Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I have a fifty five kerr ce de talk station.
Happy Wednesday to you. I was helping Tyler Gray was
going to be able to join us, but apparently Joe's
not able to reach him. Forging Chaos the name of
the book, he was apparently just an Delta Force operator.
He did all kinds of counter terrorism work, hunted down
(00:21):
bad guys and high value targets, bomb makers and warlords,
and he just was just in this high tension, constantly
adrenaline filled the service to his country and was severely
injured during a raid in Solder City, Iraq, which led
to him having to end his military career, which was
(00:42):
life changing. Oh he's he's there. Wonderful, wonderful Tyler Gray,
are you there.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yes, I'm here.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I was just describing your background. I was I was
thinking we weren't going to be able to get in
touch with you, because I think you're The point of
your book is so very important. I'm a huge supporter
of the American military. Veteran I've talked to so many
over the years. I didn't serve myself, which is why
I utilize a lot of the time on the Morning
show to help veterans. I promote the local Veterans Service
commissions and veterans issues and causes, and so your story,
(01:12):
I think is an extremely important one. You're a Delta
Force operator. You saw some serious, serious combat admission and
then tragedy hit you in is it Solder City?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yes, Yes, that's how I help you.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, so you're adrenaline's run in twenty four to seven
in your service for our country.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
I presume, yes, that's a good way to put it.
Nature of the job.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
And I think part of my understanding of what veterans
go through when they're out of the service, they're out
of the whole idea of the camaraderie. They've been kicking
doors in and facing danger at all times of the day.
And when you're out here, your trade, Sir Tyler Gray,
isn't really a val you outside of the military, and
(02:02):
so something has been taken away from you, but you,
I guess your brain has continued to be wired in
that high tension environment. The name of the book we're
talking about here is Forged in Chaos, a Warrior's Origin story.
So explain, explain the situation why you're so involved in
advocating for veterans' mental health and PTSD, it's really important.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I think at this point there's been so much awareness
of the problem, and we've had a lot of awareness,
but at this point it really takes It really takes
somebody laying out what their experience has been and shining
the light on their experience to help lead others.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Down that same path.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
So the book is about my experience and hopefully by
showing my experience that allows others to help them go
through the same thing.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well, I get the impression when you got back after
the military service because your injury, your your life kind
of unraveled.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
In what way were you impacted and how did the
this this change of circumstances environment as being out of
military service, how did it impact you for in the
downside your your experience with this PTSD concept.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, I think, as you said, it's for me.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
The way it affected me is that.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
A loss of identity, a loss of purpose And as
you said earlier, when you are, you know, wired for chaos,
when that's been your job for so long, it's very
difficult for you to suddenly be comfortable when everything is calm.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I think a lot of people get the perception that
you know, Once you're out of that, you're no longer
your life is no longer constantly uh in jeopardy. That
you might embrace laying down in bed and being able
to go to sleep at night knowing that you don't
have to get called out in the middle of the
night with a bomb blowing off in the neighborhood, an
ied blowing up, or that you got to get up
in two hours to start kicking more doors in Fallujah
(04:09):
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
But that's not the case, is it. No.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
The best way I can say it is, once you're
a person that can operate in a chaotic environment, that
becomes your homeostasis, and it becomes very difficult for you,
once you're comfortable in chaos to suddenly be comfortable when
everything is calm.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, I understand you develop what you call the LTSD theory.
Can you explain to my listeners, and there are a
lot of veterans in the listening audience right now, what
that is and what it means.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
So going back to what I just said, it's LTSD.
PTSD is post traumatic stress disorder. Obviously, LTSD the concept
stands for lack of traumatic stress disorder, and I came
up with that because I realized that for myself, I
was more comfortable when everything was chaotic, with the environment
(05:03):
was chaos, I was calm, And when the environment was calm,
my brain was chaotic. And so I created chaos in
the environment in order to calm my mind because that
was what I was used to.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
And a lot oftentimes this leads to self medication and
substance abuse.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Did you struggle with that as well?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Absolutely for years, And it was a struggle that I
didn't know what I was fighting, and it took me
years to realize all all the different components of addiction.
