Season 3: Episode 14 - The Battle Within

The Common Veterans – Season 3, Episode 14: The Battle Within

Some battles aren’t fought on the field—they’re fought within. The Common Veterans continue their candid conversations about mental health, PTSD, and the resources available to support those dealing with invisible wounds.

Welcome Back to the Fight

Case of the Mondays: “This one’s for the Veterans who fight battles no one else sees.”

Toast of the Week: “To those who wake up and keep fighting the day—even when they don’t want to.”

Understanding the Battle Within

PTSD, trauma, and moral injury manifest differently for everyone. Invisible symptoms like anger, numbness, hyper-vigilance, and quiet guilt can creep into daily life. Stigma around mental health still keeps many Veterans from reaching out.

Honest reflections from the Common Veterans dive into what it means to live with PTSD, Shell Shock, and Neurosis. As Friedrich Nietzsche said, The hardest enemy to face is the one that lives in your head.

The Good, The Bad, and the Bar Tab

Veterans cope in various ways:

• Healthy outlets: fitness, peer groups, creative work, reconnecting with purpose.
• Unhealthy outlets: isolation, alcohol, pretending “everything’s fine.”

Humor can help—but sometimes it hides the real struggle. Remember: coping is the start of the journey, not the end.

The Front Line

The conversation turns to families and supporters—spouses, friends, parents, kids, and fellow Veterans. Trauma can impact relationships, communication, and trust. Guidance for supporters:

• Don’t try to “fix” the Veteran.
• Listen, stay patient, and take care of yourself.

Programs like 4 Vets By Vets provide safe spaces for peer connection and healing. Camaraderie goes beyond friendship—it’s about finding a brother or sister in arms.

Picking Up the Right Weapons

Therapy, group support, EMDR, mindfulness, mentoring, and faith can all play a role in healing. Veterans may resist counseling, feeling “impervious to psychoanalysis,” but modern methods sometimes help. And yes, getting your arse to church can help too.

Resources for support include:

• VA programs, local community options, Veteran nonprofits
• 988 – Veterans Crisis Line, then Press 1

Healing doesn’t make a Veteran less of a warrior—it proves you still are. Remember, “Until Valhalla” is reserved for those who die in combat; surviving doesn’t diminish your service.

Breaking the Cycle – From Surviving to Living

Trauma can echo into the next generation and community. Veteran social clubs often debate what counts as combat experience, highlighting generational differences. Breaking the cycle requires:

• Forgiveness of oneself
• Choosing to think and talk differently
• Peer leadership and mentorship

Sharing stories and guiding fellow Veterans helps create a cycle of support rather than isolation.

The Battle Isn’t Over, But You’re Not Alone

The Common Veterans roundtable wraps up with a collective message: You’re not broken. You’re battle-tested. Reach out to a brother or sister in arms, talk, and connect.

Next Episode: Episode 15 – From Rations to Recipes: Veterans share stories of mess hall meals, favorite recipes, and how they adapt cooking skills to civilian life.

Closing Toast: “To the warriors still fighting the unseen war — we see you, we stand with you, and we’ll hold the line until you’re ready to join us again… WE ARE THE COMMON VETERANS!”