|
The Warrior
Returns:
Using JKD Concepts to Heal
by Seward Clayton Worley
 I
stood there in disbelief. Was the war really over for me? The gymnasium
filled with the roar of cheering families like a tidal wave"
pouring into a paper cup, but I still couldn’t believe I was home. I
don’t think my little boy could either. He saw me through his toddler
eyes, but was I for real or just another picture from Iraq? I didn’t
know for sure how I would ease back into my regular life, but there had
to be an answer somewhere. Perhaps I’d already found one.
I’ve been training
in the martial arts since I was 12 years old. Until resigning my
commission this year, I had been in the military since the age of 18.
Both paths have been integral parts of my life and make up a large
portion of who I am. The two sides have been fortunately harmonious.
After all, being a martial artist helped me become a better soldier, and
being a soldier enhanced me as a martial artist. Coming home from war in
my early to mid 30s, I’ve learned that martial arts such as Jeet Kune Do
(JKD) concepts can play a significant role in helping veterans like me
re-integrate into society.
Why is successful
re-integration so important? The fact is that war is inherently
destructive on multiple levels, whether your army is victorious or not.
Well after a given battle takes place, the combat inside a warrior may
be just getting started.
A festering
byproduct of warfare, not yet mastered by modern medicine, is called
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is certainly not a new
phenomenon either. It is as old as war itself, regardless of the other
names and phrases associated with it over time. It can affect troops of
any size, shape, and level of strength (internal and external). Though I
believe there are some forms of military training that certainly help
one endure the potential impacts of warfare on the spirit, no school
will make you immune…anymore than a martial art can make you bullet
proof. Regardless of beret color, special skill qualification badge, or
unit patch, troops are human beings, and they always have been. I’m not
saying that one person cannot be more courageous than another. Really,
being affected by PTSD has NOTHING to do with personal courage. In any
case, to deny that there are sides of us susceptible to pain or intense,
emotional impact is unwise.
 When
I think about what it’s like to endure battle, I often remember one of
my great uncles, who served as a tank crewman under General George S.
Patton. World War II’s European theater staged many harsh ordeals over
the years of fighting, and the experiences remain with its dwindling
veterans even today. Though my great uncle is no longer with us, I
consider what it was like as his armor column was strafed by a German
jet fighter for the very first time. A sleek machine with super speed,
deafening sounds, and power unlike any that he or his crew had ever seen
must have been especially disturbing for them. This is in addition to
the fact that their lives were in immediate jeopardy. Traumatic events
like this can put even the toughest crew in touch with its own mortality
in a very frank manner. More difficult to fathom was having his crew
attacked at another juncture by armed children, known as Hitler Youth.
The forced showdown that ensued was not something my great uncle would
describe. But the impact on him as a whole was apparent to us all. Some
in my family have said that when he came home, my great uncle never drew
a sober breath again. On the other side of the globe, though, other
relatives of mine weren’t so lucky.
I had blood
relatives die in the Bataan Death March at the hands of the Japanese war
machine. On the other side of World War II, some of my in-laws dealt
with traumatic events too. As citizens of Japan, they watched their own
close relatives (who were non-combatants) crushed in front of them
during Allied air raids over the mainland. This was a horrific
experience for them, and it pains the survivors even today. But these
are just some of the faces of wars past. To be sure, my toddler must
learn their austere lessons and how they helped shape the future we know
as the present. He will ask questions as he gets older, and some will
involve my own combat experiences of course.
Will my son be in
awe of the 140 land mines per square mile that we faced in
Bosnia-Herzegovina? Knowing his heart today, he’ll likely tear up at the
thought of a child I saw in Sarajevo, who was missing his legs below the
knees. A victim of a mine, I saw him watch his friends play soccer from
the confines of a wheelchair. I imagine he’s in his late teens by now,
if he’s still alive.
What about the crash
victims from the medical chopper, shot down in the vicinity of
Al-Fallujah by an insidious enemy with no regard for the law of land
warfare? Will my son ask me if I’m still angry about that…still furious
that the insurgents are the kind of sinister characters that would
pillage the patients, with some still dying on site?
What about
misrepresentation of the military by some members of the news media?
Despite all the great things that the Coalition Force does to rebuild
the nation of Iraq, it twists my guts to see the micro-focus on negative
events, especially when they’re taken out of context! There will be no
simple answers to these and other questions my family will discuss. But
my little boy will grow wiser because of the knowledge he gains, and
should he choose the way of the warrior as I have, it is my hope that he
is empowered by this special awareness. In contrast, America as a whole
could use less time asking questions and some more time increasing its
own awareness about critical impacts to those that defend its freedom
with their lives.
Too many Americans
have consciously discounted or have simply been unaware of PTSD’s
reality. This is a dangerous trend, and it must be stopped. Education is
the key to increasing America’s awareness, and martial arts like JKD
concepts can help treat this malady for those affected by it. PTSD
doesn’t just affect the troops, of course; it can have effects on
potentially everyone that they come into contact with. Branches of
military service like the U.S. Army have made great strides in recent
years to put more focus on mitigating the risks of combat-related stress
and treating those who are affected by it.
Having been deployed
in harm’s way before, I knew going into OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 1 that the
martial arts could help my teammates and me network our stress between
missions, keep fit, and sharpen our skills to repel the enemy. Using
relaxed, lightning-quick JKD concept drills, we refined and fortified
our overall health in almost every way. Staying loose while working
through the intricate timing of the traps, kicks, and strikes, we
developed better conscious and unconscious habits for our daily lives.
War is never timely though.
I had personal plans
for growth as a person and a martial artist.
Those were put on hold when my country called me
to duty, and rightly so. Training in the martial arts and teaching them
were very helpful to me while I was away. Coming back home to live in a
different town, take on different responsibilities at work, and help
make our new house a home were just the beginning of some changes I
faced. Finding a new instructor and a convenient place to train was
another challenge. Starting over in a new style while holding fast to my
beliefs in JKD concepts was still one more. Throw in a language barrier
and it gets even more interesting. Some might say that’s life. But, it’s
a lot of change to digest at once, having spent the last 12 months in
the chaos of war…some 7300 miles away from home. Compared to the time
spent away by World War II vets, it may seem brief. But, it was still
tough, and coming home, there is no light switch
to throw that will turn off how war affects you, much less how you feel
about it.
Still, even as it
was while I was gone, JKD concepts along with other martial methods
continue giving me a constructive means to channel my energy each day.
In every passing moment, the past is further behind, and I’m that much
closer to where I want to be in terms of personal training goals and
spiritual growth. Had I chosen to cope with the aftermath of war like
one of my relatives, I’d likely have remained trapped in the past for
the rest of my life: perpetually in pain until the release of death and
the beginning of the life thereafter…forever free of war and other
trials…but, at what cost? Instead, I’m letting JKD concepts and other
martial arts that are well complemented by JKD concepts help lead me to
the path of restoration in this life. See what they can do for you or
someone you care about.
(This article was
originally published in the March-April 2006 issue of
Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine.
Kyoshi Worley
is SMAA Kyoju Dairi for the Texas and Southwestern USA and operates
Wind Shadow Martial Arts
in Austin, Texas)
Donn Schucker, Executive Director
P.O. Box 2171
Florissant, MO 63032-2171
Phone: (314) 606-7306
Email: ds@smaa-martialarts.com
|
