Real Combat Life

It is widely accepted in the medical community that writing about difficult or traumatic experiences and feelings helps the brain process and deal with such experiences in a heathy, healing manner. If these experiences are shared in a friendly supportive environment with like minded people who've had similar experiences.... even better.

Real Combat Life is a place for Veterans of any War, or any country where the United States has held combat operations, like Vietnam, Korea, Bosnia, and Kosovo (to name a few) are welcome to share their stories of combat life.

Real Combat Life was started by Patrick Nelson who was a Paratrooper in the Army for 7 years. He completed three combat tours. One twelve month Iraq tour, One twelve month Afghanistan tour, and one fifteen month Afghanistan tour. He was wounded in 2005 by a 107 mm rocket on a small Forward Operating Base near the Pakistani border. He still has shrapnel in his back from the incident.  Patrick is currently a full time student, amongst a slough of other over achiever like activities. He started Real Combat Life, "As a way to help me share my stories as I was (and at times, still am) having a hard transiting from soldier to civilian."

Real Combat Life can be many things, all of them healing in some way. Your story might help a brother or sister know they are not alone.  I encourage you to check it out. Read the stories. If you'd like to contribute, but don't want to use your real name, a pen name is fine. If you do not feel strong in your writing abilities, Real Combat Life can help you write or edit your story. A story can be anything, why you joined the military. A prank you and your buddies pulled. A list of all the ironies of the dessert. A way to honor a fallen friend.

Go to Real Combat Life and tell me what you think.