One detrimental mistake we usually make is that we spend a lot of energy mourning over situations that are unredeemable. We dispense too much energy on "spilt milk" instead of cleaning up the mess we made and rebuilding our future from a changed perspective. Forward thinking is what gets us from a bad place into an enlightened state of thinking to a plan of action, to a new vision, to a new way of life. We have to get to the point where we get our heads out of the history books of our lives and begin to pick up the pieces and rebuild what's left.

It was early morning, June 17, 1967, and Dak To Special Forces camp in Vietnam was under attack. A mortar exploded, and West Point graduate Allen B. Clark Jr.'s life was changed forever. This is the story of how one soldier, so gravely injured that both of his legs were amputated, turned his grievous loss into a personal triumph. Clark describes his struggle through a year-long recovery and a severe bout of post traumatic stress disorder, so little understood at the time. He tells of earning his MBA from Southern Methodist University and finding employment as a personal financial assistant to Ross Perot, of moving on to public service and founding the Combat Faith Ministry, a lay ministry to veterans. Clark's story of growth and spiritual fulfillment wrested from his wartime tragedy is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and is of special relevance in our day of so many soldiers returning wounded in body and spirit from Iraq.

Imagine struggling through a childhood dominated by an intimidating father. Imagine stepping into an elite airborne division that trains you to be a killer in Vietnam. Try to imagine stumbling back into society after that...minus an arm. All of a sudden, your body isn't whole, and your country turns its face as you approach. This is the story of John Steer, a heavily decorated soldier from Vietnam, a wandering warrior returning from southeast Asia, from a troubled past, and full of hate for himself and everyone else. In need of a lifeline, this brawling ex-soldier finally finds a commander worth his respect: John Steer meets Jesus Christ, and the healing begins... Wounded Soldier is the powerful story of a man in search for himself. Read and believe.

Shattered physically and psychologically in Vietnam, the author traces his discovery of Jesus fist as savior through the bloodiest battles of the war, and a lukewarm homecoming.Emphasizing the void he felt in a life without God, Steer, a heavily-decorated Army paratrooper, is candid not only about his war experiences, but also in dealing with the sin issue.Believing that God spared him on Hill 875, even with the loss of an arm and other painful injuries, Steer searched for meaning in his life and found it in the Bible.An aggressive foreign missionary and counselor to veterans, he advises politicians and medical personnel who come in contact with wounded war veterans.This is a fast-moving story, told by a man who understands that soldiers in God's army must overcome their wounds and win souls for Christ. Because through the battlefields of war, and the battlefields for our minds and circumstances, we find that by His stripes we are healed.

For every wounded warrior, there is a wounded home--an immediate and extended family and community impacted by their loved one's war experiences. Every day service members are returning from combat deployments to their families. And every day war comes home with them. When a combat veteran struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI), every member of the family experiences the effects. Spouses, parents, and children must undergo changes on the home front, a process that resembles the phases of grief. Confusion, hurt, anger, guilt, fatigue, and fear lie behind their brave smiles and squared shoulders. Wounded Warrior, Wounded Home gives hurting families a look inside the minds and hearts of wounded warriors and guides them in developing their own personal plan for physical, emotional, and spiritual wholeness in the wake of war. The authors, one the wife of a career US Navy SEAL and the other a clinical psychologist and Vietnam veteran, speak from their own experiences of living with PTSD and TBI. They also share insights from dozens of families and careful research, offering readers a hope-filled way forward.

“I have had the chance to meet Melissa and hear her amazing story in person. In this book, Melissa shares insight on how she became a warrior and fought back to become the champion she is today. She is a great example of perseverance in the face of what appears to be insurmountable hurdles. Her love of country is strong and carries through her joining the military and representing Team USA in the Paralympic Games. A true champion in many ways.”—Jackie Joyner Kersee “Melissa’s story of strength and courage is not only incredibly moving, it is a must-read for anyone facing any challenge. Clearly her passion for country and sport drives every one of her accomplishments. From a young gymnast like I was, to representing the United States in Paratriathlon, Melissa inspires us all with her story of overcoming unimaginable adversity and what it truly means to be unstoppable.”—Shannon Miller Melissa Stockwell has been a restless force of nature from the time she was a little girl speeding around her neighborhood on her bike, to her tumbles and spills as a high-level gymnast and Olympic hopeful, to joining the ROTC in college as an outlet for her patriotism and love of America. After 9/11, she was deployed to Iraq as a commissioned Army officer, where she suffered the injury that would change her life forever. After a long and challenging recovery at Walter Reed Hospital, she exercised her power of choice to channel her energy into competition, winning three Paratriathlon World Championships and medaling at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Her journey weaves service to her country and the heartache of a painful divorce along with founding a successful nonprofit, launching a career in prosthetics, finding new love, and becoming a mother to two children. Along the way, she meets all the living American presidents and inspires others with disabilities—through a story that is riveting, moving, and an inspiration for anyone who would choose to live their life to the fullest.

A reporter’s firsthand, close-up-and-personal look at the impact of our recent wars on America’s unlucky soldiers.

Robert C. Vallieres struggled to find his ônew normalö when he returned home after serving in the military. An accident in Kuwait left him suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) internal injuries, leaving him in constant pain. After clinics, bottles of painkillers, and behavior modification pills, hope seemed to vanish. Then a local weekly newspaper ad caught his eye: a bird-watching trip to see raptors in the mountains of New Hampshire. An Emily Dickinson poem that states, ôHope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tuneùwithout the words, and never stops at all,ö sprang to his mind. Wounded Warriors is VallieresÆs story of self-healing from crippling ôinvisibleö wounds through the help of birds. The problems of TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder do not have definitive solutions. His story of recovery offers a winged hope to thousands of military personnel who suffer these physical and mental battles.

This resource addresses all aspects of combat amputee care ranging from surgical techniques to long-term care, polytrauma and comorbidities such as traumatic brain injury and burns, pain management, psychological issues, physical and occupational therapy, VA benefits, prosthetics and adaptive technologies, sports and recreational opportunities, and return to duty and vocational rehabilitation.