they had to put a track in you.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
That wasn't another incident non military, Yes, but that's why
I'm mm hmm what the track is. I got really sick,
you know, with the COVID outbreak, and then I really
(20:22):
don't remember, you know, I just remember going to bed,
I guess, and then not waking up. It was a
new year, so yeah, you know, I was a little confusing.
I didn't even know it had a house, you know,
I thought I lived in an apartment.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
So you know that's got to be traumatic in and
of itself. Yes, it's waking up and it's a whole
new world.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I knew I had a child, but I didn't know
her name, if that makes sense. It takes a while,
so you you learn a lot about about yourself from
other people like my ex wife or my daughter, my
brother and so on and friends.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
When did you get out of the army.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
I got the army in June of twenty ten.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Okay, so you were still in for a while after
the ied.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Yes, I was still in for a while.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Okay, so twenty ten you're out. You didn't show up
to camp until the very end of twenty twenty four. Yes,
mentioned the isolation. When did that start?
Speaker 2 (21:45):
It really started, I want to say, several years of
being out and then I knew nothing about the VA.
And then my mom got ahold of a soldo veteran affairs.
They're calling me back, and they all they reached out
(22:07):
to me and told me about the BA and then
they brought me to the VA and that's how I
was introduced to the VA and everything.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
You remember what year that was? Roughly twenty twelve, twenty twelve,
So just a couple of years after you got out them. Yes,
did they diagnose you with PTSD?
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Yes, they diagnosed me with PTSD.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
They did they do the TBI diagnosis while you were
still in after you were hit?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
No, they did that after.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Of course, that's how it usually works.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
Like myself, I was diagnosed, so I got started in
two thousand and twelve, I believe for me as well,
and then it changed in twenty twenty. But I didn't
get my TBI diagnosis or anything until.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
I was at Camp Hope. So that's how many years later.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
So I don't know where they're at today. I don't
think they've progressed, and I'm not talking about the v
I'm just talking about it in general. I don't know
how much they've progressed in the TBI world because it's
not our it's not our number one thing. We're not medics,
not doctors. But in dealing with veterans through the years,
(23:26):
I remember in two thousand and nine twenty ten, talking
with some guys who clearly had TBI, and well, what
are they doing about it? And they said, well, not
really doing anything about it. They don't know what then
never quick reply to that was they don't know what
(23:46):
to do about it. They don't know why they don't.
It's why they're not doing anything. Have they done anything?
Speaker 5 (23:52):
Well, okay, so do I use myself for example, like
camp Hope gave me the lingo like to go in
and say, this is what's going on to diagnose. So
when they do, like I didn't get any special medication
or anything, you know, they were like, hey, you got
you know, scar tissue on your inside of your drums.
(24:12):
And it's not something else I'm bleeding whatever going on,
You have a mild TBI.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
All right, ten of night, et cetera, et cetera. And
that was it.
Speaker 5 (24:20):
I mean I never really you know, got any kind
of anything else elf from it. It's just like diagnosis
and that's it.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
So Yeah, one guy talked to this would have been
ten ish twenty ten. He said they'd given it, had
given him some special type of eyeglasses that they were
hoping might help with the TBI. And I don't think
it ever did, but at least they were trying, you know,
doing something.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Maybe maybe look into it. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Yeah, I don't know either. I just I haven't you know,
I haven't gotten that far involved with it. I'm not
sure where they stand on that, Nathan. What do they
do about your TBI anything?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Just memory classes?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Okay, yeah, sure that's very helpful, sure, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, but other than that, they're still working on.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Yeah, how to cope with it?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Yeah, I mean I write things down so I don't forget.
So every time I go shop and I take a
list with me. Some people don't need a list. I
need a list. I need a schedule, otherwise I'll forget
about what I'm doing.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
So, so you went in twenty twelve, you had the
the TBI diagnosis. Yes, you didn't have a PTSD diagnosis.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
They give me the PTSD and the TVA TBI diagnosis
at the same time.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
Oh they did, yeah, in twenty twelve, yeah, twenty twelve. Okay,
So what do they do about pta s anything? The
kitchen with us?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Yeah, I see, I've seen the psych characters for a while.
But with the PTSD, they also gave me a special
pair of glasses with US and color, aren't it. It's
supposed to help your outbursts or maybe anger. It's supposed
to calm you down or put you in a con
(26:24):
relax environment with the classes.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
So how long did you wear those.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
I got actually have to get a new pair.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
Got you.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I'm not sure where the old pairs are, but I
got a v appointment here in a couple of weeks.
I'll bring that up with sure.
