Months after his return from combat, actor James &#8220;Jimmy&#8221; Stewart was still adrift — unmoored in the Hollywood he had previously called home, living with fellow veteran Henry Fonda, and waiting for film offers that just weren&#8217;t coming in.
After a couple of months had gone by, director <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-jimmy-stewart-book-mov-1202-20161201-column.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frank Capra</a> — who had worked with Stewart before in 1936&#8217;s &#8220;You Can&#8217;t Take It With You&#8221; — first pitched &#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life.&#8221; A meeting was set, and Capra described the story to Stewart and his agent Lew Wasserman.
Stewart, who had been adamant about doing a comedy upon his return to Hollywood, was reportedly taken aback at first. &#8220;You want me to do what?&#8221; he asked, and according to Capra&#8217;s notes walked out of his initial pitch meeting. But Capra believed in the strength of the story — and he was equally adamant that Stewart was not just the right person to play George Bailey, he was the only person who could do it.
Stewart eventually sat down to listen to Capra&#8217;s pitch in full, and he recalled the director&#8217;s awkward description of the story in a <a href="https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/movies-and-tv/guideposts-classics-james-stewart-on-its-a-wonderful-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1987 interview</a> for Guideposts.
&#8220;&#8216;Now, listen,&#8217; Frank began hesitantly. He seemed a little embarrassed. &#8216;The story starts in heaven, and it’s sort of the Lord telling somebody to go down to earth because there’s a fellow who’s in trouble, and this heavenly being goes to a small town, and … Well, what it boils down to is, this fella who thinks he’s a failure in life jumps off a bridge. The Lord sends down an angel named Clarence, who hasn’t earned his wings yet, and Clarence jumps into the water to save the guy. But the angel can’t swim, so the guy has to save him, and then … This doesn’t tell very well, does it?'&#8221;
The actor said his response was simple: &#8220;Frank, if you want to do a picture about a guy who jumps off a bridge and an angel named Clarence who hasn’t won his wings yet coming down to save him, well, I’m your man!&#8221;
<div id="attachment_478827" style="width: 777px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478827" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-478827" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-767x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie &quot;It's a Wonderful Life&quot;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Henry Travers as Clarence and James Stewart as George Bailey. Premiered December 20, 1946; theatrical wide release January 7, 1947. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)" width="767" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-767x576.jpg 767w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-768x577.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" />&#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Henry Travers as Clarence and James Stewart as George Bailey. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)</div>
For Capra and Stewart both, the film was a do or die project. For Stewart, it was his chance to prove that he still had something to give to fans. And Capra — who had also been away from Hollywood making movies for the War Department — believed so much in the story that he put everything on the line, even forming a new independent studio (Liberty Films) to produce it. But making the film was not without its difficulties. As actress Donna Reed — who played Mary Bailey to Stewart&#8217;s George Bailey — put it, &#8220;This was not a happy set.&#8221;
At one point, an agitated Stewart complained about the superficiality of Hollywood and acting in general, prompting veteran actor Lionel Barrymore — who plays the movie&#8217;s villain Mr. Henry F. Potter — to scold him: &#8220;So, are you saying it&#8217;s more worthwhile to drop bombs on people than to entertain them?&#8221;
<div id="attachment_478823" style="width: 777px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478823" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-478823" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-767x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie &quot;It's a Wonderful Life&quot;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Lionel Barrymore as Henry F. Potter, Frank Hagney (in background) as Potter's Bodyguard and James Stewart as George Bailey. Premiered December 20, 1946; theatrical wide release January 7, 1947. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)" width="767" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-767x576.jpg 767w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-768x577.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" />&#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Lionel Barrymore as Henry F. Potter, Frank Hagney (in background) as Potter&#8217;s Bodyguard and James Stewart as George Bailey. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)</div>
As Matzen explained in a <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-jimmy-stewart-book-mov-1202-20161201-column.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2016 interview</a> with The Chicago Tribune, Stewart appeared to funnel all the bottled up rage, anxiety, anger, fear, and frustration into the role — making his portrayal of a man on the brink truly blur the line between fiction and reality.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a scene in the movie where he questions his sanity and he&#8217;s got this wild look about him. That&#8217;s one scene that really struck me, watching it on the big screen. And the other scene that always made me uncomfortable, but now means so much more to me, is when he&#8217;s in his living room and he&#8217;s throwing things and screaming at his kids — and his wife and children look at him like, &#8216;Who is this man? Who is this monster?'&#8221; Matzen explained. &#8220;And that is so reflective of what millions of families faced, looking at these strangers who came back from the war with this rage. Stewart played it beautifully. He just lets it out.&#8221;
Stewart recalled a similar moment in the <a href="https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/movies-and-tv/guideposts-classics-james-stewart-on-its-a-wonderful-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guideposts interview</a>, when George Bailey turned to God in desperation — completely unaware that his entire town was also praying for him in the same moment.
&#8220;In agony I raise my eyes and, following the script, plead, &#8216;God … God … dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God …'&#8221; Stewart said, adding, &#8220;As I said those words, I felt the loneliness, the hopelessness of people who had nowhere to turn, and my eyes filled with tears. I broke down sobbing. This was not planned at all, but the power of that prayer, the realization that our Father in heaven is there to help the hopeless, had reduced me to tears.&#8221;
Capra, who loved spontaneity in his films, kept the powerful moment in the final cut — he even sacrificed some of the film quality to turn a wide shot into a close-up so that the audience could better see &#8220;George Bailey&#8217;s&#8221; pain.
The film was a resounding flop when it was released in 1947 — bringing in less than half of the expected box office haul — but still managed to impress the Academy. In addition to two technical nominations, Stewart received another Best Actor nod, Capra was nominated for directing, and the film was nominated for Best Picture. All five lost — and Capra&#8217;s newly-formed studio <a href="https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,793760,00.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liberty Films quickly went under</a>.
<div id="attachment_478828" style="width: 775px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478828" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-478828" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-765x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie &quot;It's a Wonderful Life&quot;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey, James Stewart as George Bailey and Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu. Premiered December 20, 1946; theatrical wide release January 7, 1947. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)" width="765" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-765x576.jpg 765w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-300x226.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-768x578.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 765px) 100vw, 765px" />&#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey, James Stewart as George Bailey and Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;By the end of 1947 the film was quietly put on the shelf,&#8221; Stewart <a href="https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/movies-and-tv/guideposts-classics-james-stewart-on-its-a-wonderful-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recalled</a>, adding, &#8220;But a curious thing happened. The movie refused to stay on the shelf. Those who loved it loved it a lot, and they told others. They wouldn’t let it die any more than the angel Clarence would let George Bailey die. When it began to be shown on TV, a whole new audience fell in love with it.&#8221;
The fact that the movie appeared on television was actually the result of a probable <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2TYK2NfhJ6pmDqW8rfT4LCf/its-a-wonderful-life-from-festive-flop-to-christmas-classic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clerical error</a> that resulted in Republic Pictures — who owned the rights after Liberty Films collapsed — failing to apply for a copyright renewal in 1974. Because it was public domain, television studios quickly added it to their holiday line-ups. A Supreme Court decision nearly two decades later determined that the owner of the short story it was based on — &#8220;The Greatest Gift&#8221; — actually owned the copyright, and to this day, NBC is the only network licensed to show the movie on television.
But those twenty years meant that millions of people saw that film — and many of them came to love it and come back to it every year.
Stewart explained that he believed the thing that had truly resonated with the audience was the thing that had resonated with him all those years ago — revealing that of the 80-or-so films he had made in his career, &#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221; remained his favorite.
&#8220;Today, after some 40 years, I’ve heard the film called an American cultural phenomenon,'&#8221; Stewart told Guideposts. &#8220;Well, maybe so, but it seems to me there is nothing phenomenal about the movie itself. It’s simply about an ordinary man who discovers that living each ordinary day honorably, with faith in God and a selfless concern for others, can make for a truly wonderful life.&#8221;
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One of the Final Scenes from Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Was Almost A Little Less Wonderful: Part II

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why 'It's A Wonderful Life' Was Almost A Little Less Wonderful: Part II

Celebrities

Hollywood

Movies

PTSD

Readers Pass

U.S.

