Mental Health: Don’t Wait to React to Contact

SSG Clint Romesha — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:21:56 -0400

I never loved school growing up. Math? Definitely not my thing. But when I joined the military, I finally found a “test” I enjoyed and could perform with interest —react to contact drills.

When everything hits the fan, and you're forced to make split-second decisions with limited intel, that’s when I really felt alive. In some cases, it’s what kept me alive.

But the battlefield that those of us who are Veterans are navigating now is different.

In civilian life, there’s no garrison downtime, no FTX to prep for, no clear deployment cycle. It’s just one long, unpredictable op tempo filled with wins, losses, and daily battles—some loud, some silent.

We’re not dodging RPGs or mortars from a single enemy force. But we are taking incoming—just in different forms. A bad health diagnosis. A blindsiding bill. Trouble at home or with the boss. The enemy doesn’t wear a uniform now, and there’s no SOP for life’s curveballs.

What I don’t want is to be running a react to contact drill when a buddy suddenly ghosts a group chat… only to find out later that life hit him harder than any of us realized.

So I’ve made it a priority to check in, often and proactively, not just reactively. You should too.

Stay in touch - or reconnect - with the people who mean the most to you. Don’t do it just when you need something, or when you think they need you. Do it just because life is better that way.

Don’t let your daily grind push that “What’s up?” text message down your task list. Make the call. Grab that meal. You don’t need a reason—just a reminder that someone’s got your six, and you’ve got theirs.

If you feel disconnected from friends right now, there are places you can go to be surrounded by other vets. Here are just a few:

American Legion Calendar: https://rly.pt/legion
VA Events: https://rly.pt/VAoutreach
America’s Warrior Partnership Events: https://rly.pt/AWPevents

It’s better to prevent an ambush than to react to one. Life’s too short to forget that, and your friends are too important to forget them.

Calendar

Response by COL John McClellan made Jun 18 at 2025 4:26 PM

COL John McClellan — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 16:26:18 -0400

Good advice SSG Clint Romesha. Thanks! I'm a Trustee and regular volunteer at my VFW Post.

Response by LTC Rodney Joye made Jun 19 at 2025 7:17 AM

LTC Rodney Joye — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:17:26 -0400

Boy did you ever get this right Brother.

Response by SGT Ruben Lozada made Jun 19 at 2025 3:51 PM

SGT Ruben Lozada — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 15:51:43 -0400

Good afternoon SSG Clint Romesha. Excellent post. Thank you for sharing this Brother Clint. :->

Response by PFC Zanie Young made Jun 22 at 2025 10:39 AM

PFC Zanie Young — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 10:39:19 -0400

Let's not forget that even after we're done wearing the uniform, we're still serving. We're still fighting battles in life, although nobody's shooting at us. We're still a part of a team, so let's be there for one another!

Response by MAJ Jack Horn, LPC, NCC, CCMHC, CCTP, CCTP-II, CCFP, CDBT made Jun 26 at 2025 11:43 AM

MAJ Jack Horn, LPC, NCC, CCMHC, CCTP, CCTP-II, CCFP, CDBT — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:43:13 -0400

I could write a dozen pages on the neuropsychological science behind why this works, but suffice it to say it’s highly effective. I’m a board-certified trauma/PTSD therapist in the VA Community Care Network and I recommend this all the time to my clients. 2/3 of my caseload consists of veterans. OP captures the essence of it very well. I hope this post ends up being widely read.

Response by SSG Douglas Lasley made Jul 1 at 2025 8:57 AM

SSG Douglas Lasley — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 08:57:37 -0400

All Vets need to think like this , I've been in some bad places with my health and my brothers in arms have been there and I've been there for them . We try too talk at least once a day.

Response by Cristina Johnson made Jul 16 at 2025 1:24 AM

Cristina Johnson — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 01:24:45 -0400

Thank you for saying it out loud. I am sure it hits home for a lot of people.. It’s such an important reminder that staying connected isn’t just about timing or convenience. I appreciate the way you put it, we all need to hear it sometimes.
And you’re right, whether it’s a buddy check, a text, or showing up for each other, that connection can make all the difference.