And as you said, it's really the way I explained
addiction now is it is an external way to cope
(05:46):
with an internal emotional issue that you're not used to
being able. You need something external because you don't have
the internal tools to deal with those emotions.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Now in your book, Forged in Chaos Again, I guess
Tyler Gray probably served his country until he was wounded
in combat. Do you explain how you came I presume
that you came out the other side that you found
a coping mechanism. Was it therapy, was it working with
other veteran services, working at the VA, getting counseling, or
a combination of all those. How did you come out
(06:20):
the better side? And they were able to write about
it in your book.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
For me, actually it was it was a little bit different,
and it was about looking in a different way that
I hadn't looked before. The simple way to put it
is that it is a combination.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You need.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You've got ten problems all happening at the same time,
and you have to treat everything relatively at one time
rather than just keeping them isolated. And you know, the
awareness and the treatments are at an all time high,
and yet the problem is getting worse. So for me,
it was a different paradigm and really understanding that I
(07:02):
had a mental and physical issue at the same time,
not just a mental one.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
It requires a lot of introspection.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
One hundred percent absolutely, And again to your point that introspection.
The work that I did, that's that's what I put
into the book, was the search I did for my
own answers hopefully will allow me to provide the answers
for others.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Well, I'm glad you did it. Now.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Was there a point in this this difficult post? Uh uh,
I'll say combat or post military experience, where you're going
through all these these challenges, was there like a moment
in time, a moment of clarity where you you sort
of the light went on and you realize that this
you were struggling with, this, this post chaos syndrome.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
There there were multiple different, you know, awarenesses, but there
was one fundamental moment that I detail in the book
where I came up I did something not normal, and
that was kind of when me trying to figure out
why I did what I did is where I came
up with the LTSP concept.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Well, I certainly I'm strongly encouraged my listening audience and
who have veterans in their lives that may they may
know are struggling to get a copy of the book,
because clearly this is going to help them maybe come
up with their own moment of clarity and help them
with their own introspection to get over their problems. You're right,
there's so many out there, and I'm actually glad that
(08:28):
at least we're having conversations these days about this as
opposed to just suck it up and get over it,
which used to be the old way and the old
attitude getting treatment, talking to people, and the veteran of
the VA I know has has some help and services
available for folks struggling with these challenges. But at least
it's accepted now that veterans go through this and it's
(08:51):
not looked down upon, and you're only helping us move
forward and find answers and solutions. Tyler Gray, it's been
a real pleasure having you on. I want to thank
you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of
all my listening audience for your service to our country.
Although it did lead to some problems and challenges forged
in chaos, a warrior's origin story may very well help
others since you went through some terrible times and are
(09:13):
sharing your experience with everybody else.
I have a fifty five kerr ce de talk station.
Happy Wednesday to you. I was helping Tyler Gray was
going to be able to join us, but apparently Joe's
not able to reach him. Forging Chaos the name of
the book, he was apparently just an Delta Force operator.
He did all kinds of counter terrorism work, hunted down
(00:21):
bad guys and high value targets, bomb makers and warlords,
and he just was just in this high tension, constantly
adrenaline filled the service to his country and was severely
injured during a raid in Solder City, Iraq, which led
to him having to end his military career, which was
(00:42):
life changing. Oh he's he's there. Wonderful, wonderful Tyler Gray,
are you there.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yes, I'm here.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I was just describing your background. I was I was
thinking we weren't going to be able to get in
touch with you, because I think you're The point of
your book is so very important. I'm a huge supporter
of the American military. Veteran I've talked to so many
over the years. I didn't serve myself, which is why
I utilize a lot of the time on the Morning
show to help veterans. I promote the local Veterans Service
commissions and veterans issues and causes, and so your story,
(01:12):
I think is an extremely important one. You're a Delta
Force operator. You saw some serious, serious combat admission and
then tragedy hit you in is it Solder City?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yes, Yes, that's how I help you.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, so you're adrenaline's run in twenty four to seven
in your service for our country.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
I presume, yes, that's a good way to put it.
Nature of the job.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
And I think part of my understanding of what veterans
go through when they're out of the service, they're out
of the whole idea of the camaraderie. They've been kicking
doors in and facing danger at all times of the day.
And when you're out here, your trade, Sir Tyler Gray,
isn't really a val you outside of the military, and
(02:02):
so something has been taken away from you, but you,
I guess your brain has continued to be wired in
that high tension environment. The name of the book we're
talking about here is Forged in Chaos, a Warrior's Origin story.