World War II

The beloved Christmas classic film &#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221; was the movie that brought a beleaguered and combat-weary actor James &#8220;Jimmy&#8221; Stewart back to fans after the war — but it may have also been the movie that brought a desperate man back from the brink.
<a href="https://www.life.com/people/jimmy-stewart-photos-of-a-world-war-ii-hero-homecoming-1945/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Maitland Stewart</a> was preparing to go to war for several years before he was drafted in 1941. He earned a civilian pilot&#8217;s license in the hopes that the Army would let him fly — and he even took a trip to Europe in 1939 to get a feel for the landscape, knowing that it was likely he would end up there at some point.
By the time the Empire of Japan launched its surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Stewart had already attempted to join the Army. Rejected once in 1940 because he was underweight, the always-slim actor attempted to pack on a few pounds and ultimately turned to a doctor for a note explaining that he was just genetically predisposed to be thin.
Biographer Robert Matzen — who wrote &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Jimmy-Stewart-Fight-Europe/dp/0996274057/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=jimmy+stewart+and+the+fight+for+europe&amp;qid=1621538823&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe</a>&#8221; — explained, &#8220;Step by step, he set himself up to end up in England in a bomb group. One of those steps was taken years before he was drafted, and that was when he became a star in Hollywood and bought a plane that was an army trainer and proceeded to learn to fly and train, and log hours on that plane so that he could be a pilot when the war came.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_478319" style="width: 461px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478319" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-478319" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-451x576.jpg" alt="Portrait of American actor lieutenant colonel James Stewart (1908 - 1997), 1944. He had just been named chief of staff of a Liberator bomber combat wing, and recently had been awarded both the Oak Leaf Cluster and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service. (Photo by US Army/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)" width="451" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-451x576.jpg 451w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-235x300.jpg 235w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-768x982.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840.jpg 801w" sizes="(max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px" />Portrait of American actor lieutenant colonel James Stewart (1908 &#8211; 1997), 1944. US Army/PhotoQuest/Getty Images.</div>
Stewart&#8217;s determination — and his pre-war preparations — did not pay off immediately, however. The actor, who was fresh off his Best Actor win in 1940&#8217;s &#8220;The Philadelphia Story,&#8221; was initially drafted to appear in film reels and enlistment propaganda films — but eventually he demanded to see combat alongside his other draftees.
Stewart eventually got what he asked for, rising through the ranks from buck private to major in just four years and earning a spot in the cockpit of a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber known as Dixie Flyer. He flew dozens of missions over Germany, some as command pilot, and earned both a Distinguished Service Medal and a Distinguished Flying Cross.
But toward the end of the 8th Air Force&#8217;s <a href="https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/mission/8th-air-force-226-big-week-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Week</a> in early 1944 — a six-day mission in late February originally named Operation Argument and designed to decimate the German Luftwaffe in preparation for the D-Day invasion — things <a href="https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/jimmy-stewart-ww2-mission-air-force/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went sideways</a>. Stewart was on his 10th mission as a leader and serving as co-pilot when his plane was hit. The German flak left a sizable hole in the fuselage of his plane — just inches from his feet. And while he and his pilot were able to recover, when the smoke cleared from the cockpit, they had to watch as another in their squadron took a similar strike, lost a wing, and plummeted toward the ground.
Stewart was not the same after that and was eventually grounded. At the time, his condition was referred to as &#8220;flak-happy,&#8221; &#8220;shell-shock,&#8221; or &#8220;combat fatigue&#8221; — but today&#8217;s doctors might have diagnosed the decorated pilot with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
&#8220;He wasn&#8217;t afraid of bombs or bullets. He was afraid of making a mistake and causing someone to die. That was his endless stress, and that&#8217;s what ended up grounding him,&#8221; Matzen wrote.
<div id="attachment_478808" style="width: 744px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478808" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-478808" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-734x576.jpg" alt="(Original Caption) 9/1/1945-New York, New York-Just like any serviceman returning from the war, Colonel James Stewart was greeted by his proud parents, who journeyed from Indiana, PA, to see their son after his arrival aboard the Queen Elizabeth. A veteran of a year and a half overseas with the 8th Air Force, Colonel Stewart, in his last command, was senior officer over approximately 9,000 men. Here he is shown with his parents at the St. Regis Hotel." width="734" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-734x576.jpg 734w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-300x236.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-768x603.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 734px) 100vw, 734px" />(Original Caption) 9/1/1945-New York, New York-Just like any serviceman returning from the war, Colonel James Stewart was greeted by his proud parents, who journeyed from Indiana, PA, to see their son after his arrival aboard the Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images.</div>
He returned home to his proud parents in Pennsylvania. On the outside, he was a war hero; on the inside, he was nearly broken.
Surviving on little more than peanut butter and ice cream — he struggled to keep any solid foods down — Stewart&#8217;s already thin frame became painfully so. Still, he decided after a short time at home that what he really needed was to get back to work.
&#8220;I have to go back and face Hollywood. I&#8217;ve been away for five years, other people are taking my roles,&#8221; he said — but when he got there, he quickly realized that the landscape had changed and so had he. Stewart ended up sharing an apartment with fellow actor Henry Fonda, who had also recently returned after serving in the Pacific.
<div id="attachment_478811" style="width: 427px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478811" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-478811" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640-417x576.jpg" alt="Lt. Henry Fonda (1905 - 1982) during his military service on board the USS Bearss, summer 1945. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)" width="417" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640-417x576.jpg 417w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640-217x300.jpg 217w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640.jpg 742w" sizes="(max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px" />Lt. Henry Fonda (1905 &#8211; 1982) during his military service on board the USS Bearss, summer 1945. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;I had been away from the film business, my MGM contract had run out and, frankly, not knowing how to get started again, I was just a little bit scared,&#8221; Stewart described the precarious nature of his situation in a 1987 interview with Guideposts. &#8220;Hank Fonda was in the same boat, and we sort of wandered around together, talking, flying kites and stuff. But nothing much was happening.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-jimmy-stewart-book-mov-1202-20161201-column.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stewart</a> got only one offer in those early weeks. His former boss and MGM exec Louis B. Mayer proposed a biopic capitalizing on the star&#8217;s military service. &#8220;Let&#8217;s do &#8216;The Jimmy Stewart Story&#8217; — we can show you flying over Frankfurt, we can show you as a military hero,&#8221; Mayer said. Stewart&#8217;s answer was an unequivocal &#8220;No,&#8221; and he flatly refused to discuss the matter further.
Director Frank Capra, an Italian immigrant who had been naturalized after serving in World War I, had also spent <a href="https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/director-frank-capra-goes-to-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">time away from Hollywood</a> during the war. As soon as Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Marshall got wind of Capra&#8217;s enlistment, he had him commissioned as a major and assigned to report to him personally.
<div id="attachment_478955" style="width: 782px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478955" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-478955" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-772x576.jpg" alt="Italian-American film director Frank Capra (1897 - 1991) as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the US Army, during a stay in London, World War II, 19th August 1943. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)" width="772" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-772x576.jpg 772w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-300x224.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-768x573.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px" />Italian-American film director Frank Capra (1897 &#8211; 1991) as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the US Army, during a stay in London, World War II, 19th August 1943. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;To win this war we must win the battle for men’s minds,&#8221; Marshall told Capra in one of their early meetings. &#8220;I want to nail down with you a plan to make a series of documented, factual-information films – the first in our history – that will explain to our boys in the Army why we are fighting, and the principles for which we are fighting.&#8221;
Capra protested, explaining that he had never made any film that could be considered a &#8220;documentary.&#8221;
Marshall responded with the gruff bluster that he was known for, saying, &#8220;Capra, I have never been chief of staff before. Thousands of young Americans have never had their legs shot off before. Boys are commanding ships today, who a year ago had never seen the ocean before.&#8221;
&#8220;I’m sorry, sir. I’ll make you the best damned documentary films ever made,&#8221; was Capra&#8217;s reply.
But when it was all over, Capra returned to Hollywood in much the same state as Stewart: adrift, and wondering if he still had what it took to deliver what the fans wanted.

