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I Forge Iron

Military veterans?


Welshj

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Hitting hot steel on the anvil has kept me "nearly normal" through my 29 years on the PD. Debi always knew if I went to the forge, I had a bad day and she would not try and talk me through it knowing I wouldn't share the details with her. Some things are just not to be shared.

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Although I experienced some pretty bad stuff in Viet nam I really didn't come home with much PTSD that I know of. My brain is built so that I can compartmentalize pretty well.  The bad stuff stays locked away.  I know it is there but it doesn't overlay other things.  However, hitting hot iron has been a real outlet and stress reliever throughout my life since I started the craft.  Hitting hot iron is a VERY good way to come back to earth after a tough day or week in court.

And, it has added to my joy and happiness in good times too.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

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I was never a "mean drunk" when i would drink i would always get in a good mood. PTSD is a strange affliction. I do not get depressed but i have some real anger issues. So i drank to be happy. By the way drinking was not my only problem. I do not  think i have ever told anyone here but this past August i went 16 years clean of drugs. An accomplishment i am very proud of and am proud to say i have also helped others get clean. 

 

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Proud of you, brother. I have two step-children struggling with addiction. 
I can’t afford anything that inhibits my control, best my demons remain fettered. We really don’t want to let them out to play. I am lucky to have dodged that bullet. 
PTSD is a strange beast. It’s to late for us but Dave Butlers work lead to changes in the way we are trained. At least modern troops are being told that the symptoms are to be expected, it’s normal. Thus they are not crazy. 
it’s not just psychological, as there are actual observable changes in the brain that accure, and some of those changes are worse the younger the person is at exposure and the longer the exposure. 
treatments are improving as well, tho mostly in the area of identifiable triggering events. For those of us who had long term, systematic exposure at a young age not so much. You learn to embrace the hyper vigilance and emotional blunting wile exempting the fact that your startle response is a source of amusement for others. For me the worst is a pathological inability to back down from a threat and the visceral effect of becoming angry. At least I don’t turn green...

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Remember brother, even as soldiers, violence is fundamentally wrong in society, and absolutely forbidden against our loved ones. We operate in the grey area where violence is forgivable when used to protect our selves and others. 
becoming angry isn’t wrong, it’s how we express it that maters. For myself it is physically and emotionally draining and even sickening.  
fundamentaly we fight for the other idiot standing next to us on the wall, let the the politicians and generals worry about the erosions they sent us there.

now this isn’t to say that putting a bunch of young guys together in a situation where standard morals don’t apply can’t leaf to regrettable stupidity, but that’s another topic. Forgive yourself and move on.

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Luckily, I was a bit older than a lot of my guys (I turned 25 in Vietnam) and had a broader view of the world.  I worried more about my guys than myself which kept the focus outside of me.  That said, I always had to guard against in both myself and my guys from dealing with the fear by learning to love the violence in compensation.  KIlling and violence, even in a socially acceptable situation like combat or law enforcement, will mark a man's soul.  It is the Mark of Cain and it is seldom a good thing.  We all have the capability of violence in us when properly provoked or trained and it must always be kept on a short leash.  Transitioning back into an environment where violence is no longer acceptable is tough.  As Charles says, there are a lot more coping statergies out there now than there were 50 years ago.

Odd and improbable things can be triggers.  I knew a WW2 vet whose company had been ambushed in New Guinea by a river where there were lots of wild cryanthamums.  He could never buy his wife, in later years, a mum corsage for a homecoming game because the scent triggered the memories.

I will also use the term for all the vets here on IFI and everywhere else what the Anglo-Saxons used for the man who stood beside him in the shield wall, you are all my "shoulder brothers."

GNM

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I have a philosophy  largely I think most here share. 
I don’t care what uniphorm you wore (wear) or what flag you served. If you strapped on your boots, your a brother (sister). 
I new a German Veteran who lost his leg jumping into Italy who took some of us under his wing. All he saw were wet behind the ear kids, and offered sage advice over a beer about officers, NCO’s and duties.

he didn’t see us for the heathens we were, just as the soldiers we should have been.  

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  • 1 month later...
On 4/3/2021 at 11:41 AM, Seffers93 said:

New here. US Navy, AT (aviation electronics tech), 2013 to 2017 active duty. Almost went back in last month because I hate my job lol. 

Hey Seffers, I was also an AT, in 2001-2006 

Hi All, I was Navy AT (aviation electronics tech) 2001-2006. Stationed as Sea operational detachment Pt. Mugu CA.  Deployed on the USS Constellation CV-64 final deployment 2002-2003, USS John C. Stennis CVN-74 2004, USS Nimitz CVN-68 2005, and did the workup for the USS Reagan CVN-76 in 2006.   Its great seeing all the Vets on here!

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Welcome aboard from 7500' in SE Wyoming.  Glad to have you.

I think you may be the 1st Seebee here.  Although you normally hear about the Seebees in WW2 in the Pacific the father of a friend of mine was one of the Seebees involved with D-Day in Normandy.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

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  • 2 months later...

Good evening! New to the craft and the forum....after reading some posts here it seems that heat, metal, a hammer, and an anvil are a common relaxation and therapeutic thing. I look forward to getting to know some of you and gaining knowledge!

SSG(R) Richard Thornton. US Army Military Police 1996-2017. Currently Practice Manager for the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital's Behavioral Health Clinic

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Welcome aboard, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you'll have a much better chance of meeting up with members living within visiting distance and a lot of information is pretty location specific. 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Welcome aboard from 7500' in SE Wyoming.  Glad to have you.

I can't quote any actual figures but my sense is that there are more veterans here on IFI than in the general population.  There may be a PhD dissertation in investigating why military service and a desire to hit hot metal seem to go together.

I have found blacksmithing a very positive addition to my life over the last 45 years.  It has helped me through tough times and has made the good times better.

George M.

LTC(R), US Army

Infantry & Field Artillery, 1969-92

late of 1/C/1/12 Cav, 1st Cav Div (Airmobile), Republic of Vietnam, 1970-71

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Welcome from the Ozark mountains. You are in BAM country (Blacksmiths Association of Missouri). Great bunch and are all over the state.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/223-bam-blacksmiths-association-of-missouri/ 

http://www.bamsite.org/

USCG 1964-1970 Semper Paratus

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