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Sexual Content - 0/5
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Violence - 0/5
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Summary
Don't Shoot Your FUTURE Self by Eric Power is a Veteran's tremendous story about transitioning from Active Duty Naval Service to civilian life....and folks....it ain't pretty at first.
As a current service member who lives with a combat Veteran, as I read this book I found myself continuously screaming within, "WHY IS THIS NOT A PROGRAM FOR VETS?!" And if it is indeed real, why is this inaccessible to all Veterans? Living with a combat Veteran presents an ugly suitcase of trauma that, often times, never gets unpacked - it's bulging at the seams and is packed so tightly that one day, the seam breaks, and it comes flying open with all its contents exploding like debris in a dirty bomb. This book is about just that and more. It's about the explosion, the recovery, and the triumph of everything that encompasses transitioning from military to civilian life.
As I read this book, I found myself unable to put it down - and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. This book resonated with me as a service member and having a tightly knit circle that includes other service members and Veterans. It tells the story of Honorable Military Service that included several deployments to combat theatres. The most important thing this book does though, is address the elephant in the room for nearly all transitioning military service members, combat deployments or not....and that elephant is....well it's not just one thing...let's just say the room is full of elephants and this book opens the door for all of them.
I would 150% recommend this book to any current or former service member. Yes, it does have the "self-help" vibe to it, but not in your stereotypical way. The book addresses these topics in a mentor/mentee style, so as not to make the reader feel attacked at their own deficiencies, as many self-help books I feel do such. It also sheds light on the commonalities (the elephants) Veterans share and more importantly, how to overcome them.
I would also recommend this book to anyone who would like an insider's look into the life of a Veteran and the very real struggles they face. This story is not a one-off - these events, especially the internal demons the Veteran faces at the beginning of the story, are the events that most Veterans experience. This book really sheds light on the issues Veterans face and the lack of resources that exist to them. It also tells a wonderful story of the unbreakable bond formed between the Veteran and his mentors - who give him more than money could ever buy.
Considering this book includes a protagonist that is a Veteran, there is a significant amount of strong language, but not to the point that it takes away from the story (keep in mind, this is coming from a current service member though). There is no sexual content, but there is some physical violence as well as verbal/mental violence. Truthfully, the book requires the physical, verbal, and mental violence because it is the tell-tale of most service members on some level. There is enough action in the book but not so much that it is overwhelming or so little that I became bored at any point reading it. "Don't Shoot Your FUTURE Self" was very easy to read and I will be reading it again frequently because it provided a significant amount of guidance and insight that can be utilized by anybody (civilian or military) who has a Veteran or transitioning service member in their life.