It’s A Wonderful Life

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Was Almost A Little Less Wonderful: Part I

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why 'It's A Wonderful Life' Was Almost A Little Less Wonderful: Part I

Conflicts

World

The following is a transcript excerpt of a special Sunday edition of Morning Wire. The full episode can be heard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire/promise-peril-veterans-promote-psychedelics-to-treat-addiction-6-25-23">here</a>.
As the Opioid epidemic continues to ravage the United States, scientists and lawmakers are taking a novel – and controversial – approach to combating the crisis: psychedelics. Despite continued concerns about the drugs, a number of studies have shown promising results and some states are beginning to fund research. Now military veterans and advocates say that one psychoactive substance in particular, Ibogaine, offers a potential medicinal breakthrough that could save lives.
Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley sat down with reporter Tim Pearce to discuss the potential medical applications of psychedelics.
JOHN: Tim, this is a fascinating topic that’s gaining steam in Washington and within the veteran community — while also prompting lots of questions and concerns. First, how did we get to this point — this official interest in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-psychedelics-are-revolutionizing-the-way-we-treat-mental-illness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">psychedelics</a>?
TIM: Understandably, when a lot of people hear the word ‘psychedelic’ they instantly think of illicit drug use, with images of Woodstock coming to mind. But that perception is starting to change — especially in the medical community, where a number of recent studies have shown that psychedelic drugs could have immense benefits in treating drug addiction, PTSD, and a slew of other mental health disorders. The drug getting the most attention is called Ibogaine — a substance derived from the Iboga plant in Africa. Traditionally, Ibogaine has been used in shamanistic rituals for its hallucinogenic properties, but a growing number of scientists say it’s a powerful tool in combating addiction. Back in the ’60s, a scientist named Howard Lotsof <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/us/17lotsof.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took Ibogaine</a> recreationally with six friends — all of whom were frequent heroin users. According to Lotsof, all but one in the group saw their heroin addiction disappear overnight, with no withdrawal symptoms. That experience led Lotsof to devote much of his research career to studying the scientific components of the drug — he commissioned a number of studies over the next few decades that showed similar effects, but Ibogaine failed to gain mainstream attention. It wasn’t until the last decade, as the Opioid epidemic descended on the U.S. and scientists began looking for alternative treatment plans, that Ibogaine really burst onto the scene.
JOHN: Right. Tell us about some of the studies that showed promising results.
TIM: So, for years there’s been anecdotal evidence that psychedelics helped people address problems in their personal lives — everything from PTSD to addiction. But there wasn’t much hard data to go on. Because the drugs are illegal throughout the U.S., it’s difficult for scientists to conduct legitimate studies on them. But in recent years, scientists have begun to dig into psychedelics and their potential medicinal applications, and the results have been pretty surprising. For example, A study in the <a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/1/2/article-p65.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Psychedelic Studies</a> found that 80% of patients who underwent Ibogaine treatment “eradicated or drastically reduced withdrawal syndrome” for a variety of addictions.
JOHN: So how exactly does Ibogaine work in breaking addictive tendencies?
TIM: That’s what scientists are still trying to understand. Once ingested, Ibogaine typically results in an 18-36 hour period where users experience often intense psychoactive experiences. According to users, those experiences produce deep introspective periods that encourage and help convince people to reassess their addiction, but more importantly, there’s the biological component. Again, we still don’t know all the details, but scientists at <a href="https://hub.jhu.edu/2023/06/14/psychedelic-drugs-reopen-critical-periods/">Johns Hopkins</a> say Ibogaine appears to re-wire serotonin receptors in the brain and restore brain activity to pre-exposure levels. It seems to chemically erase addiction pathways in the brain for many users — and reportedly does so after just one or two doses. While other psychedelics that have been studied more extensively for their medicinal qualities, including psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine typically take a round of treatments before relief is felt. Ibogaine, on the other hand, appears to work right away. That’s an important element of treatment.
JOHN: Some of that scientific evidence has drawn the attention of lawmakers. How are they reacting?
TIM: Yeah, most people wouldn’t expect to see politicians publicly calling for research into psychedelic drugs — but as more evidence comes out, that’s exactly what we’re seeing in states around the country — especially those hit hardest by the Opioid epidemic. One of the states investing in Ibogaine research is Kentucky, which last year had the second highest rate of drug overdoses in the country. Just weeks ago, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron introduced a proposal that would potentially allocate $42 million over the next six years to research Ibogaine for treating drug addiction, PTSD, and a host of other mental illnesses. At that same event, Bryan Hubbard, Executive Director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, detailed the research some of that money will be used for. Hubbard said:
<blockquote> “Anecdotal evidence that is a mountain high and decades wide suggests that Ibogaine, within 48 to 72 hours of administration in safe, clinically-controlled conditions, resolves Opioid withdrawal syndrome. It appears to do so by clearing and resetting the brain&#8217;s Opioid receptors while also restoring the brain&#8217;s organic dopamine and serotonin production to pre-Opioid exposure levels. If this anecdotal evidence can be clinically validated, Ibogaine would represent a transformative therapeutic for treatment of Opioid use disorder…”</blockquote>
TIM: Morning Wire also spoke with Hubbard for more context on the potential medical applications of Ibogaine and why he wants more research into the drug.
<blockquote>“Due to Ibogaine’s unique properties, it has the capacity — and a very accelerated time frame — to clear the brain&#8217;s Opioid receptors, while simultaneously restoring the brain’s organic dopamine and serotonin production,” said Hubbard. “Which is almost always completely shut down in an Opioid-dependent individual.”</blockquote>
TIM: Hubbard also expressed caution: 
<blockquote>“It&#8217;s important to note that Ibogaine does come with some risk, and that risk is associated with potential cardiac toxicity. If an individual receives Ibogaine treatment, it is imperative that they receive it within a medically-controlled setting with trained professionals. It is not safe to receive in the underground or recreationally. Anyone that would suggest that Ibogaine would be appropriate to consider for decriminalization is not properly understanding the risk that comes with it or the necessity for administering it within a safe, medically-controlled setting with the appropriate medical professionals present throughout.”</blockquote>
TIM: It’s worth noting, the proposed money to fund that research is coming from an $842 million payout the state received as part of a federal lawsuit against pharma companies for their role in the Opioid crisis. This proposal is important because it marks the first wide-scale effort from a state or federal government to research the drug. Keep in mind, Ibogaine is still illegal throughout the U.S., so it’s hard to know just how many people are using it. But as word of its medicinal application has spread, a growing number of Americans are venturing to places like Australia and New Zealand, where it’s legal. This move paves the way for potential decriminalization, at least in a medical setting.
<h2>LISTEN: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire/promise-peril-veterans-promote-psychedelics-to-treat-addiction-6-25-23">Catch the full episode of Morning Wire</a>.</h2>
JOHN: Beyond treating Opioid addiction, Ibogaine is also gaining traction in the military community especially. Tell us about that.
TIM: There’s also compelling evidence that the drug is useful for treating PTSD and other service-related ailments. Retired three-star Marine Corps General Martin Steele, the head of the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, says that while Ibogaine should not be used for everyone, it should be a tool in the arsenal for veterans in need.
<blockquote>“The existing clinical research and the growing body of personal anecdotes suggests that Ibogaine, when used with careful medical screening, treatment protocols, and oversight, has incredible promise for treating veterans and others struggling with Opioid addiction,” he said.</blockquote>
TIM: Another veteran leading the way for Ibogaine treatment is Tommy Aceto, a retired Navy SEAL. Aceto told us he first heard of the treatment from fellow SEALs struggling with PTSD and drug and alcohol addictions.
<blockquote>“This is going to be crazy to say this, but there&#8217;s guys that wake up and they go &#8216;I don&#8217;t ever want to drink again. I saw what it did to me.&#8217; They&#8217;re not white knuckling it at this point,&#8221; said Aceto. &#8220;This doesn&#8217;t work for everyone, but I can&#8217;t tell you how many times I&#8217;ve seen guys say that — and I&#8217;m one of them. I didn&#8217;t have to white knuckle an addiction. They were gone.”</blockquote>
TIM: Aceto says that while experiencing the psychedelic effects of Ibogaine, he was confronted with the reality of his addictions and trauma and came out a new man. In his words, he’d tried a number of treatments and medications that didn’t work and viewed Ibogaine as a last-ditch effort for healing.
<blockquote>“I felt a reset in myself. There were a lot of triggers, or what I would call “threats,” and they were diminished tremendously.  And I had stopped taking all the medication that the Navy gave me —  probably about 13 pills.  That was a shocker. In our community, when you feel better, you want to tell as many people as you can.”</blockquote>
JOHN: We’ve seen similar calls for government action from veterans serving in Congress. Give us more details on what we’re seeing out of Washington. 
TIM: This month, a number of congressmen, including SEAL veterans Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) and Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), introduced legislation that would allocate $75 million towards research into psychedelics. Here’s Rep. Luttrell speaking outside the capitol:
<blockquote>“Make no mistake, my journey, my experience with this treatment was the most horrific experience of my entire life. It was absolutely miserable. This is not something you do recreationally. The medications I took were Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT. It gives me the &#8220;hibbity jibbities&#8221; even thinking about doing it ever again, which I never will do. I will never tell anybody to do this — ever. If you find yourself in a place where you are lost, and no other modalities have worked, this could possibly be that tool. I can honestly stand here in front of all of you and the American public and say this, I was reborn. This changed my life. It saved my marriage. It is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. I’ve never done a drug in my entire life, but I had to go overseas to do this.”</blockquote>
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Introducing the Douglas &#039;Mike&#039; Day Psychedelic Therapy to Save Lives Act" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QFUSCf1cfi0?start=1401&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
JOHN: But we’re still talking about a pretty heavy-duty drug here. You mentioned earlier some of the potential risks associated with its use — what do detractors say?
TIM: This is by no means a closed case in the medical community — there are plenty of doctors who are skeptical about the use of these drugs, and it’s definitely worth noting that psychedelics like Ibogaine can have some serious negative side effects. Most notably, the drug can cause an irregular heartbeat and result in severe cases of ataxia — an affliction that impairs balance and speech. Ibogaine is also especially dangerous when those using it have other drugs in their system, including Opioids, cocaine, or antidepressants and other SSRIs. That part is important, because many users take Ibogaine because they’re addicted to those very drugs. Proponents of the treatment stress that patients must complete a detox from any drugs before taking Ibogaine. And there are also plenty of folks leery of psychedelic use on religious grounds. Ibogaine users often compare the trance they enter to a spiritual state, and often report that during their hallucinations they encounter a sort of being who guides them through the experience. Many people of religious conviction say using any form of psychedelic drug — even in a medical setting — is essentially playing with fire.
JOHN: Well, obviously we want to approach this kind of drug with a lot of caution required here. Thanks for reporting.
TIM: Thanks for having me.
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Vector illustration of human head on starry space background. Artificial intelligence or cosmic consciousness concept

Why Veterans And Lawmakers Are Exploring Psychedelic Therapy For PTSD And Opioid Addiction

Congress

Dan Crenshaw

Drugs

Psychedelics

Veterans

Many people who suffer from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ptsd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post-traumatic stress disorder</a> often relive highly-charged fearful and emotional memories while they sleep, and neuroscientists from Virginia Tech have recently discovered what is behind this phenomenon using models of the brain, the news outlet for Virginia Tech <a href="https://vtx.vt.edu/articles/2023/01/science-sujith_vijayan_neroscience_ptsd_rem_sleep.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The findings provide vital information for creating therapies that could mitigate the effects PTSD has on sleep.
The brain can be very active during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, so much so that Virginia Tech neuroscientist, professor, and co-author of the study, Sujith Vijayan called it “paradoxical sleep.” Combining the high activity of REM sleep with post-traumatic stress disorder, people who suffer from the disorder can relive painful memories “over and over” again, according to Vijayan.
Normally, the brain can bring up emotional memories during REM sleep to cleanse the emotional charge. However, this normal process can malfunction for people who suffer from PTSD, and the result is that painful memories come to mind night after night.
In their study, <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/43/3/433" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> in The Journal of Neuroscience, Vijayan and his team of researchers constructed a biophysical model of the brain where they could simulate neurophysiological functions like communication between different parts of the brain, neurotransmitters, and brain waves.
By adjusting the brain rhythms between the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907136/#:~:text=The%20prefrontal%20cortex%20(PFC)%20intelligently,brain%20regions%20(BOX%201)." target="_blank" rel="noopener">prefrontal cortex</a> and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537102/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amygdala</a> in the model, researchers were able to link lower levels of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin with the brain&#8217;s ability to restrain fear and pain-based memories during REM sleep. They further found that those who suffer from PTSD experienced high levels of norepinephrine and serotonin during REM sleep, thus repeatedly causing painful memories to come to mind.
Other studies have shown that the emotional charge of negative memories is mitigated by REM sleep. However, it is still the “wild west” when it comes to understanding how REM sleep works, Vijayan described. “REM sleep is a lot harder to get your hands around. There are really good models out there for how non-REM sleep might consolidate memories and what role it might play in learning and memory. But when we talk about REM, there are no real, good models on how that stuff is happening,” he said.
So, this new model from Vijayan and his team provides quite the insight. Looking at brain wave rhythms between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, they found that four to eight hertz on the theta range of brain rhythm, which is common for humans, allowed for the greatest strength of communication in the brain. This, in turn, inhibits fear expression cells during sleep.
When researchers adjusted the models to include high levels of norepinephrine and serotonin during REM, four to eight hertz on the theta range of brain rhythm was ineffective at inhibiting fear expression cells. But, they did find that ten hertz was effective at suppressing fear expression cells in the PTSD brain model.
Therapies could be created as a result of the findings, namely covert auditory stimulation, as Vijayan calls it. “That means I’m playing those sounds and you’re not aware of it while you’re sleeping,” he said. “That could be useful for any sort of disorder where sleep is disrupted, not only in PTSD, but in traumatic brain injury or Parkinson’s disease. The idea is that by inducing desired neural dynamics, we can engage the recuperative powers of sleep.”

Close-Up Of Ptsd Text On Orange Background

Why Do PTSD Patients Relive Intense Fear-Based Memories In Sleep? New Models Provide Insight.

New Models Provide Insights Into Why PTSD Patients Relive Intense Fear-Based Memories

Brain

Health

Medical Research

Virginia Tech

Veterans Day is a weird day for me, and many other veterans. 
&#8220;Thank you for your service&#8221; still means a lot, but with the high levels of division and distrust in America, coupled with the painful end to the Afghan War, it&#8217;s sometimes hard to make meaning from it all.
Let me explain.
The &#8216;Long War&#8217; took a toll on me. It almost killed me, long after the guns went silent.
I wasn&#8217;t alone. My buddy Brad, a fellow Green Beret whom I served with in Afghanistan, struggled when he came home as well.
We would talk on the phone sometimes and share our frustrations with trying to adjust to the civilian world after combat in Afghanistan.
Depression, guilt, isolation, and lack of purpose put me in a closet holding a pistol.
Somehow, I found my way out. Barely.
A former NFL football player-turned-storyteller took me under his wing. Through his mentorship, I found a way to inform civilians on the cost of war, and ultimately re-connect with them across the vast civilian-military gap that was keeping me in darkness. I found a way to let go &#8230; and know peace.
I found it through storytelling. Warrior Storytelling.
My mentor actually talked me into writing a play about my experience in combat and those I served with. <a href="https://lastoutplay.com/">Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret</a> was born.
To complete my mid-life crisis, I learned how to act at age 50.
When we performed it for the first time to a Tampa Bay audience of just over 100 civilians and combat veterans, Brad sat proudly in the back row with a big grin on his face. He had driven all the way from Mississippi to see it. At the end of the play, Brad was the first to speak in our talk back. 
&#8220;Scott, that scene when you were on the skype call when your base was attacked, that happened to me exactly like that.&#8221; He began to weep. &#8220;How do you explain something like that to your wife and kids? Gotta run guys &#8230; Daddy&#8217;s got a firefight to go to. Talk to you next week.&#8221;
Our all-veteran cast performed the play for a year in 16 cities with amazing impact. Our approach toward healing, validating, informing, and reconnecting resonated at a community level. We conducted story workshops, PTS interventions, and honored Gold Star Families. All with one major goal. To LET GO and know peace.
Each city we went to was hosted by a community volunteer. Brad was one of our first hosts. Bringing our humble, non-profit production to Brandon, Mississippi, he spent his own money to cover some of our expenses. He drove the team to and from rehearsals in a church van, country music blaring, with a sense of purpose I hadn&#8217;t seen in him since Afghanistan.
Shortly before starting our second tour season, COVID shut us down. We struggled for a year with no performances. The veteran populations suffered mightily, including Brad. There were times when he called me from very dark places. I wanted to do more. So, we raised the money and turned &#8220;Last Out&#8221; into a film that is now on Amazon Prime, VUDU, Apple TV, and Google TV. Brad texted me after he watched the film: &#8220;Please pass along my well wishes to the rest of the team. This new version had me in tears at the end.&#8221; 
Then, in August 2021, Afghanistan collapsed, and the U.S. abruptly abandoned that country leaving our Afghan Allies to be hunted and killed. I stood up a group of veteran volunteers known as &#8220;Task Force Pineapple.&#8221; Brad was one of the first guys to reach out to me after seeing me talk about it on the news. &#8221; Is there a way for me to get to a country close to Afghanistan and be on the ground to help get our people out? If you know of anyone looking for an extra gun to help get people out, I am ready.&#8221;
The Afghan withdrawal left many of our 775,000 Afghan War veterans and their families to wonder&#8230;what was the point of it all? Much like our Vietnam veterans, our warriors and families were hurting badly and seeking answers. Did it matter? Does anyone care? Will we learn lessons? Will we change from those lessons?
Brad wrote me, &#8220;I am sickened by it but not surprised. We never had clear strategic endstate given to us.&#8221;
As I saw the growing mental health toll on our post 9-11 veterans from the botched Afghan withdrawal and the rapidity at which the nation was closing the chapter on the 20-year war, my wife and I decided to put the storytelling craft of &#8220;Last Out&#8221; back together for a 2023 tour to heal, validate, and reconnect around the hard subject of modern war. We selected our cast and dropped into intense rehearsals.
Although the warrior storytelling was taxing on my 54 year-old body, I couldn&#8217;t help but get excited about performing the play in front of my old buddy Brad and his family. I smiled inwardly at the thought of his southern drawl ringing out over the talkback as he would share his experiences from the play and how it related to his lived experience in war. 
It was on Thursday, October 27, 2022, that I learned that day would never come. The demons had caught up with Brad. He couldn&#8217;t hold them off any longer. He was another casualty of war long after the guns had gone silent.
Our team circled up upon learning the news of his passing and held a moment of silence. I committed then and there to take this play on the road in honor of Brad and the thousands of other veterans whose voices are muzzled in our divided nation.
This Veterans Day, I hope Americans will reflect on what we ask of this small percentage of Americans day after day, month after month, year after year. It&#8217;s a heavy cost that these warriors bear proudly.
Warriors like Brad are not victims. They are, in fact, the moral compass of our nation. They bring leadership potential and resilience that is sorely needed in these divided times. But, 20 years of war and endless deployments takes a toll, and when you wash it down with a moral injury of abandonment, &#8220;thank you for your service,&#8221; just doesn&#8217;t cut it anymore.
One of the most powerful paths to healing and reintegration of our veterans is through storytelling. Warrior storytelling.
That&#8217;s where I&#8217;ll be this Veterans Day, and every day for as long as I can. Telling Brad&#8217;s story from the stage. 
Something tells me he&#8217;ll be there on the back row, cheering us on. I hope you will too.
*   *   *
For 24/7, confidential <a href="https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/">crisis support for Veterans</a> and their loved ones, dial 988, then press 1, or text 838255. You don&#8217;t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.
*   *   *
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) <a href="https://scottmann.com/">Scott Mann</a> is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with tours all over the world including Colombia, Iraq, and multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is a warrior storyteller and the founder of <a href="https://rooftopleadership.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://rooftopleadership.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1663685438788000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1wFtjXaBU9jq3vc7JRhVPz">Rooftop Leadership</a> where he shares the rapport-building skills he learned in Special Forces to help today&#8217;s leaders make better human connections in high-stakes, low-trust engagements. Scott is the author of the instant New York Times Best-Seller, <a href="https://operationpineappleexpress.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://operationpineappleexpress.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1663685438788000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Wegb2wUtLX-nBRPckFx--">Operation Pineapple Express</a>, a third-person narrative detailing the harrowing stories of the veterans, volunteers, and Afghan Allies who navigated the US abandonment of Afghanistan in August of 2021. He has since founded <a href="https://operelief.org/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://operelief.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1663685438788000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0hrx_c6j6uhJulTBg4Z4BM">Operation Pineapple Express Relief</a>, a 501c3 to help support the emergency needs of our Afghan Allies such as safe passage out of Afghanistan, plus unforeseen resettlement needs. Scott’s greatest accomplishments are his family; he has three grown sons which now gives him the newfound opportunity to chase Monty, his wife of 27 years, around their Tampa home as often as possible.­­
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

U.S. Soldiers Commemorate 9/11 Anniversary At Bagram Air Field

‘Let Go And Know Peace’: Why My Fellow Veterans Need More Than A Thank You

Afghanistan

Military

Veterans Day

Military and veteran suicide has become an epidemic in our country. In 2017, a year when only 21 soldiers were killed in combat, <a href="https://dcas.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/app/summaryData/deaths/byYearManner">318 active-duty</a> soldiers and <a href="https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2019/2019_National_Veteran_Suicide_Prevention_Annual_Report_508.pdf">6,139 veterans</a> died by suicide.
The military has tried to <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Military-and-Veteran-Suicide-Prevention-Strategy.pdf">address this issue</a> by providing a variety of counseling and support resources to soldiers and veterans. Unfortunately, those resources are not taken advantage of as fully as they should be, as soldiers often <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC443475/">avoid seeking help</a> for reasons of pride or fear.
Soldiers fear they could lose their security clearances, become non-deployable, look bad to their command or weak to their peers, and ultimately have their reputations affected. Despite those in command positions encouraging soldiers to seek support, many still avoid doing so. And with no required mental health checks, those who need it most may not receive the support they need.
With all the emotions, anxiety, lack of sleep, anger, grief and trauma soldiers experience after returning from war zones, why are there no required counseling and mental health checks to make sure they are mentally and emotionally well?
In police departments across the United States, when one or more officers are involved in a shooting, the <a href="https://cops.usdoj.gov/ric/Publications/cops-p370-pub.pdf">mental wellness of every officer</a> present is typically addressed. Officers who are involved in or witness a shooting are put on <a href="https://cops.usdoj.gov/ric/Publications/cops-p370-pub.pdf">administrative leave</a> pending counseling. But young men coming home from war zones who experience things such as being shot at, losing friends, having their vehicles blown up, or having to help pick up their injured friend’s body parts, have little time away from duty and no required counseling.
Many people wonder why veteran suicide has become such a big issue. I do not think we should be surprised at all.
We send these men and women into battle and give them all the tools they need to win a war but we give them no tools to survive after they return home. Winning wars is the easy part. The real challenge begins when we allow our men and women to bring the mental and emotional wounds they have sustained from those wars home with them, but give them no tools or time to heal.
Soldiers who need help but fear their careers may be at stake if they seek counseling instead choose to handle the issue on their own. They shove the pain and anger down deep and, when that doesn’t work, they try to numb it. They joke about PTSD and they drink. They joke about being shot and blown up and they drink. They joke about the guy they put a bullet in who nearly got them first and they drink. And they drink.
Then, one day they retire. In the blink of an eye they have gone from living, breathing, and eating military to being a civilian. They are no longer surrounded by those who understand the jokes that keep their pain at bay. Their brothers who check in on them to make sure they are doing okay slowly drift away. They are instead surrounded by people who criticize the wars these veterans fought in and lost friends in because they don’t understand them and did not give up any part of their lives or hearts to fight in. These veterans are surrounded by people but still feel completely alone. And while the world grows slowly quieter and lonelier, their demons grow louder as distance and life separates them from the brotherhood they once knew.
The tape of the moments of on-the-ground fighting to keep their brothers alive is forever running in their mind. They relive the battles in which they lost friends, all of those moments that left them with guilt for surviving, the times they spoke with the families of those killed and wished they had done something different. Wondering again if maybe they could have changed the outcome somehow.
The heartache and suffering builds, causing them to feel separated and detached from every other person in their lives. They don’t have the tools to stop these thoughts and painful memories, so they take whatever actions they see fit to end the pain. And when they die, we pretend they never existed. The military doesn’t honor all of those who die of the emotional and mental wounds inflicted by battle – only those who die from physical wounds.
Those emotional and mental wounds often lead to suicide. We pretend suicide shows dishonor and a problem with the individual, not the system. When a soldier dies of suicide, you will never see his or her name etched into any memorial on base. You won’t see them honored on the National Mall. Their memory is wiped away. Those who die in war have plaques made in their honor, but those who serve alongside them courageously and later die from their survivor’s guilt have their names wiped from the hallowed halls they walked with their brothers in arms.
What are we teaching the soldiers by doing this? It’s clear: shame on you for being human, shame on you for caring, and shame on you for ending your pain while we turned a blind eye to it.
As a country we <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/272473/us-military-spending-from-2000-to-2012/#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20the%20United%20States,when%20adjusted%20to%202019%20dollars).">spend</a> around $700 billion a year on our military. So why is it that we haven’t done more for these men and women coming home from battle? Why don’t we have a better plan? This year we sent billions of dollars to Ukraine. We spend millions a year planning and preparing to deploy every soldier. But we have no effective program to assist those on the front line to recover from the horrors of war before they re-enter society.
We as a nation need to do better. Our men and women on the frontline fighting for our freedom deserve it. It’s time we fight for them.
Michelle Black is a mother of two boys, a Gold Star wife, and author of Sacrifice: The Green Berets, a Fateful Ambush, and a Gold Star Widow’s Fight for the Truth. As the first woman in her family to graduate high school, she attended California Polytechnic State University where she graduated with a degree in environmental sciences and horticulture. She lives in Washington state.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Black – Veteran Suicides A Hidden Epidemic

‘Emotional And Mental Wounds’: Taking Better Care Of Our Returning Soldiers

Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans Affairs (VA)

A  Tel Aviv University-led research study reportedly found that oxygen therapy can dramatically reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and was so successful that half of those who underwent the therapy were no longer deemed to have PTSD at the conclusion of the treatment regimen.
The study was &#8220;based on use of hyperbaric oxygen chambers by 18 IDF veterans with post-trauma,&#8221; The Times of Israel <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/world-first-israeli-study-shows-oxygen-therapy-can-dramatically-reduce-ptsd-symptoms">reported</a>. &#8220;Hyperbaric oxygen is not currently used for any significant PTSD treatments, and the scientists who conducted the study say it could open a new avenue to help people battling the disorder.&#8221;
“We’ve started in this research to treat PTSD in a way that seeks to effect on actual physical changes in the brain,” Dr. Keren Doenyas-Barak, part of the team behind the study, told The Times of Israel. “This approach doesn’t rely on psychological tools. It’s biological, not psychological, so it represents something fresh.”
The report said that Doenyas-Barak indicated that the test subjects showed significant improvement in both reported symptoms that are used to diagnose the illness and in brain scans.
&#8220;According to the diagnostic scale, by the end of the therapy course, half of those treated were no longer considered to have PTSD,&#8221; the report added. &#8220;The therapy is thought to work by increasing the plasticity of the brain, which enables wounds in the brain tissue to heal.&#8221;
The Jerusalem Post <a href="https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-698327">reported</a>:
<blockquote>The patients for the study were men ages 25-60 with combat-associated PTSD that had lasted for at least four years. They arrived at the study through referrals by their psychiatrist or psychotherapist or applied after seeing advertisements that were posted in social media groups. They were then filtered according to requirements posed in a questionnaire until the researchers had a group that fit their requirements.
After being selected, the patients were put through a series of examinations and then split randomly into treatment and control groups. The patients in the treatment group continued with their therapy from before the study and were given 60 daily sessions of HBOT five days a week. The patients in the control group continued with their therapy but did not undergo HBOT.
After three months, the patients underwent a series of tests to determine whether they had improved. The HBOT group showed significant improvements over the control group in multiple tests.</blockquote>
“Today we understand that treatment-resistant PTSD is caused by a biological wound in brain tissues, which obstructs attempts at psychological and psychiatric treatments,&#8221; Professor Shai Efrati, who participated in leading the research, said. “With the new HBOT protocols, we can activate mechanisms that repair the wounded brain tissue. The treatment induces reactivation and proliferation of stem cells, as well as generation of new blood vessels and increased brain activity, ultimately restoring the functionality of the wounded tissues. Our study paves the way to a better understanding of the connection between mind and body.”
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Hyperbaric medical chamber

Israeli Study Shows New Therapy Can Dramatically Reduce PTSD Symptoms, Many No Longer Had Illness: Report

Israel

Trigger warnings have been around for decades but exploded on college campuses more recently as more students claimed to have suffered various traumas in their lives.
In 2015, Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt wrote their <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/">seminal work</a> on trigger warnings for The Atlantic, arguing that trigger warnings help people avoid their fears, which prevents them from moving on and getting better. The two academics explained that if someone who has a terrifying experience in an elevator and develops a fear of elevators is not warned to stay away from them for the rest of their life. Instead, they are gradually reintroduced to elevators until they are no longer afraid.
Trigger warnings were initially intended not to be about avoiding content but preparing those with trauma to engage in it. As we all know, this was never the case, as the warnings gave students at colleges and universities an excuse to avoid numerous works – including classics like Shakespeare and “The Odyssey.”
Occasionally, a study would come out showing that trigger warnings were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-study-says-trigger-warnings-are-totally-emily-zanotti">useless</a> or even <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/study-trigger-warnings-are-harmful-college-ashe-schow">harmful</a> to students, yet they persisted with academics insisting they were necessary to combat the growing mental health crisis among young adults.
Now, however, a review of 17 studies relating to trigger warnings shows that they are, indeed, harmful. The Chronicle of Higher Education <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-data-is-in-trigger-warnings-dont-work?cid=gen_sign_in">looked</a> at the peer-reviewed studies and found that trigger warnings made things worse for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“The consensus, based on 17 studies using a range of media, including literature passages, photographs, and film clips: Trigger warnings do not alleviate emotional distress. They do not significantly reduce negative affect or minimize intrusive thoughts, two hallmarks of PTSD. Notably, these findings hold for individuals with and without a history of trauma,” the Chronicle reported.
“We are not aware of a single experimental study that has found significant benefits of using trigger warnings. Looking specifically at trauma survivors, including those with a diagnosis of PTSD, the Jones et al. study found that trigger warnings ‘were not helpful even when they warned about content that closely matched survivors’ traumas,’” the outlet added. “What’s more, they found that trigger warnings actually increased the anxiety of individuals with the most severe PTSD, prompting them to ‘view trauma as more central to their life narrative.’ ‘Trigger warnings,’ they concluded, ‘may be most harmful to the very individuals they were designed to protect.’”
The evidence that professors are harming students with trigger warnings has not caught on. As the Chronicle reported, Michael Bugeja, who teaches journalism at Iowa State University, <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2021/08/25/why-trigger-warnings-are-needed-now-much-more-ever-opinion">wrote</a> at Inside Higher Ed about his use of trigger warnings. Bugeja wrote in his article that more professors should use more trigger warnings and include this note on their syllabi:
<blockquote>You don’t have to attend class if the content elicits an uncomfortable emotional response.</blockquote>
Bugeja includes numerous trigger warnings on his syllabus, and they’re not just about things related to actual PTSD. Anything that might cause “difficult emotional responses” in students is included, including words and phrases like COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and Trump.
The Chronicle insisted that Bugeja’s overuse of trigger warnings would likely “impede meaningful engagement with difficult topics and reinforce the idea that students are inherently fragile.”

Scared woman

Trigger Warnings Don’t Work, Cause People To Avoid Underlying Content, Studies Show

Education

Chad M. Robichaux found himself in the darkest place in his battle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the kind showcased in movies about veterans on the edge.
Gun in hand, he considered taking his own life.
“I was as rock bottom as anybody could be,” Robichaux says. “The only thing that kept me from doing it was family pictures … I couldn’t bear my kid finding me.”
Robichaux served his country as a Force Recon Marine with eight deployments to Afghanistan. After coming home, he tried traditional methods for coping with his PTSD, including medicinal treatments, but nothing worked. 
It wasn&#8217;t until restoring his faith and family bonds that he began to see a change.
“I felt like I found the cure to cancer. It’s the only way to really explain it,” he says of his faith-driven methods. Now, Robichaux is working to help other veterans who may have hit a similar hit rock bottom, through his <a href="https://www.mightyoaksprograms.org/">Mighty Oaks Foundation,</a> which teams with fellow veterans to help those struggling through peer-based discipleship. 
He calls the foundation a “life commitment to paying it forward.” He captures that journey in his new book, “An Unfair Advantage: Victory in the Midst of Battle.” The memoir recalls his most harrowing moments from the fields of battle, his time as an MMA champion and how God helped heal his battered soul.
Robichaux’s organization continually offers new opportunities to help his fellow veterans and, by extension, himself. 
That proved true when he first met Branden D. Kunath, a medically retired U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant who served as an Infantry Machine Gunner and Infantry Unit Leader during his active duty service. Kunath is now an instructor with the Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs as well as the group’s National Facilitation Manager. Kunath now admits he wasn’t keen on what the program had to offer him at first. 
“I got a front row seat to watch his journey,” Robichaux says. “He could have made a decision that continued to destroy his life.” Instead, Kunath embraced Christ and flourished under the program.
“I was a few steps ahead of him,” he recalls of their healing process. According to Robichaux, people like Kunath hold “me very accountable to my own journey and the work that I do. It inspires me.”
“I remember phone calls from my wife when she would tell me she was praying for me, but I often replied that God wasn’t in Afghanistan – not in such an evil place. I know now that what I felt wasn’t the absence of God but rather the tangible presence of evil.”
Robichaux’s current work extends to the highest corridors of power. He recently teamed with the Trump administration to <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/454306-faith-based-treatment-should-be-explored-as-an-option-for">help bring faith-based organizations</a> like Mighty Oaks into the official realm of government treatments.
He cares deeply about helping his fellow veterans and now has an even greater incentive to help future soldiers. Robichaux’s son, Hunter, is a third-generation Marine combat veteran currently serving in Afghanistan.
Robichaux is now optimistic about the direction of our country with regards to dealing with PTSD and other mental health challenges faced by veterans. “America learned a very big lesson from Vietnam. We lost <a href="https://roanoke.com/opinion/commentary/ketwig-more-veterans-commit-suicide-than-were-killed-in-vietnam/article_2d841f24-c167-50bd-9e0b-02e42feb98d1.html">almost 200,000</a> to suicide, a direct result of not taking care of Vietnam veterans when they came home,” he says.
It’s why he’s worked “hand in hand” with the Trump administration to improve the Veteran’s Affairs division and reach troubled soldiers. “There’s a lot of work left to do,” he adds.
Since embracing his new mission, Robichaux has spoken to more than 150,000 active duty troops and directly helped more than 3,300 active military and veterans at four Mighty Oaks Ranches across the country.
The current pandemic is making Robichaux’s work even harder as veterans deal with both PTSD and lockdown-based isolation. Suicide hotline calls are soaring as a result, he notes.
Even today, he still recalls why he considered suicide at his lowest point and why his second chance matters.
“I thought there was no purpose left in my life,” he says. “Fast forward to today, and there’s not enough days left in a lifetime to do what I want to achieve in this world.”
“There are always things worth fighting for: your legacy, your honor, your integrity, and even your health. Our role as men – as husbands, fathers, and leaders – in our communities will bring us to battles that will require us to rise up as warriors and fight. And we must.”

War Dead Honored On Memorial Day Weekend

Marine Using Faith-Based Discipleship To Combat PTSD

Religion

During a press conference on Wednesday, far-left Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) claimed conflict with Iran and the Trump administration is making her feel &#8220;ill&#8221; and triggering her &#8220;PTSD.&#8221; 
“I feel ill a little bit because of everything that is taking place and I think every time I hear of conversations around war, I find myself being stricken with PTSD,” Omar said.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlhanMN</a> says she has PTSD and the talk of conflict w/ Iran is making her uneasy <a href="https://t.co/jzjUfKjEUY">pic.twitter.com/jzjUfKjEUY</a>
&mdash; Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1215011792860135424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Notably, in the same presser, Omar was spotted giggling as Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) was discussing U.S. casualties from the Iraq War, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-ilhan-omar-laughs-while-colleague-talks-about-u-s-casualties-in-iraq?itm_source=parsely-api">The Daily Wire</a> reported Wednesday.
“I’m very glad to say that I was part of the 132 and also the vote for Barbara Lee’s amendment, but I think that the point of that is that that is the same war that we’re dealing with today,” Rep. Jackson Lee said. “We never solved any problems with AUMF, we left four thousand plus, maybe even forty four hundred dead, and over sixty thousand who came back injured in some form and the war never ended.”
&#8220;As [Jackson] Lee spoke, Omar could be seen standing behind her laughing while talking to her Democrat colleagues,&#8221; noted The Daily Wire.
“I recall the language in AUMF, it deals with hostilities in Iraq,” Jackson Lee continued. “It doesn’t deal with an incident or a dislike or someone in a car coming in from the airport. That is the danger of not acting and I do think with our leadership, meaning the leadership CPC, that will come together around specific answers.”
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Absolutely disgusting.
Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar laughs and jokes around as her colleague Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee discusses U.S. casualties in Iraq. <a href="https://t.co/5hfxbUnc3o">pic.twitter.com/5hfxbUnc3o</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1215009404799606787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The commentary from Omar, a fierce Trump critic and frequently alleged anti-Semite, sparked a reaction online.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), who served in Afghanistan as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve, called her comments &#8220;a disgrace and offensive&#8221; to veterans.
&#8220;Rep. Ilhan Omar complained she’s &#8216;stricken with PTSD&#8217; because of recent events in the Middle East,&#8221; wrote Rep. Banks. &#8220;This is a disgrace and offensive to our nation’s veterans who really do have PTSD after putting their life on the line to keep America safe.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rep. Ilhan Omar complained she’s “stricken with PTSD” because of recent events in the Middle East.
This is a disgrace and offensive to our nation’s veterans who really do have PTSD after putting their life on the line to keep America safe. <a href="https://t.co/twhZDuUDu0">pic.twitter.com/twhZDuUDu0</a>
&mdash; Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJimBanks/status/1215034549765312512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Omar, who fled Somalia with her family at age ten and was subsequently a refugee in Kenya, responded to Banks: &#8220;Hi Jim, I survived war as a child and deal with post-traumatic stress disorder — much like many who have served or lived through war. It’s shameful that you as a member of Congress would erase the PTSD of survivors.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hi Jim,
I survived war as a child and deal with post-traumatic stress disorder—much like many who have served or lived through war.
It’s shameful that you as a member of Congress would erase the PTSD of survivors. <a href="https://t.co/QdDBKDSOCS">pic.twitter.com/QdDBKDSOCS</a>
&mdash; Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1215054586383425544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Rep. Banks followed up his post with a clip of Omar&#8217;s laughter.
&#8220;No [Ilhan Omar] — you can’t change the subject. Your words and actions at today’s press conference reveal your feelings toward our soldiers serving abroad and the video speaks for itself,&#8221; he captioned the video.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
No <a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlhanMN</a> &#8211; you can’t change the subject. 
Your words and actions at today’s press conference reveal your feelings toward our soldiers serving abroad and the video speaks for itself. 👇 <a href="https://t.co/T2OREUaIm6">https://t.co/T2OREUaIm6</a>
&mdash; Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJimBanks/status/1215067392201691137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;[Ilhan Omar] claim[ing] PTSD in a direct spit in the face of those in the military who actually suffer from it. She&#8217;s an open anti-[S]emite, said &#8216;some people did something,&#8217; on 9/11 and shows a general hatred for the country. There is no way she should be near the House of Reps,&#8221; remarked radio show host Joe Pagliarulo (a.k.a. &#8220;Joe Pags&#8221;).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlhanMN</a> claims PTSD in a direct spit in the face of those in the military who actually suffer from it. She&#39;s an open anti-semite, said &quot;some people did something,&quot; on 9/11 and shows a general hatred for the country. There is no way she should be near the House of Reps.
&mdash; Joe Pags Pagliarulo (@JoeTalkShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTalkShow/status/1215146059309166593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I have PTSD *giggles* haha dead soldiers *giggles* don’t criticize me or you’ll trigger flashbacks you monster *giggles*,&#8221; posted Human Events&#8217; Ian Miles Cheong.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I have PTSD *giggles* haha dead soldiers *giggles* don’t criticize me or you’ll trigger flashbacks you monster *giggles*
&mdash; Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1215267285805387777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Call the medic! [Ihan Omar] says she feels &#8216;ill a little bit&#8217; with all this talk of conflict with Iran,&#8221; mocked Fox News host Laura Ingraham. &#8220;Well, I’m sure her dismissive talk of al Qaeda and 9/11 made a lot of Americans feel way more ill (and angry).&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Call the medic! <a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlhanMN</a> says she feels “ill a little bit” with all this talk of conflict with Iran. Well, I’m sure her dismissive talk of al Qaeda and 9/11 made a lot of Americans feel way more ill (and angry). <a href="https://t.co/JGaKAeonCt">https://t.co/JGaKAeonCt</a>
&mdash; Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) <a href="https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1215017500968202241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<div id="tweet-rich-content-label" class="css-1dbjc4n r-156q2ks" aria-labelledby="quote-tweet-label">
<div class="css-1dbjc4n">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Close but this lame actor <a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlhanMN</a> said she was “strickened (sic) with PTSD” (within minutes of laughing on camera behind <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLeeTX18?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JacksonLeeTX18</a>). <a href="https://t.co/cAoOjowbbo">https://t.co/cAoOjowbbo</a>
&mdash; Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) <a href="https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1215238793059557377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
</div>

Rep. Ilhan Omar

Ilhan Omar Says Trump Admin Triggering Her ‘PTSD,’ Internet Explodes

Ilhan Omar

Trump Administration

A Canadian man who was convicted of murdering a female policeman in 2015 is arguing that he should be released from prison because he <a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1589679-strangling-off-duty-cop-gave-killer-ptsd-defence-tells-sentencing-judge">suffers from PTSD caused by the murder.</a>
In September 2015, Christopher Garnier, 30, met Truro officer Catherine Campbell, 36, at a bar in Halifax, then went with her to a McCully Street apartment. Once there, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6048099/Cop-murderer-30-argues-parole-developed-PTSD-strangling-officer.html">according to the prosecution</a>, Garnier strangled Campbell in a &#8220;gruesome way, in that it would not have been quick and immediate. Her nose was broken; the cartilage in her neck was broken. He moved her body and concealed numerous pieces of evidence, some of which was never recovered.&#8221; Prosecutors noted that Garnier was training to become a firefighter, but never called 911 and did not attempt CPR.
Garnier then dumped her body into a compost bin near a harbor bridge. He told the jury he didn&#8217;t recall using the bin to dispose of Campbell&#8217;s body; it lay there undiscovered for five days.
Garnier was convicted of the crime last December, triggering an automatic life sentence, but on Monday a hearing will be held to decide when he can apply for parole. Garnier had argued Campbell died accidentally during rough sex.
Garnier&#8217;s attorney Joel Pink said Garnier was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by Dr. Stephen Hucker, who was hired by the defense team, as well as the psychologist currently treating him. Hucker told the court that Garnier suffered from acute stress disorder immediately following Campbell&#8217;s death.
Pink stated:
<blockquote>
The testimony of Dr. Hucker clearly indicates that there is a strong link between Mr. Garnier&#8217;s illness and his interference with human remains; therefore, it should be considered a mitigating factor in his sentencing (on that charge). Courts have consistently held that a sentencing court&#8217;s application to the principles of sentencing will be influenced by the presence of a mental illness. In such circumstances, the primary concern in sentencing shifts to treatment as the best means of ensuring the protection of the public and that the offending conduct is not repeated.
</blockquote>
Pink added that Garnier is a &#8220;kind, caring person&#8221; who has expressed regret over his actions.
Crown lawyers Christine Driscoll and Carla Ball countered, &#8220;Mr. Garnier not only murdered Ms. Campbell, he interfered with Ms. Campbell&#8217;s remains. He demonstrated a callous disregard for Ms. Campbell, and made an attempt to cover his crime. The message should be sent that Mr. Garnier should forever be remembered as the person who stole Ms. Campbell&#8217;s future for no reason, and then treated her remains like garbage.&#8221;

Man Strangles Female Cop. Now He Says He Should Be Released Because Of PTSD From The Murder.

Canada

Murder

Police

Mike Rowe, former host of Dirty Jobs and founder of the mikeroweWORKS foundation, has released the first episode of his new web-series called Returning the Favor.
According to RTF&#8217;s official Facebook page, the show follows &#8220;Mike Rowe as he travels the country in search of remarkable people making a difference in their communities. Returning the Favor gives back to those who pay it forward with humor, heart and surprise. Because one good turn deserves another.&#8221;
The first episode has Rowe meeting a Cedar Lake, Indiana, man named Jason Zaideman, who is the founder of <a href="https://www.combatbikesaver.org">Operation Combat Bikesaver</a>, a non-profit group for veterans suffering from PTSD. The men and women of OCB rebuild and design motorcycles as a kind of therapy.
The episode is full of incredible stories, and even more incredible people. To say anything more would ruin the experience, so sit back and watch the first episode of this awesome online series:
<div class="embed"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="385" width="720"></iframe></div>

WATCH: First Episode Of Mike Rowe’s ‘Returning The Favor’ Deals With Veterans Suffering From PTSD

Mike Rowe

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