Charlie Plumb, who spent six years in the Hanoi Hilton as a POW, has said that “struggle is a terrible thing to waste.” There are people who proactively seek out adversity, struggle, and trauma — who run towards the danger — because they realize on some level that it will reveal parts of themselves they will know in no other way. What they gain in the process are the two keys to struggling well: strength and courage. That’s why at basic training, boot camp, and all the advanced military schools there’s a process of tearing people down only to build them back up stronger and better than ever.
In the gardens of our Virginia and Arizona locations hangs a quote from the Athenian general and philosopher Thucydides,
“We must remember that one man is much the same as another and that he is best that is trained in the severest school.”
This quote, from 500 BC, came when Thucydides realized that his soldiers were better and wiser upon returning to their communities from war because of the experiences they had on the battlefield.They were wise in ways that the community wasn’t about what truly matters in life. Their task was to make sense of their experiences so they could share those lessons with the rest of the community. Their struggles had immense value.
Struggles don’t just arise on the battlefield; they are faced on every walk through life. The fact that struggles have value is one truth that we share with each other and with everyone who comes through the Warrior PATHH and Struggle Well programs.
We invite you to join us in our mission to ensure that members of the veteran and first responder communities can live great lives in the aftermath of trauma, whether by volunteering your time, helping us spread the word, or lending your financial support.
Josh Golberg
Your support powers life-changing programs offered at no charge to veterans, military, first responders, and their families. With your help, our Warriors won't just survive — they'll thrive.
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