Speaker 4 (26:44):
So PSD T B. I you're you're isolating, uh any
other coping mechanism at the time, I'm.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Not that can recall. I mean I was diagnosed with
sleep appening up at the gaming.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
No, I mean was there anything else you were doing
to try to deal with with all that? Were you
substance abuse?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Yeah? I was using alcohol a lot, Okay, to the
point where I got livers.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
So, okay, gotcha? All right? What led you to the point? Well,
how'd you first hear about Camp Hope?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
So? I I was in Florida and due to my
house bringing down a couple of years prior, ended up
in Florida in the hotel or a hotel. I was
drinking a lot where I ended up at the VA
hospital and I had my phone and I reached out
(27:51):
to U. My buddy, which was a former green Berry
did sixteen years in an army, but he reached out
to the outreach program in Tampa for Camp Hope and
they came and see me at the BA. Gotcha, And
then they told me about is that Nick?
Speaker 4 (28:11):
He probably don't remember, that's all right. Yeah, Nick was
probably involved in some way shape for him anyway. All right,
that's how you heard our outreach team there. Yeah, they
do great work. Yeah yeah, I was out there just
a couple of weeks ago. They do great work, all right.
A reminder ptsd usa dot org for more up to
date stuff the day to day if you follow us
on Facebook or the X formerly known as Twitter. Ptsd
(28:35):
USA on both of those as well. Ptsd USA and
the Combat Trauma Crisis Line eight seven seven seven one
seven seventy eight seventy three answered by a combat Vet
twenty four seven three sixty five eight seven seven seven
one seven seventy eight seventy three. We'll be right back,
(28:58):
Johnny school Boy when his song and we're welcome you back.
David Malsby here, got Adrian, United States Marine veteran served
(29:19):
in the Rack. Nathan United States Army veteran served in Iraq.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
All right, So you.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
Got to Camp Hope basically a couple of months ago. Yes,
what what's what's changing for you? What? What are you
sleeping any better yet? It might be a little early
for that, but I thought i'd ask.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Well, my body is getting used to, uh fall asleep
easier without substance.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
You use, right, the alcohol, that's a big, big issue.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I used to use alcohol to drink sleep. Her alcohol
is sleep. So but now I'm just going to bed naturally,
which is a good thing. Sure, And I'm not waking
up sick, so I have a purpose when I wake up,
you know, I got something to do.
Speaker 4 (30:16):
How does that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I feel proud of myself, I guess. And I'm sure
my daughter is proud of me of not drinking or
waking up sick.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
How old is she?
Speaker 2 (30:30):
She will be fifteen that next month.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
So awesome. Yeah, that's kind of you should feel proud
of that. Absolutely exactly.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
And my daughter's been through a lot lately, I mean
with her mother passing away in August from substance use,
you know, alcohol, And that's why I'm here. So and
she's happy I'm here, you know.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
Is she back in Minnesota?
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Yeah, she just doesn't want me to go back to
the environment. After I get sobriety time and all that,
then reach out and get her, get her to come
live with me.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
So sure, What's.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
What?
Speaker 4 (31:23):
What has there been a class A Warrior group? Uh
something where uh kind of a light switch came on
for you. Maybe just something that really stuck out with
you so far and what you've learned in the program.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Being heres give me the hope for a better life
without alcohol. The things we do like taking this out
to the park or the horse ranchers. Yeah, they took
us to a concert in Rodeo, which was pretty exciting.
(32:05):
I mean, and I was sober. We're all doing it.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
You know, right, Yeah, absolutely, I think it's awesome. Man.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Then I'd be checking checking my bankstements to see what
I spent on alcohol at the event. You know, So
if I were to go, I would have to go
using a substance.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
So that must have been something. Did you go to
the rodeo?
Speaker 3 (32:30):
I did?
Speaker 4 (32:30):
That must have been something for you, guys, because that's
just I don't care how you cut it, or who
you are or what you like or don't like. That's
a lot of people. Well yeah, in one spot, not
just inside the stadium for the actual rodeo, but just
getting to the stadium and the carnival and there everything
(32:51):
else is going on, right, It was.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
It was a little hectic. It was a small little group.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
Think was twenty that was total, yeah, eighteen residents, And
it was a little little, almost a little much.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
You know. Even I'm a little further along, it's still
kind of like, oh man, like I feel like the
least for everybody. It was like what's going on? Where's
everybody going? But it was it was cool experience, though,
have you.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
Ever seen anything like that? To me, it's just I
remember the first time, like, holy I what world.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
Is seventy thousand plus people? And I was like, oh man,
it was. And that's just in the just in the building.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
It include one hundred thousand people outside.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
I mean, shoulders shoulder everywhere.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
It was.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
It's pretty cool. It was pretty good.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
I'm with Nate here like I've never been. I'm I'm uncomfortable,
I'm a cowboy, you know, and all that. I've never
been to a rodeo sober so that was the first
for me too. I was like, this was crazy. It
was a it was a good experience.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
It was what's that like for you? Having gone from
just a short time ago being isolated to here you
are in the middle of one hundred thousand people.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
It feels good. It feels at least I can remember it,
if that makes sense, and it makes me want to
do more things like that with my dodg especially.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Absolutely, there's still a lot of time out there in
front of your brother, thank you. There's a lot of time.
