In the latest episode of "The War Journal" podcast, bestselling author, Jim Sisco shares a candid discussion with his lifelong friend and Marine Corps veteran Brian Michigan about the struggles veterans face when dealing with mental health issues.
Jim and Brian's friendship began shortly after graduating boot camp in 1987 and evolved through a shared journey in the Marines, college, and significant personal milestones. Jim and Brian’s combat deployments in Panama and Kuwait forged a lifelong bond reinforced with Brian welcoming Jim home from Operation Desert Storm. After the Marines they pledged Theta Chi fraternity at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and joined the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course (PLC) together. Brian was Jim’s first salute at Navy Officer Candidate School in Pensacola Florida and they attended each other’s weddings and funerals for departed family members. Brian was the brother that Jim never had and his family adopted him as one of their own.
As many veterans can attest, family obligations, careers, and life in general erode the strong bonds that are created through mutual hardship, adversity, and pain. Like most friendships between Veterans, Jim and Brian’s evolved over time. Frequent visits during summer vacations and holidays turned into weekly calls and likes or shares to Facebook posts. Eventually, their communications were reduced to sporadic “buddy checks,” infrequent calls to see how they were doing. The calls were superficial discussions used to provide updates about friends and family that never breached topics regarding their own struggles with mental health issues, PTSD, Survivor Guilt, or the stress and anxiety faced due to their careers, relationships, or life. During difficult times they would provide moral support as most veterans do, however it only scratched the surface of the deeper issues that impacted them both.
After starting the War Journal Podcast, Jim reached out to Brian be a guest. It was during those conversations that Jim and Brian were able to reconnect and open up about each other’s personal struggles with mental health issues they both experienced. In this powerful heartfelt episode, they share their own experiences with mental health challenges, offering an authentic glimpse into the reality behind veterans sharing their struggles. The podcast serves as a vivid example to other veterans who are dealing with challenges in their lives, mental health issues, or depression. It’s OK to reach out and talk to a friend.
Join us for Episode 10 of "The War Journal" podcast, where Jim and Brian discuss the complexities of maintaining strong bonds amidst life's challenges and the importance of addressing mental health issues openly.
🎧 Tune in to Episode 10 of "The War Journal" podcast for an honest and compelling exploration of veteran friendships, mental health, and the enduring bonds formed through shared experiences.
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