So explain, explain the situation why you're so involved in
advocating for veterans' mental health and PTSD, it's really important.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I think at this point there's been so much awareness
of the problem, and we've had a lot of awareness,
but at this point it really takes It really takes
somebody laying out what their experience has been and shining
the light on their experience to help lead others.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Down that same path.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
So the book is about my experience and hopefully by
showing my experience that allows others to help them go
through the same thing.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well, I get the impression when you got back after
the military service because your injury, your your life kind
of unraveled.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
In what way were you impacted and how did the
this this change of circumstances environment as being out of
military service, how did it impact you for in the
downside your your experience with this PTSD concept.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, I think, as you said, it's for me.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
The way it affected me is that.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
A loss of identity, a loss of purpose And as
you said earlier, when you are, you know, wired for chaos,
when that's been your job for so long, it's very
difficult for you to suddenly be comfortable when everything is calm.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I think a lot of people get the perception that
you know, Once you're out of that, you're no longer
your life is no longer constantly uh in jeopardy. That
you might embrace laying down in bed and being able
to go to sleep at night knowing that you don't
have to get called out in the middle of the
night with a bomb blowing off in the neighborhood, an
ied blowing up, or that you got to get up
in two hours to start kicking more doors in Fallujah
(04:09):
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
But that's not the case, is it. No.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
The best way I can say it is, once you're
a person that can operate in a chaotic environment, that
becomes your homeostasis, and it becomes very difficult for you,
once you're comfortable in chaos to suddenly be comfortable when
everything is calm.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, I understand you develop what you call the LTSD theory.
Can you explain to my listeners, and there are a
lot of veterans in the listening audience right now, what
that is and what it means.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
So going back to what I just said, it's LTSD.
PTSD is post traumatic stress disorder. Obviously, LTSD the concept
stands for lack of traumatic stress disorder, and I came
up with that because I realized that for myself, I
was more comfortable when everything was chaotic, with the environment
(05:03):
was chaos, I was calm, And when the environment was calm,
my brain was chaotic. And so I created chaos in
the environment in order to calm my mind because that
was what I was used to.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
And a lot oftentimes this leads to self medication and
substance abuse.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Did you struggle with that as well?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Absolutely for years, And it was a struggle that I
didn't know what I was fighting, and it took me
years to realize all all the different components of addiction.
And as you said, it's really the way I explained
addiction now is it is an external way to cope
(05:46):
with an internal emotional issue that you're not used to
being able. You need something external because you don't have
the internal tools to deal with those emotions.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Now in your book, Forged in Chaos Again, I guess
Tyler Gray probably served his country until he was wounded
in combat. Do you explain how you came I presume
that you came out the other side that you found
a coping mechanism. Was it therapy, was it working with
other veteran services, working at the VA, getting counseling, or
a combination of all those. How did you come out
(06:20):
the better side? And they were able to write about
it in your book.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
For me, actually it was it was a little bit different,
and it was about looking in a different way that
I hadn't looked before. The simple way to put it
is that it is a combination.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You need.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You've got ten problems all happening at the same time,
and you have to treat everything relatively at one time
rather than just keeping them isolated. And you know, the
awareness and the treatments are at an all time high,
and yet the problem is getting worse. So for me,
it was a different paradigm and really understanding that I
(07:02):
had a mental and physical issue at the same time,
not just a mental one.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
It requires a lot of introspection.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
One hundred percent absolutely, And again to your point that introspection.
The work that I did, that's that's what I put
into the book, was the search I did for my
own answers hopefully will allow me to provide the answers
for others.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Well, I'm glad you did it. Now.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Was there a point in this this difficult post? Uh uh,
I'll say combat or post military experience, where you're going
through all these these challenges, was there like a moment
in time, a moment of clarity where you you sort
of the light went on and you realize that this
you were struggling with, this, this post chaos syndrome.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
There there were multiple different, you know, awarenesses, but there
was one fundamental moment that I detail in the book
where I came up I did something not normal, and
that was kind of when me trying to figure out
why I did what I did is where I came
up with the LTSP concept.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Well, I certainly I'm strongly encouraged my listening audience and
who have veterans in their lives that may they may
know are struggling to get a copy of the book,
because clearly this is going to help them maybe come
up with their own moment of clarity and help them
with their own introspection to get over their problems. You're right,
there's so many out there, and I'm actually glad that
(08:28):
at least we're having conversations these days about this as
opposed to just suck it up and get over it,
which used to be the old way and the old
attitude getting treatment, talking to people, and the veteran of
the VA I know has has some help and services
available for folks struggling with these challenges. But at least
it's accepted now that veterans go through this and it's
(08:51):
not looked down upon, and you're only helping us move
forward and find answers and solutions. Tyler Gray, it's been
a real pleasure having you on. I want to thank
you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of
all my listening audience for your service to our country.
Although it did lead to some problems and challenges forged
in chaos, a warrior's origin story may very well help
others since you went through some terrible times and are
(09:13):
sharing your experience with everybody else.
Brian Thomas News
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