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Nine days after 9/11, I enlisted in the California Army National Guard. That’s when my own battle started.
When I saw the planes hit the towers on TV, my priorities just changed. At the time, I was 32 years old, living in Nipoma, California, and working as a landscape contractor. As I mowed lawns during the next couple of days, those planes stayed in the back of my mind. I knew there was a bigger purpose for me.
In 2009, I voluntarily deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion of the 121st Infantry Regiment of the Georgia Army National Guard. Two weeks into the 13-month deployment, eight soldiers from my unit were killed. We felt like sitting ducks.
By the time I left the Army in 2011, I was drinking heavily and addicted to pills.
I have heard others say that the hardest part of being in the military is leaving. That was definitely true for me. It was a such a fast-paced tempo, it was hard to slow down once I got off deployment.
I got sober after an arrest led to a stint in a post-traumatic stress (PTS) facility. I focused on my health and entered endurance competitions, such as day-long obstacle course races. I thought I was fine. But, in a motorcycle accident in 2017, I broke multiple bones and a sustained a traumatic brain injury. Issues related to PTS – panic attacks, severe depression – returned.
I remembered a fellow veteran who’d talked glowingly about the SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, and I knew it was finally time for me to reach out.
I joined the program in the summer of 2018 and was instantly struck by its support and structure. While at SHARE, I focused on changing my habits of over-generalizing and thinking about everything in black and white. SHARE presented me with strategies to improve my vision and memory skills. As the weeks went by, I could see improvements in my memory, pain level, mobility and thinking skills. The dynamic approach of the program kept me moving purposefully and quickly boosted my self-worth. My goals of going back to college and being more helpful at home finally seemed within reach.
Once I got out of my comfort zone, I found hidden talents, new passions and made lifelong friends. I tried things I never would have tried on my own, such as indoor rock climbing, drumming in an all-vet band and swimming with sharks at the Georgia Aquarium. Having other veterans by my side as I confronted my fears provided comfort, while also building my confidence. I enjoyed the opportunity to learn yoga, improve my cooking skills, work on scheduling and time management, play drums and improve my communication skills.
My time at SHARE was truly an epic voyage in self-discovery.
Since I graduated from SHARE in December 2018, I have enrolled in college with plans to get a psychology degree and help veterans as a peer counselor or therapist. My PTS symptoms have lessened, and I feel so much better than I did. I still keep in touch the other vets I met at SHARE and follow up with SHARE staff. I can’t imagine that ever changing. They saw me through all the way, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
To learn more about the SHARE program, visit here: https://rly.pt/SHARE
When I saw the planes hit the towers on TV, my priorities just changed. At the time, I was 32 years old, living in Nipoma, California, and working as a landscape contractor. As I mowed lawns during the next couple of days, those planes stayed in the back of my mind. I knew there was a bigger purpose for me.
In 2009, I voluntarily deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion of the 121st Infantry Regiment of the Georgia Army National Guard. Two weeks into the 13-month deployment, eight soldiers from my unit were killed. We felt like sitting ducks.
By the time I left the Army in 2011, I was drinking heavily and addicted to pills.
I have heard others say that the hardest part of being in the military is leaving. That was definitely true for me. It was a such a fast-paced tempo, it was hard to slow down once I got off deployment.
I got sober after an arrest led to a stint in a post-traumatic stress (PTS) facility. I focused on my health and entered endurance competitions, such as day-long obstacle course races. I thought I was fine. But, in a motorcycle accident in 2017, I broke multiple bones and a sustained a traumatic brain injury. Issues related to PTS – panic attacks, severe depression – returned.
I remembered a fellow veteran who’d talked glowingly about the SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, and I knew it was finally time for me to reach out.
I joined the program in the summer of 2018 and was instantly struck by its support and structure. While at SHARE, I focused on changing my habits of over-generalizing and thinking about everything in black and white. SHARE presented me with strategies to improve my vision and memory skills. As the weeks went by, I could see improvements in my memory, pain level, mobility and thinking skills. The dynamic approach of the program kept me moving purposefully and quickly boosted my self-worth. My goals of going back to college and being more helpful at home finally seemed within reach.
