Unearth Your Warrior Spirit
Written by Jason Clark
In my 14 years since wearing a uniform, I've always been puzzled by why so many veterans give away so much of what made them who they are when they transition.
The idea of becoming weak, lazy, and out of shape would have not been ethos that they/we would have lived by. In fact, it would have been much the opposite. Getting after it, doing hard things, always ready, pushing the limits, wakeup and repeat all would actually be more accurate to the warrior lifestyle of the service member.
We found so much joy in the suck - even at moments when it truly sucked.
It may have been delayed gratification (maybe even like a few hours delayed - after I didn’t feel like death anymore) but deep inside was the feeling of accomplishment and belonging. However I may have felt, what I knew was this way of living gave me a better chance of staying alive and defeating the enemy.
As the transition happens, I don’t think we transition the enemy as much as we believe the enemy no longer exists.
I still vividly remember the mornings at zero dark when we formed up for PT sessions, as if they happened just yesterday.
Monday was led by the platoon commander
Tuesday by the platoon sergeant
Wednesday by the squad leaders
Thursday by the platoon guide
Fridays by the company or battalion commander
In garrison, PT was non-negotiable. How does one go from four to five days a week of intense physical activity to giving it all up? Why?
“Back then, perhaps it felt mandatory because it truly wasn’t optional. We were at war and everyone understood that being physically fit increased our chances of survival. ”
We had the shared goal of being the best: the best squad, the best platoon, the best company, and so on. So much of who we were as individuals was shaped by the common suffering and hard work of physical fitness.
Then comes the day when we hang up the uniform for the last time and, for many veterans, the running shoes, gym time, and camaraderie of working out with fellow service members also get left behind. It seems like they are forced to live on stories of who they once were because they aren't that person anymore. Of course, they have changed but I believe they also stopped nurturing and investing in the person they used to be because they believe that person doesn't need to exist in the civilian world.
They stopped growing and started to fade away.
Your Mission Is Life
I want to transform this message to emphasize why so many veterans give up on the mission and how crucial they are to that mission.
The mission is life - my life, your life.
After 14 years, the fire for the mission (life), my men (family), and the will to win still burn deep within me. It's all transferable from then to now.
The stress still exists, only in different forms. It's no longer bullets; now, it's the challenges of raising teenagers, tending to tired little ones, and being present in every moment of their lives. All of it requires a version of myself that continues to grow, nurtured by the soil of self-care and accountability and simply doing hard things in training.
The change that needs to happen is realizing that as a young wild thing in the service, accountability and mission is provided for you. Even as you progress in time and rank, there are standards that create a sense of accountability to maintain a baseline level of fitness. Then, one day, it's all gone, and the accountability to the mission, to your comrades, and most importantly, to yourself, falls solely on your shoulders. This is where many falter and think it doesn't matter anymore.
"I'm not going to war, I'm not leading PT, I don't have to prep for hikes, carry heavy loads, run, " they say. But excuses don't justify these limitations; they exemplify falling short of expectations or your life. The expectations should be your own that you have set for yourself. Every single day, be ready for your current mission.
Dust off all those things you hung up and reclaim them. Work the soil and prepare it for your growth. Don't blow it and think it doesn't matter - your physicality absolutely does matter until the very end.
That warrior spirit is still inside you, waiting to be unleashed.
JASON CLARK
Jason was born and raised in Northern, VA. In July of 2001 he began his time in the Marine Corps at Parris Island, SC. He spent the next nine years serving in billets such as combat engineer, Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor