more constructive path forward. Those guys didn’t get stuck. They manned up and left the negative aspects of their military experience in the past. But they held tightly onto the positive aspects like leadership skills, pride in having served their country, and the deep sense of brotherhood that comes from having served in combat. In short, they chose the path of growth. Note the key word in that sentence: “chose.” Growth isn’t just something that happens to you. It’s something you have to strive toward... through the choices you make. It’s how you respond to the inevitable challenges, disappointments, and failures that life throws your way. A critical step for me toward the path to growth was recognizing that my service was voluntary. I chose to join the Army, and I’m proud of that. But that meant I had to accept the reality that if my service was voluntary, then I had no right to be angry and no one owed me anything. I chose to move beyond the attitudes that held me back. This wasn’t easy. It took time and lots of support from family and friends. You can do it, too. Choose how you’re going to get unstuck. This will be more difficult for some than others. (If you have a legitimate mental health issue or you’re struggling with PTSD, get help.) But the first step is recognizing you’ve got a problem, right? Then take action. Take on a volunteer opportunity in your community or church... or help out another veteran. Seek ways to
reclaim that sense of purpose and direction that you once had when you put on the uniform every day. The bottom line is that military service, especially combat, changes you. But it’s up to you to determine what direction that change will take you. So make sure you choose to change for the better. (And seriously, trim back that beard.) Sean Parnell spent 485 days fighting along the Afghan-Pakistan border, leading a platoon that became one of the fiercest and most effective American fighting units in modern military history. A full 85% of his platoon received Purple Hearts for wounds incurred in battle, and it remains one of the most decorated Army units since 9/11. Sean wrote about his experiences in his first book, Outlaw Platoon , which hit the New York Times bestseller list. Also, he has most recently written a fiction series – his first novel, Man of War , came out last year. And he released the second in the series, All Out War , this month. Renowned author Lee Child calls Sean’s books: “Fast, hard, and effortlessly authentic”... while bestselling writer Brad Thor says: “Bristling with intrigue, deceit, power, and treason – once you pick this book up, you will NOT be able to put it down.” Click here to get your copy of Man of War and All Out War .
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