It's worth it, isn't.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
It, Yes, sir, every man in every second one. They
like to say to these guys sometimes like when it
gets too tough and you can't really make it, I
don't feel like you can make it day for a day.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Moment by moment, you know. That's what I tell these guys.
Every moment, get past the next moment.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Most guys that come into the program, when they you know,
are out long enough, they'll be open and honest enough
to say I wanted to leave about three times a
day or whatever the number is, I want to leave
three hundred times, just you know, whatever their number was
that they wanted to use. It's hard work. I mean
(35:00):
it's in every way. It's hard. It's i'd have to
imagine with the TBI as an addition to it. When
you're you haven't got step four yet, Yeah, so that's
gonna be Yeah. Step four can be rough.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
They're always tough.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
But when you have TBI and you're trying to do
that and you're trying to dredge up things that you
were trying to drink away at some point in time
in your life, that's that's a critical time, which is
one of the really cool things about you know, the
the love hate kind of thing. I hate having to
do it, but man, that's something you don't want to
(35:43):
do alone, right Uh. You want to be able to
do that surrounded by others who either have done it
or they're going through the same thing you're going through.
And then I'm not alone aspect, Yes, sir.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
If I if I wouldn't have been in the setting
that I was in and had to do that what
I did as far as my step for I don't
think I would have been okay. Because whenever it got
too tough, it was like someone recognized it and hey, hey, hey,
hey jonesy okay, what's going on? And they talked to me,
talked me through my emotions of what was going on,
(36:17):
and of course the counselors and everybody else there. You know,
it was, yeah, it was I couldn't have yeah, done
that by myself. So but once I got up there
and I got all out to wait.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
It felt so good just to Yeah, so it's worth it.
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Absolutely. You've already alluded to a little bit. Uh, Nathan.
You know you want to be there for your daughter,
But what about for you? Just for you? What are
you looking forward to for you?
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Sobriety, how and sobriety, health and relaxation, just without all
gahol So travel more.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
Outside of your daughter or any other family at home.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
No, okay, just my brother is in You'll lose that
in the Philippines, Rice, Patty.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
That's a bit of a trip there.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Yeah, I've been to the Philippines, but not in the
middle of the Rice Patty, I've been to the Philippines.
It's a long flights, long flight I've given up on those. Yeah,
no more of those. Well, and I just want to
say thanks, Thanks for what you're doing to improve your
(37:50):
life and and to be the best father you can't
be to your daughter and be the best version of
yourself going forward. You're worth it. And I'm glad Camp
Hope's here for you, and I'm glad you are here
and going through the program. I'm glad people like Adrian
are here to help you go through that process so
(38:13):
you don't have to do it alone. So just keep
doing the work, brother, all right, thank you. Eight seven
seven seven one seventy eight seventy three is the Combat
Trauma Support Line for information about the program at Camp Hope.
Our Warrior Groups, family support groups both in person and
in line. PTSDUSA dot org. Social media Facebook, Twitter, All right,
(38:37):
ex I guess you should say, ptsd USA. Please do
the follow and the share of the retweeting all that.
We truly do appreciate it, and we thank you again
for joining us this week. We do look forward to
being with you again next week for more of Road
to Hope Radio
Speaker 2 (39:01):
Nations bened
Multiple people in my family clean my father, are veterans.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Troops that have been to war and now they're back.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
And think and be grateful for their.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Service, sacrifice, love for their country, just unselfishness, all that
they do for us.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
There are some people in this country who take extraordinary
steps to provide for the freedom and security.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
We forget that those people exist.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We know them as the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,
and Coast Guard. They call themselves soldiers, seals, rangers, airmen, sailors, devil.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Dogs, and so much more.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We call them fathers, brothers, sons and husbands, mothers, daughters,
sisters and wives. We call them friend and neighbor. These
veterans answered the call. Now we answer Theirs are the
best our country has to offer, and we love them. Today,
(01:06):
we honor them and we start them. David Malsby is
your host, and he welcomes you to this community of veterans.
As together we are building the road.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
To hope, and we are glad to have you along.
Those of you listening on the KPRC, the nine to
five O, and the AMDAL thank you for joining us
on a Sunday afternoon. We are truly appreciative of you
selecting to listen to us for a little while. We
share a little bit of hope. Everybody you run into
today could use a little bit of hope, So thank
you for listening. Those of you listening through the magic
(01:42):
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(02:03):
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The great thing about the programs we offer, just like
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(02:26):
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for your forever home. Republic Grandranch dot Com, the dream home,
the dream community, Republic Grand Ranch dot Com. All right,
we've got and I have four the shows over. I
think we're gonna have three vents in here right now.
We got two. So Adrian, you've been on the show before,
we let you take the lead introduce yourself, the grand
(03:56):
introduction to the world. A little world.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
All right, Hello Adrian Jones.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
Everyone calls me jonesy alphabet mentor here at Camp Hope.