Once I got out of my comfort zone, I found hidden talents, new passions and made lifelong friends. I tried things I never would have tried on my own, such as indoor rock climbing, drumming in an all-vet band and swimming with sharks at the Georgia Aquarium. Having other veterans by my side as I confronted my fears provided comfort, while also building my confidence. I enjoyed the opportunity to learn yoga, improve my cooking skills, work on scheduling and time management, play drums and improve my communication skills.
My time at SHARE was truly an epic voyage in self-discovery.
Since I graduated from SHARE in December 2018, I have enrolled in college with plans to get a psychology degree and help veterans as a peer counselor or therapist. My PTS symptoms have lessened, and I feel so much better than I did. I still keep in touch the other vets I met at SHARE and follow up with SHARE staff. I can’t imagine that ever changing. They saw me through all the way, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
To learn more about the SHARE program, visit here: https://rly.pt/SHARE
Posted in these groups: 
PTSD
Shepherd Center
Mental Health
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan
TBI
PTSD Shepherd Center Mental Health Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan TBI
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 27
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Seth Thanks for the post. It is nice to let others know there is a place to get help free of charge; airfare, a place to stay, free advanced care etc. I went to SHARE for help with the residuals from TBI and 23yrs of Service. They are Amazing! If anyone has questions please do ask.
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I am thankful for havin my phone... when I go out to a store or place, I sometimes get lost. The problem is I have been on the roads before and My mind just goes blank. My set up my phone so all have have to do is push a button and say “ take me Home”.
I hate leaving my house... I’m afraid to forget where I am, gets embarrassing.
I spent 27 years in the Army, and enjoyed serving our country. I had five deployments and the last to really put a toll on my body and my mind. I spent quite a while in the hospital recovering from injuries I incurred while out on deployment .
I was in my driveway the other day and with the heat and the breeze am smell I had a flash of being back in Baghdad.... I try to avoid the situations that bring back some of the worst days of my life.
I can’t say that I am one of the fortunate one... I came back with all my body parts… Lots of scars on the inside and on the outside. Are usually don’t talk to people about my experiences other than the counselor I went to for three years. I thought I would try this to see if it would help Clear my mind.
I hate leaving my house... I’m afraid to forget where I am, gets embarrassing.
I spent 27 years in the Army, and enjoyed serving our country. I had five deployments and the last to really put a toll on my body and my mind. I spent quite a while in the hospital recovering from injuries I incurred while out on deployment .
I was in my driveway the other day and with the heat and the breeze am smell I had a flash of being back in Baghdad.... I try to avoid the situations that bring back some of the worst days of my life.
I can’t say that I am one of the fortunate one... I came back with all my body parts… Lots of scars on the inside and on the outside. Are usually don’t talk to people about my experiences other than the counselor I went to for three years. I thought I would try this to see if it would help Clear my mind.
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SGT Seth Napel
Thank you for your service and I to used a cell phone to navigate and give me reminders throughout the day. I'd be lost without it
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Thank you for your service and for sharing your journey through PTSD and showcasing the SHARE program. Your testimony demonstrates the essential component of support walking through trauma.
Does SHARE include any testing for toxins which may contribute to PTSD? The brain may store emotional events with the toxins that accumulate in the body. As those toxins are released, the emotional responses may also get triggered.
Any of us exposed to burn pits, bio-warfare toxins, ultra-fine particles from jet fuel, toxic chemicals, cleaning compounds, fire retardant, PCBs and asbestos in building materials used for barracks and mess halls/ in ship construction before 1980s can accumulate toxins through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact, EMF/RF or ionizing radiation. Destroyed buildings built with asbestos roofs also contain asbestos particles. Some of the ultra fine particles of petroleum based products contain naturally occurring arsenic. Aluminum is a neurotoxin.
These toxic metals and toxic chemicals compromise the immune system, decrease the liver’s ability to detox the body, and allow for the accumulation of toxins. At some point, the body has a toxic overload similar to the ‘straw that broke the camels back'. At that point, our body has multiple systems failure including brain fog, joint pain, confusion, liver, kidney, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal damage , and even cancer. As the body detox’s from these toxins, the emotional responses come back negatively affecting our relationships.
