Category Archives: Tour in Iraq
Not Alone: The Real Warriors Campaign
“Grant stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk, and now we stand by each other.” William Tecumseh Sherman When I returned from Iraq in February 2008 it began the most difficult … Continue reading
Filed under faith, iraq,afghanistan, Military, PTSD, Tour in Iraq
God in the Empty Places: Four Years Later
Four years ago I was leaving Iraq for Kuwait, the first stop in the process of coming home. At that point I wanted to go home but I didn’t want to go either. It was the beginning of a new … Continue reading
Filed under History, iraq,afghanistan, Military, PTSD, Tour in Iraq
Night Terrors: Padre Steve’s Closet of Anxieties
There are times that I know that I still have issues. One of those times is when I wake up screaming in the middle of the night. It is a reminder that there are dark recesses in my mind that … Continue reading
Filed under Military, PTSD, Tour in Iraq
Goodbye Iraq… Inshallah (إن شاء الله)
A spokesman for the Administration confirmed that US Forces will leave Iraq by the end of the year. The decision came after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has told U.S. military officials that he does not have the votes in … Continue reading
Filed under History, iraq,afghanistan, Tour in Iraq
The Tapestry of Life: How PTSD and Combat Stress is a Part of Who and What We Are
I have been dealing with the effects of Post Traumatic Stress over 3 ½ years. In that time I have had my struggles going ranging from falling into the abyss to a measure of recovery and occasional relapses. It has … Continue reading
Filed under faith, Military, Pastoral Care, philosophy, PTSD, Religion, star trek, Tour in Iraq
The Evolving Faith of a Miscreant Priest
“Practically speaking, your religion is the story you tell about your life.” Andrew A Greeley Three years ago I had an emotional physical and spiritual breakdown as the life and faith that I had known for many years came apart … Continue reading
Filed under christian life, faith, Pastoral Care, PTSD, Religion, Tour in Iraq
A Return to God in the Empty Places
Three years and some change have passed since I returned from Iraq. I originally wrote this article for my former church immediately after returning home. At the time that I wrote it I was well on the way to my … Continue reading
Filed under christian life, faith, History, iraq,afghanistan, Military, Tour in Iraq
The Front Page: Padre Steve talks about a Newspaper Interview on His Battle with PTSD
“Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer I was interviewed about a week and a half ago by Hope Hodge a reporter for the Jacksonville Daily News. The paper had discovered me through an article … Continue reading
Filed under faith, iraq,afghanistan, Military, Pastoral Care, philosophy, PTSD, Tour in Iraq