Marine served in the Iraq. Did two back to back
tours fourteen months and then total, Yes, sir, what years?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Well, twenty eight months total, so.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
So they both for fourteen Yes, what years were.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
So I went in in October two thousand and two
and I left I believe it was like June July
two thousand and four. So so there's stayed twenty eight months.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
You were there very earlyer though too.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Yes, sir, we did the initial setup all of it.
We were part of what they called a Ford Events team,
so we went there before everyone came six months later
to set up the bases, and.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
So you were just sitting back, feed up, propped up,
smoking cigars, having what you were doing, right.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
I wish it was like that. That wasn't it, No, sir,
it was that at all. It was more of a
sandstorms and uh, trying to hunker down and things of
that nature. I wish it was a little laid back,
but it was kind of. It was crazy. First when
first went over there, I was I believe I was
the first one of that battalion that was actually in
(05:15):
a firefight over there, so it was it was young,
less corporal and it was just a ah pretty uh.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Exciting, exciting and uh that's a word that's scary experience
the same time, but you think, yeah, uh good gracious
all right, So yeah, we'll get into a little bit
of your story. But what year did you come through camp?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Hope?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
So I came in twenty twenty three, April of twenty
twenty three.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
And how long you've been on staff?
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Now, I've been on staff the twenty fifth of this
month of a year.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Not to get your jacket, Yes, sir, I'm ready. You know,
the year Jacket's kind of become a thing, which is cool. Uh.
And originally it was only for the mentors. Then it
kind of expanded and if you survived a year at
the organization any capacity, you got one. But that was
what was originally designed for because it was such a
(06:20):
hard time because we were paying them and we're still
not paying a lot of money, but we were paying
pennies and most of the guys were living on camp,
so they were just never away. Well, let's come up
with something to reward people, as small as it may seem,
but it did become a thing. It's like it's a
it's a cool moment when you get the year jacket,
(06:41):
Like I'm excited.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
Actually it's to look forward to because I wanted a
few that actually been there the whole time. So I've
been there total. Uh see next month to be twenty
four months, two years, So yeah, it's something to look
forward to to show progress.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
So I'm I'm a oh yeah. Well when you think
about you know, day one, when you first step foot
on the campus, and you know your mindset that particular time,
what your mindset is today, it's almost not recognizable, all right,
Corret uh. For information on our programs, ptsd usa dot
(07:20):
org is the website ptsd usa dot org. There's not
only Camp Hope, which is the interim housing project six
to eight months guy has come to live with us,
sometimes up to two years, it can take a while,
but also our support groups that we run throughout the
country also virtually so you could be literally anywhere. Log
onto the internet you can be a part of those groups.
Ptsd usa dot org. Ptsd usa dot org. We're gonna
(07:43):
take a quick break and be right back with more
of Road to Hope Radio. It's goodbybe right there, hey,
(08:16):
and welcome back to Roade Hope Radio. Glad to have
you along. Remember, wherever you listen to podcasts, let's look
for Road to Hope Rady. If you would do this
big favor, hit that subscribe button. It'll download automatically every
time a new show gets posted, and it's absolutely free.
Appreciate you sharing that. One other piece of information will
(08:38):
give you real quick. If you everybody would get out
your phone. Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you
for anything. I'm gonna give you something. Pull out your phone.
Eight seven seven seven one seven seventy eight seventy three.
Got some comedians in the studio. Eight seven seven seven
one seven seventy eight seventy three. Now here's why you
need that phone number. You come and craws a veteran
(09:01):
or a family member, a friend, someone that knows a
veteran who's struggling, that's the number they need. Eight seven
seven seven one seven seventy eight seventy three. Now here's
what you need to know about that number. When the
phone is answered, it's going to be a combat vet.
It's not going to be a psych It's not going
to be some of our guys with PTSD. There's a
lot of paranoise. So it's it's it's not the CIA,
(09:24):
it's not Big Brother. It is a combat VET answering
the phone eight seven seven seven one seven seventy eight
seventy three. Will answer it anytime a day or night.
This is combat Trauma Support line. So please have that
in your phone. You may come across someone and who knows,
maybe you are the someone that will eventually need that number.
(09:44):
Eight seven seven seven to one seven seventy eight seventy three.
All right, So we've introduced Adrian, United States Marine Graduate,
a Camp Hope now mentor doing great work and grateful
for what you do, coming up on its year anniversary,
which is pretty cool. We also have a resident that's
in our program today, going to give you the chance
to do your own grand introduction if you would just
(10:06):
ride up next to that microphone and tell the world
who you are.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
My name is Nathan Peterson, but I go by Nate.
