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Brian M. Murray, MS What does it mean to be a combat veteran? Often the answer can be found in training and learning how to fight in a combat situation. A combat load in the military is regarded as a full load of everything needed to fight, whether it’s a tank or a rucksack. What goes in a tank or ruck gets hauled, whether it weighs 64 tons on a track or 120 pounds on a back. As prior Infantry, I remember my first real combat load and couldn’t believe what was being handed to me to carry. My usual training combat load varied anywhere from 35-75 pounds depending on the mission. Not this time. Before deploying, I weighed it in disbelief - it was approaching 120 lbs! By some standards and units this is still considered low. This is crazy; how can anyone carry this much weight and still be effective? It was cliché for the cadence call referencing “I used to drive a Cadillac, now I carry it on my back.” Point number one is that a combat load is heavy. It’s everything you need a...

  By: Brian M Murray, MS, IMH   “Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.” -Douglas MacArthur…   On November 11 th the veterans of the United States of America get to stand up and be recognized, all 22.7 million of us. It is a time for one day a year to being able to say, “Yes, I am one.” Handshakes, parades and hugs and many thanks are commonplace throughout the day and are well appreciated. Recognizing each other there is an unwritten understanding, a common bond knowing that at some place and time in history we all played a part of who we are today. There is a sense of pride…and we are humble at the same time. It is called “the service” for a reason, serving a democracy is at the core for which the military stands. It is recognized as an honor to serve out of respect the citizen...

Brian M Murray, MS, IMH Over the past 11 years our nation has been at war. As of 9/30/2011 the Department of Veteran Affairs reported there is an estimated 22,234,000 United States military veterans. To put this in perspective the world’s largest military force according to the CIA Factbook, China, has 2,250,000 active duty personnel. The United States has an all active duty personnel at 1,450,000. The point is the United States has an enormous veteran population and most people know someone who has served or know someone associated with someone who has served. The United States Army is reporting that in the first part of 2012 that suicide rates are at an all time high. This impact is being felt among all ranks and all socio-economic-cultural backgrounds. This is not limited to the guys on the front line trading bullets. The impact, stress and trauma of 11 years of war are deep and are reaching upper echelon. It would behoove the Veterans Administration to have a contin...