Testing for toxins is available through labs recommended by your health provider such as Great Plains Laboratory. https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/envirotox-complete-panel Try to avoid supplements 48 hours prior to the test. The heavy metals panel work up is a 24 hour urine test https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/metals-urine-test without provocation. The lab panel says before and after, but the test can be done without a provoking agent, particularly if your body is already experiencing PTSD as you are likely toxic.
I ran all the tests to know what was harming me. Here is what results can be expected:
An indication of the type of toxic heavy metal stored in our systems:. https://symptoms.rightdiagnosis.com/cosymptoms/chronic-gerd-like-chest-pain/heavy-metal-poisoning-all.htm
An indication of the type of chemical toxin
An indication of Candida growth in gut or mold toxicity- Each requires a different treatment.
An indication of the type and quantity of harmful bacteria and parasites
An indication of the type and quantity of beneficial parasites.
An ultrasound on the liver can determine whether we have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which prevents the body from naturally detoxing. Early NAFLD is difficult to detect without an ultrasound. A liver function test will not show early NAFLD. The earlier that you catch it, the easier it is to restore the liver’s ability to detox, improve the immune system and restore brain health.
Treatment: detox and restore gut health, once the invaders are known. I detox in a sauna 3 times per week 10 minutes in/shower/10 in/ shower/ 10 in /shower repeated 3x per week or more often as able. This allows the skin to detox bypassing the kidneys and protecting them.
I am attempting to reduce my toxic load: I avoid sugar, diet drinks, all processed foods, canned food, all non-GMO foods, all GMO foods, all foods containing preservatives. I try to increase organic foods, garlic, cilantro, parsley, celery, beets, pasture-raised (as opposed to free-range), increase vegetables and non sugary fruits. Many non-organic foods and processed foods contain nitrates and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) which destroy gut health, contribute to NAFLD. Some of the herbicide residues in non-GMO and GMO foods cause kidney, liver, gastro-intestinal, and cardio-vascular damage and even cancer. One herbicide residue glyphosate chelates essential Zinc and Magnesium from our bodies allowing the accumulation of neurotoxin Aluminum. I use 1 cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water filtered through a carbon block filter to wash my fruits and vegetables. Tap water contains carcinogenic water treatment chemicals which can be reduced with a carbon block filter. I rinse oatmeal and rice as many times as needed until the water is clear as rice is known to contain arsenic residue from pesticide use in the 1930s and oatmeal may contain glyphosate residue as high as 2000 parts per billion, 1 part per billion being sufficient to induce human cancer cell growth.
With good group support for our mental health such as through SHARE, good support for our immune system, and good support for our spiritual health from any battlefield demons, we can make progress.
Thank you for sharing your success and encouraging us.
Does SHARE include any testing for toxins which may contribute to PTSD? The brain may store emotional events with the toxins that accumulate in the body. As those toxins are released, the emotional responses may also get triggered.
Any of us exposed to burn pits, bio-warfare toxins, ultra-fine particles from jet fuel, toxic chemicals, cleaning compounds, fire retardant, PCBs and asbestos in building materials used for barracks and mess halls/ in ship construction before 1980s can accumulate toxins through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact, EMF/RF or ionizing radiation. Destroyed buildings built with asbestos roofs also contain asbestos particles. Some of the ultra fine particles of petroleum based products contain naturally occurring arsenic. Aluminum is a neurotoxin.
These toxic metals and toxic chemicals compromise the immune system, decrease the liver’s ability to detox the body, and allow for the accumulation of toxins. At some point, the body has a toxic overload similar to the ‘straw that broke the camels back'. At that point, our body has multiple systems failure including brain fog, joint pain, confusion, liver, kidney, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal damage , and even cancer. As the body detox’s from these toxins, the emotional responses come back negatively affecting our relationships.
Testing for toxins is available through labs recommended by your health provider such as Great Plains Laboratory. https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/envirotox-complete-panel Try to avoid supplements 48 hours prior to the test. The heavy metals panel work up is a 24 hour urine test https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/metals-urine-test without provocation. The lab panel says before and after, but the test can be done without a provoking agent, particularly if your body is already experiencing PTSD as you are likely toxic.