I was a thirty fourth ID out of Minnesota National
Card Unit and I was eleven Bravo. I end up
the point with a fifty first Engineering unit DIRAC in
two thousand and seven. In two thousand and.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Eight, when did you join the army?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I went to MEPs in two thousand and six. August
of two thousand and six.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Were you right out of high school?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
No? I worked at a casino a couple of years
prior to.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
This could be a fun conversation. I just lit up like, oh,
this could be fun.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
And they get off the reservation on my days off. Yeah,
A buddy was telling me, hey, you want to go
see a recruiter. So we went to see a recruiter.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Okay, now what sounded good about that?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Getting off the resume, getting off the reservation?
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Oh okay, gotcha.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
And the reason I joined the recruiter caught my eyes
when he was talking about to sign on bonus and
all this. So I signed up right there with my buddy.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
All right, got that bonus? What was the bonus? I'm curious.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
It was a twenty thousand dollars signing on bonus, all
right after jacks as you get it just over half?
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Yes, Yeah, it's always funny. The people who haven't never
had a hay check, like, yeah, it doesn't matter what
you make exactly, that's not what you get just because
that's what you make doesn't mean that's what you get,
all right. So a couple of years on the reservation,
then you join the army, yes, all right? And then
(11:56):
she deployed, oh sixty said oh seven, wait and how
long are you there?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Uh? Ten months? And I was out of bag the
Iraq but we were never there. We were all over Iraq?
Speaker 4 (12:11):
So what were you doing?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
I was infantry, but uh to get on the deployment
because I wasn't film the week in warrior stuff. I
went through training command and then I talked to sergeant
at Major out in Canada training with the Canadian Infantry
unit out there, and I asked about a deployment and
(12:37):
he got me on the deployment. But he said I
wouldn't go as infantry mint. I would go with an
engineering engineering unit. So that's how I ended up going.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Who had the better food? Canadians were there.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Us? Thank you?
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Right answer? Yeah, all right? So eight month deployment. Now
we're not a war story, so we're not going to
get into home you know, blood and guts and all that.
But give them give our audience some sort of an idea. Obviously,
if you're at Campo PTSD is a part of your life.
(13:19):
Uh where does that stem from from your time in
the service.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I don't regret joining the service, and I'm grateful for
Camp Hope. They're getting me out of my a show.
I spent a lot of time isolating and not doing
things I should be doing what Camp Hope has got
me doing. So, I mean, it's a great opportunity to
be either so and I'm doing stuff I would never
(13:49):
do before, like going out to horse ranches, are going
to the gym regularly, so, communicating with a fellow residence
and stuff as well.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Sure, how long have you been in camp by the way.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I've been at Camp Hope since December tenth.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Okay, so you're still pretty early in the program. But
you're making progress. Yes, that's gotta be exciting. It is
challenging too, I'm sure it is.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
It could be frustrating because I'm not used to having
all these roommates or roommates or being on a schedule.
But I needed it, you know what I mean, to
get me out, get me out, I'm not sure how
to say, but to give me back on track with life.
It's not isolating now.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Along with PTSD, AD another diagnosis.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I got TBI and sleep happening. TBI is from a
roadside bomb in Iraq, So I think we're entering Soud,
your city when it went off. But uh so I
messes with my memory a lot.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Sure, which so you know, Adrian, we talked about this.
Sometimes the programs designed in sixty nine months, Sometimes it
could take much longer than that, and there's a thousand
reasons for that. But diagnosis such as a TBI can
be part of that. Not necessarily, but it can be.
But we've had guys come in and they literally lived
(15:28):
by sticky notes. The first three or four months they
were there. They were putting sticky notes everywhere to remember
where they were supposed to be and what their responsibilities
were that day. There were sticky notes everywhere all right.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
I mean to get through, you know, the initial phase,
to just to get your mind said on where you are,
to get past that fog of what was going on,
little reminders. I remember a gentleman, you know, it was
kind of his go to for a reminder. He'd come
to me and not write them down because he can't
get it together. As far as memory and TV is
(15:59):
pretty bad. So it's a process.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Yeah, I imagine I would assume, Well, it's not a thing.
So you you mentioned isolating. Do you know why you
were isolating? Do you understand that yet.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Out of the depression and anxiety being around certain crowds
or big crowds. It takes me out of my comfort zone.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
So coming to Houston, for one thing, I'm sure it
was uncomfortable coming to someplace you've never been seen. You
don't know who's there, but you step in and it's
everybody else is combat PTSD. Not everybody else has TBI,
but you're not the only one with TBI. Did that
kind of help make the transition for you?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yes, I can relate with you guys other than Seville
and Steal. You understand half the time. Oh, with these
guys they understand fully so, and it brings up good
stories or good memories to talking with them. We ask
(17:13):
each other where you've been this, and I all do
remember this and that country?
Speaker 4 (17:17):
So yes, And it can tend to get a little dark.
Humor sometimes comes to the uh yeah, to the I
eds and such. They can get, you know, combat vets.
