Sam Claflin: It's OK to be scared or weak

I think on this topic a lot more now than I did in my twenties or early thirties.

In general, I'd say that it is a "given" that only the insane lack fear and that being "weak" is subjective.

There's physical "weakness" which can detract from operational readiness, there's emotional "weakness" that can exacerbate stress, and there's mental "weakness" that can result in critical errors of judgement or inaction. Much of what is encompassed in military training is designed to combat all three, and I don't question that there's a reason for that.

However, strength, whether physical, emotional, or mental is not a permanent condition...it fades with neglect, strain or lack of practice. I'm certainly not the same man I was ten, let alone twenty years ago. That being said, where I've become slower...I've become more methodical. Where I've experienced emotional pain from loss...I've learned to focus on the lives around me. Where I've lost some skill sets...I've picked up others.

If some impossible scenario compelled me to perform a task I did when I was younger, less "bitten" and more technically skilled to the job...I'd have to adapt my methods to my current strengths. When I talk to other veterans about dealing with similar issues, I focus on the fact that survival is often the greatest strength of all.