“Many will argue that there is nothing remotely spiritual in combat. Consider this. Mystical or religious experiences have four common components: constant awareness of one’s own inevitable death, total focus on the present moment, the valuing of other people’s lives above one’s own, and being part of a larger religious community such as the Sangha, ummah, or church. All four of these exist in combat. The big difference is that the mystic sees heaven and the warrior sees hell. Whether combat is the dark side of the same vision, or only something equivalent in intensity, I simply don’t know. I do know that at age fifteen I had a mystical experience that scared the hell out of me and both it and combat put me into a different relationship with ordinary life and eternity.”
–-Karl Marlantes, What It Is Like To Go To War.
There you have a longish quote from a brilliant writer and noble warrior.
I worry that in trying to demystify post-traumatic stress – separate the mythology of the media from the actual effects of the trauma of war – not enough attention is paid to the tremendous power possessed by combat veterans. It’s this power that draws me to these guys. They’ve walked point in a spiritual zone the rest of us glimpse only occasionally, as when a too bright sun breaks momentarily through thick fog.
If Marlantes is correct, and I believe he is dead on, the spiritual nature of the experience of war helps explain the intense brotherhood these men possess. It has been my privilege to witness the power of this brotherhood first hand and I’m here to tell you it raises the hairs on the back of my neck and touches a place deep inside usually reserved for mystics and monks. It’s the reason these guys NEVER leave a man behind.
Which is why I was surprised by the immediate and intense reaction to the release of Bowe Burgdahl. Especially as I have heard many Vietnam combat vets tell of their own feelings of wanting to walk away, of feeling that they should not have been there, that nothing was being accomplished but bloody awful killing. I was surprised because I layered the present situation with my own personal history and I am a child of the sixties. I was surprised because I did not at first see the complexity of emotions the release of Burgdahl would free in other combat veterans.
Burgdahl abandoned his brother warriors, and in the church of combat, that is the unforgivable sin. It’s the reason for survival guilt. It’s why combat vets struggle to allow joy into their lives even fifty years after they’ve returned to us.
Personally, I’m happy Burgdahl has come home, but then I am not one of those consecrated by the fires of war.
Wounded Warrior Wife 
I don’t think he should have been left behind, even though walking away is an unforgivable sin, and no one’s walked a mile in his shoes so it’s easy to judge. Perhaps bringing him quietly back and not lauding him as a hero would have been the better route to take. At least his hometown in Idaho canceled the homecoming hoopla which was a bit inappropriate under the circumstances and would have seen some ugliness by protesters and media.
Yes, Jojo, bringing his parents to the rose garden was not helpful to the situation. It distresses me that the politicians turn this, like everything else, into something about them.
It’s a shame that the town adhered to outside pressure of violent threats to cancel a parade celebrating his return. Bullying in any form shouldn’t be supported.
Personally, I would like to see or wait until all the facts are assembled before judging Bergdahl’s actions.
Waiting until the facts come in would be an excellent idea. I hope the emotion can be contained until that time.
Bergdahl’s thinking was corrupted and he chose to do the wrong thing. He was confused about his mission, what was honorable, and made a huge mistake. The politicians in power also made a huge mistake. Good and honorable men put themselves in harms way to search for Bergdahl. The five terrorist leaders — the most evil of the evil — are not confused about what their mission is. A world caliphate at any cost.
Excellent and scary thoughts. We do indeed spend a great deal of time hunting through ethical shades of gray while the enemy has clear notions and goals. Thank you for taking the time to share this. You’ve made me think.
Thank you. This is an important discussion that deserves a lot of thought from all of us and patience until we really understand all of the pertinent facts. It is always difficult to stand in someone else’s shoes and understand their thinking at the time. I am a combat veteran — a rifle platoon leader with an elite airborne infantry unit in Vietnam — and believe that God has blessed me throughout my life. I am very grateful.
It seems to me that life is good but rarely simple, Gerald. I very much appreciate you joining in the conversation here.
Thank you Pamela, for posting this look at the brotherhood of our warriors. My main concern when Bowe Bergdahl was freed was the immediate cry from those who had not experienced one inch of what he and his brother warriors have. The accusation of traitor from their mouths was purely from hatred. I listen to what his brother warriors are saying and take their words to heart, on both sides of the issue. Even warriors can make a mistake occasionally, and I say wait until everything is revealed, and then be very careful how you judge him, especially those who do not have the right to do so. I heard from a military expert on the news that Gitmo is scheduled to be shut down soon and all those held there will be released, so this was not such a bad decision in the long run, in order to save a soldier who made a mistake and paid with five years of torture in his life.