They will say some things that you know, the whole
pre funeral cortex thing filters off. This just completely shut down,
(17:38):
so it can get pretty dark. Uh, but the point
is camaraderie, like you're walking in and you're with others
who the shared experience, and that's what works. We're gonna
take a quick news break for those of you listen
on the nine to five. Oh, will be right back
with more of Road to Hope Radio. I guess there's
(18:12):
some basketball going on that I don't know, some march madness.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
I think it's I think it's starts this week.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Yeah, this is something going on today. I'm glad you're
with us. This is so much better. This is so
much better than watching US sixteen seed beat up on
a one seed.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Anyway, welcome back to Road to Hope Radio. We've got
Adrian our United States Marine Graduate, Camp Hope mentor at
Camp Hope, and then we've got Nathan United States Army
vet served in Iraq seven O eight PTSD TBI. Which way,
we never talked about what that is because people we
use the terminologies because we're just used to it the
(18:55):
old acronyms. But traumatic brain injuries. Who I think you
kind of self explained it with the the roadside bomb.
If people get the idea. How armored up was that vehicle?
Remember I was in a Humby I bilget. His doors
were about five hundred pounds apiece. It was pretty armored, but.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
You know, when it goes off, you're still going to shake,
and so I remember hitting my head on the stealing
with the cavalon.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
So where did they take you?
Speaker 2 (19:30):
We got rushed back to Cobber, I wanted to say,
And then they met at BacT to mein guys that
were severely wounded. One died on the dropper, but I was.
They got phoned back to the Green Zone to Camp
of Liberty, I believe. No, that's the main camp, one
(19:53):
of the three main camps in the Green Zone.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
You said they had to put a track in you.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
That wasn't another incident non military, Yes, but that's why
I'm mm hmm what the track is. I got really sick,
you know, with the COVID outbreak, and then I really
(20:22):
don't remember, you know, I just remember going to bed,
I guess, and then not waking up. It was a
new year, so yeah, you know, I was a little confusing.
I didn't even know it had a house, you know,
I thought I lived in an apartment.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
So you know that's got to be traumatic in and
of itself. Yes, it's waking up and it's a whole
new world.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I knew I had a child, but I didn't know
her name, if that makes sense. It takes a while,
so you you learn a lot about about yourself from
other people like my ex wife or my daughter, my
brother and so on and friends.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
When did you get out of the army.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
I got the army in June of twenty ten.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Okay, so you were still in for a while after
the ied.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Yes, I was still in for a while.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Okay, so twenty ten you're out. You didn't show up
to camp until the very end of twenty twenty four. Yes,
mentioned the isolation. When did that start?
Speaker 2 (21:45):
It really started, I want to say, several years of
being out and then I knew nothing about the VA.
And then my mom got ahold of a soldo veteran affairs.
They're calling me back, and they all they reached out
(22:07):
to me and told me about the BA and then
they brought me to the VA and that's how I
was introduced to the VA and everything.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
You remember what year that was? Roughly twenty twelve, twenty twelve,
So just a couple of years after you got out them. Yes,
did they diagnose you with PTSD?
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Yes, they diagnosed me with PTSD.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
They did they do the TBI diagnosis while you were
still in after you were hit?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
No, they did that after.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Of course, that's how it usually works.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
Like myself, I was diagnosed, so I got started in
two thousand and twelve, I believe for me as well,
and then it changed in twenty twenty. But I didn't
get my TBI diagnosis or anything until.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
I was at Camp Hope. So that's how many years later.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
So I don't know where they're at today. I don't
think they've progressed, and I'm not talking about the v
I'm just talking about it in general. I don't know
how much they've progressed in the TBI world because it's
not our it's not our number one thing. We're not medics,
not doctors. But in dealing with veterans through the years,
(23:26):
I remember in two thousand and nine twenty ten, talking
with some guys who clearly had TBI, and well, what
are they doing about it? And they said, well, not
really doing anything about it. They don't know what then
never quick reply to that was they don't know what
(23:46):
to do about it. They don't know why they don't.
It's why they're not doing anything. Have they done anything?
Speaker 5 (23:52):
Well, okay, so do I use myself for example, like
camp Hope gave me the lingo like to go in
and say, this is what's going on to diagnose. So
when they do, like I didn't get any special medication
or anything, you know, they were like, hey, you got
you know, scar tissue on your inside of your drums.
(24:12):
And it's not something else I'm bleeding whatever going on,
You have a mild TBI.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
All right, ten of night, et cetera, et cetera. And
that was it.
Speaker 5 (24:20):
I mean I never really you know, got any kind
of anything else elf from it. It's just like diagnosis
and that's it.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
So Yeah, one guy talked to this would have been
ten ish twenty ten. He said they'd given it, had
given him some special type of eyeglasses that they were
hoping might help with the TBI. And I don't think
it ever did, but at least they were trying, you know,
doing something.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Maybe maybe look into it. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Yeah, I don't know either. I just I haven't you know,
I haven't gotten that far involved with it. I'm not
sure where they stand on that, Nathan. What do they
do about your TBI anything?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Just memory classes?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Okay, yeah, sure that's very helpful, sure, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, but other than that, they're still working on.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Yeah, how to cope with it?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Yeah, I mean I write things down so I don't forget.