I ran all the tests to know what was harming me. Here is what results can be expected:
An indication of the type of toxic heavy metal stored in our systems:. https://symptoms.rightdiagnosis.com/cosymptoms/chronic-gerd-like-chest-pain/heavy-metal-poisoning-all.htm
An indication of the type of chemical toxin
An indication of Candida growth in gut or mold toxicity- Each requires a different treatment.
An indication of the type and quantity of harmful bacteria and parasites
An indication of the type and quantity of beneficial parasites.
An ultrasound on the liver can determine whether we have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which prevents the body from naturally detoxing. Early NAFLD is difficult to detect without an ultrasound. A liver function test will not show early NAFLD. The earlier that you catch it, the easier it is to restore the liver’s ability to detox, improve the immune system and restore brain health.
Treatment: detox and restore gut health, once the invaders are known. I detox in a sauna 3 times per week 10 minutes in/shower/10 in/ shower/ 10 in /shower repeated 3x per week or more often as able. This allows the skin to detox bypassing the kidneys and protecting them.
I am attempting to reduce my toxic load: I avoid sugar, diet drinks, all processed foods, canned food, all non-GMO foods, all GMO foods, all foods containing preservatives. I try to increase organic foods, garlic, cilantro, parsley, celery, beets, pasture-raised (as opposed to free-range), increase vegetables and non sugary fruits. Many non-organic foods and processed foods contain nitrates and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) which destroy gut health, contribute to NAFLD. Some of the herbicide residues in non-GMO and GMO foods cause kidney, liver, gastro-intestinal, and cardio-vascular damage and even cancer. One herbicide residue glyphosate chelates essential Zinc and Magnesium from our bodies allowing the accumulation of neurotoxin Aluminum. I use 1 cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water filtered through a carbon block filter to wash my fruits and vegetables. Tap water contains carcinogenic water treatment chemicals which can be reduced with a carbon block filter. I rinse oatmeal and rice as many times as needed until the water is clear as rice is known to contain arsenic residue from pesticide use in the 1930s and oatmeal may contain glyphosate residue as high as 2000 parts per billion, 1 part per billion being sufficient to induce human cancer cell growth.
With good group support for our mental health such as through SHARE, good support for our immune system, and good support for our spiritual health from any battlefield demons, we can make progress.
Thank you for sharing your success and encouraging us.
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SCPO Todd Sheckley
There is much discussion about testing for toxins and many people working on it. SHARE is working with a number of other researchers to move forward on this. I know one Functional Med Doc is actively involved along with National Level Researchers. Getting the VA to do it is another story all together. I got mine done via a Functional Med Doc and am still actively trying to purge my body.
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I’m glad you were able to deal with your tbi and other things. I don’t know if you have had brain surgery like some of us . College has been a struggle learning and retaining almost impossible and to maintain the family.: it’s great to hear success stories
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SGT Seth Napel
It's the small victories and accepting that there will be adversely again in the future. We'd never give ourselves enough credit for the small victories.
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I too had symptoms return after traumatic brain injury after 26 years full blown PTS returned still struggling with it after ten years.
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SGT Seth Napel
Check out Shepherd center in Atlanta. The program is called SHARE. I could get you some phones numbers if you like it. Look at what they offer online.
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I was already in but it was such a challenging time that I think we all changed.
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Thank you for your service and for sharing your story. I know it is really hard to adjust to civilian living, as it was tough for me to do after serving 21 years. Having post-traumatic stress on top of that is no joke. I'm glad you are reaching out and getting the help you need and that things are a bit better now. Just remember that this will stay with you. You will continue to have both good and bad days as you manage this condition. As the service gets further away and you broaden your horizons and learn new things, your experience will eventually fit into a certain perspective and your memories will fit into a certain footlocker in your head, so to speak. Eventually you will have mastery and can pick and choose when to open that box and revisit those memories...if that makes sense.
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SGT Seth Napel
Thank you for your insight! A long road ahead of me still, but hearing this makes it easier.
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Thanks so much for being vulnerable here in this forum to share your story. War, trauma, death and loss all alienate you from those around you who don’t “understand”,and you have shared that with us. God bless you and keep you in Hi s grace..
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SGT Seth Napel
Thank you sir. Took me quite a number of years before I could take pride in my service and tell my story to others without crying. I had no idea the impact it would have on others.
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