It has been said that the only warriors who do not suffer after combat are those who were killed. I cannot attest to that for all battle tested warriors but I certainly can for one---me. Some years ago a young, 13 year old eighth grade student from the Fairfield, Iowa Middle School once asked me, "Were you wounded in the war?
I had been invited to speak in Mrs. Broz's class for many years to talk about my wartime experiences. I had been asked and answered many questions but this one was different. I paused, thought deeply and quickly, and replied.
"Yes I was wounded, seriously wounded but not a wound that anyone could see and fix." His question gave me pause to quickly think about warriors in all the wars that have been fought, including mine, whose wounds were unseen, untreated and debilitating even though no blood was shed.
I spent a sleepless night wondering if my answer had satisfied him...or me. What was there about my military service that left me so hopeless and so helpless when I returned home to civilian life? Was it me? The military itself? The combat? This is what I recalled; perhaps the answers would come as I wrote my experiences down.
"I've been practicing Transcendental Meditation for 40 years. It's a great tool for reducing stress ... especially the stress our men and women of the Armed Forces are going through now."
"--Clint Eastwood, Academy Award-Winning Film Director"
"Stress causes, anxiety, depression, and violent behavior. Transcendental Meditation is a remarkable process for reducing stress-it can help people live a long and better life."
"--Mehemet Oz, MD, America's Doctor"
"In this riveting memoir, a true American hero describes how Transcendental Meditation changed his life for good. A must-read for those struggling with the aftershocks of combat, and their loved ones."
"--Norman Rosenthal, M.D. Author of Transcendence: Healing and Transformation Through Meditation"
"The hidden cost of war includes long-term pain and suffering for may veterans and their families. This wonderful book shows how meditation can be a practical, simple, and effective way for our returning warriors to find peace."
"--Professor Linda Bilmes, Harvard University, co-author of The Three Trillion Dollar War"
"The Resilient warrior is a riveting read. What is especially impressive is how Jerry Yellin conflates his own war and PTSD experiences, and those experiences of other veterans, with the powerful compelling evidence of the benefits of using meditation as a means to overcome this disorder. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking relief from stress, regardless of the source of the trauma."
"--Donald Mikkleson, Vietnam Veteran"
"My son, Dory, was an eight-year Army veteran who committed suicide early this year and I have suffered terribly. On a really bad day, a few weeks after Dory's death, Jerry Yellin suggested that I read The Resilient Warrior and learn to meditate. Since starting to meditate I can feel the stress leaving me, and my days and nights are getting a little better day-by-day, week-by-week. I strongly recommend Jerry's book to veterans and families of veterans, and anyone who is looking for a way of the nightmare of PTSD."
"--Lin Klock, Vero Beach, Florida"
Author Jerry Yellin Jerry was a WW 2 fighter pilot from Hillside, NJ. He flew P-51's over Japan from Iwo Jima. Married to Helene for 60 years, they have four sons and six grandchildren. Jerry is the author of the award winning historical fiction book "The Blackened Canteen" and his memoir "Of War and Weddings."
The soldier above all other people prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."
"--General Douglas Macarthur"