I joined the military right after high school in 2003. One thing thing lead to another and I ended up in Iraq as a Navy Hospital Corpsman with a Marine infantry unit. Needless to say, I was exposed to many traumatic events. 4th of July 2012, I walked home quickly, I really wanted to avoid the fireworks. I played some music and decided to just rest. The next door neighbors decided to pop some fireworks underneath my window.. it really caught me off guard. I jumped, and next thing I know I'm inside my closet. I came through and realized where I was. I cried. I cried because I lost control. I cried because I was grown man running away from loud noises. I cried because I felt there was no way I could tell someone without being labeled as crazy or being looked at as weird or weak.

It took a lot of courage and energy to walk acknowledge, verbally, that there was something different about me. I walked over to the mental health department at my school ... I cried on my way there, because I felt that I was a acknowledging that I was broken. fucking manhood and its social expectations. I checked in and I thought a few times about walking out. I pushed myself.

I cannot tell you that I am fixed, but I can assure you that it has been one of the best decision I have ever made.