So every time I go shop and I take a
list with me. Some people don't need a list. I
need a list. I need a schedule, otherwise I'll forget
about what I'm doing.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
So, so you went in twenty twelve, you had the
the TBI diagnosis. Yes, you didn't have a PTSD diagnosis.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
They give me the PTSD and the TVA TBI diagnosis
at the same time.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
Oh they did, yeah, in twenty twelve, yeah, twenty twelve. Okay,
So what do they do about pta s anything? The
kitchen with us?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Yeah, I see, I've seen the psych characters for a while.
But with the PTSD, they also gave me a special
pair of glasses with US and color, aren't it. It's
supposed to help your outbursts or maybe anger. It's supposed
to calm you down or put you in a con
(26:24):
relax environment with the classes.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
So how long did you wear those.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
I got actually have to get a new pair.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
Got you.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
I'm not sure where the old pairs are, but I
got a v appointment here in a couple of weeks.
I'll bring that up with sure.
Speaker 4 (26:44):
So PSD T B. I you're you're isolating, uh any
other coping mechanism at the time, I'm.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Not that can recall. I mean I was diagnosed with
sleep appening up at the gaming.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
No, I mean was there anything else you were doing
to try to deal with with all that? Were you
substance abuse?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Yeah? I was using alcohol a lot, Okay, to the
point where I got livers.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
So, okay, gotcha? All right? What led you to the point? Well,
how'd you first hear about Camp Hope?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
So? I I was in Florida and due to my
house bringing down a couple of years prior, ended up
in Florida in the hotel or a hotel. I was
drinking a lot where I ended up at the VA
hospital and I had my phone and I reached out
(27:51):
to U. My buddy, which was a former green Berry
did sixteen years in an army, but he reached out
to the outreach program in Tampa for Camp Hope and
they came and see me at the BA. Gotcha, And
then they told me about is that Nick?
Speaker 4 (28:11):
He probably don't remember, that's all right. Yeah, Nick was
probably involved in some way shape for him anyway. All right,
that's how you heard our outreach team there. Yeah, they
do great work. Yeah yeah, I was out there just
a couple of weeks ago. They do great work, all right.
A reminder ptsd usa dot org for more up to
date stuff the day to day if you follow us
on Facebook or the X formerly known as Twitter. Ptsd
(28:35):
USA on both of those as well. Ptsd USA and
the Combat Trauma Crisis Line eight seven seven seven one
seven seventy eight seventy three answered by a combat Vet
twenty four seven three sixty five eight seven seven seven
one seven seventy eight seventy three. We'll be right back,
(28:58):
Johnny school Boy when his song and we're welcome you back.
David Malsby here, got Adrian, United States Marine veteran served
(29:19):
in the Rack. Nathan United States Army veteran served in Iraq.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
All right, So you.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
Got to Camp Hope basically a couple of months ago. Yes,
what what's what's changing for you? What? What are you
sleeping any better yet? It might be a little early
for that, but I thought i'd ask.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Well, my body is getting used to, uh fall asleep
easier without substance.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
You use, right, the alcohol, that's a big, big issue.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I used to use alcohol to drink sleep. Her alcohol
is sleep. So but now I'm just going to bed naturally,
which is a good thing. Sure, And I'm not waking
up sick, so I have a purpose when I wake up,
you know, I got something to do.
Speaker 4 (30:16):
How does that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I feel proud of myself, I guess. And I'm sure
my daughter is proud of me of not drinking or
waking up sick.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
How old is she?
Speaker 2 (30:30):
She will be fifteen that next month.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
So awesome. Yeah, that's kind of you should feel proud
of that. Absolutely exactly.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
And my daughter's been through a lot lately, I mean
with her mother passing away in August from substance use,
you know, alcohol, And that's why I'm here. So and
she's happy I'm here, you know.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
Is she back in Minnesota?
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Yeah, she just doesn't want me to go back to
the environment. After I get sobriety time and all that,
then reach out and get her, get her to come
live with me.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
So sure, What's.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
What?
Speaker 4 (31:23):
What has there been a class A Warrior group? Uh
something where uh kind of a light switch came on
for you. Maybe just something that really stuck out with
you so far and what you've learned in the program.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Being heres give me the hope for a better life
without alcohol. The things we do like taking this out
to the park or the horse ranchers. Yeah, they took
us to a concert in Rodeo, which was pretty exciting.
(32:05):
I mean, and I was sober. We're all doing it.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
You know, right, Yeah, absolutely, I think it's awesome. Man.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Then I'd be checking checking my bankstements to see what
I spent on alcohol at the event. You know, So
if I were to go, I would have to go
using a substance.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
So that must have been something. Did you go to
the rodeo?
Speaker 3 (32:30):
I did?
Speaker 4 (32:30):
That must have been something for you, guys, because that's
just I don't care how you cut it, or who
you are or what you like or don't like. That's
a lot of people. Well yeah, in one spot, not
just inside the stadium for the actual rodeo, but just
getting to the stadium and the carnival and there everything
(32:51):
else is going on, right, It was.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
It was a little hectic. It was a small little group.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
Think was twenty that was total, yeah, eighteen residents, And
it was a little little, almost a little much.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
You know. Even I'm a little further along, it's still
kind of like, oh man, like I feel like the
least for everybody. It was like what's going on? Where's
everybody going? But it was it was cool experience, though,
have you.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
Ever seen anything like that? To me, it's just I
remember the first time, like, holy I what world.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
Is seventy thousand plus people? And I was like, oh man,
it was. And that's just in the just in the building.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
It include one hundred thousand people outside.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
I mean, shoulders shoulder everywhere.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
It was.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
It's pretty cool. It was pretty good.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
I'm with Nate here like I've never been. I'm I'm uncomfortable,
I'm a cowboy, you know, and all that. I've never
been to a rodeo sober so that was the first
for me too. I was like, this was crazy. It
was a it was a good experience.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
It was what's that like for you? Having gone from
just a short time ago being isolated to here you
are in the middle of one hundred thousand people.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
It feels good. It feels at least I can remember it,
if that makes sense, and it makes me want to
do more things like that with my dodg especially.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Absolutely, there's still a lot of time out there in
front of your brother, thank you. There's a lot of time.
It's worth it, isn't.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
It, Yes, sir, every man in every second one. They
like to say to these guys sometimes like when it
gets too tough and you can't really make it, I
don't feel like you can make it day for a day.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Moment by moment, you know. That's what I tell these guys.
Every moment, get past the next moment.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Most guys that come into the program, when they you know,
are out long enough, they'll be open and honest enough
to say I wanted to leave about three times a
day or whatever the number is, I want to leave
three hundred times, just you know, whatever their number was
that they wanted to use. It's hard work. I mean
(35:00):
it's in every way. It's hard. It's i'd have to
imagine with the TBI as an addition to it. When
you're you haven't got step four yet, Yeah, so that's
gonna be Yeah. Step four can be rough.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
They're always tough.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
But when you have TBI and you're trying to do
that and you're trying to dredge up things that you
were trying to drink away at some point in time
in your life, that's that's a critical time, which is
one of the really cool things about you know, the
the love hate kind of thing. I hate having to
do it, but man, that's something you don't want to
(35:43):
do alone, right Uh. You want to be able to
do that surrounded by others who either have done it
or they're going through the same thing you're going through.
And then I'm not alone aspect, Yes, sir.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
If I if I wouldn't have been in the setting
that I was in and had to do that what
I did as far as my step for I don't
think I would have been okay. Because whenever it got
too tough, it was like someone recognized it and hey, hey, hey,
hey jonesy okay, what's going on? And they talked to me,
talked me through my emotions of what was going on,
(36:17):
and of course the counselors and everybody else there. You know,
it was, yeah, it was I couldn't have yeah, done
that by myself. So but once I got up there
and I got all out to wait.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
It felt so good just to Yeah, so it's worth it.
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Absolutely. You've already alluded to a little bit. Uh, Nathan.
You know you want to be there for your daughter,
But what about for you? Just for you? What are
you looking forward to for you?
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Sobriety, how and sobriety, health and relaxation, just without all
gahol So travel more.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
Outside of your daughter or any other family at home.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
No, okay, just my brother is in You'll lose that
in the Philippines, Rice, Patty.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
That's a bit of a trip there.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Yeah, I've been to the Philippines, but not in the
middle of the Rice Patty, I've been to the Philippines.
It's a long flights, long flight I've given up on those. Yeah,
no more of those. Well, and I just want to
say thanks, Thanks for what you're doing to improve your
(37:50):
life and and to be the best father you can't
be to your daughter and be the best version of
yourself going forward. You're worth it. And I'm glad Camp
Hope's here for you, and I'm glad you are here
and going through the program. I'm glad people like Adrian
are here to help you go through that process so
(38:13):
you don't have to do it alone. So just keep
doing the work, brother, all right, thank you. Eight seven
seven seven one seventy eight seventy three is the Combat
Trauma Support Line for information about the program at Camp Hope.
Our Warrior Groups, family support groups both in person and
in line. PTSDUSA dot org. Social media Facebook, Twitter, All right,
(38:37):
ex I guess you should say, ptsd USA. Please do
the follow and the share of the retweeting all that.
We truly do appreciate it, and we thank you again
for joining us this week. We do look forward to
being with you again next week for more of Road
to Hope Radio
Speaker 2 (39:01):
Nations bened
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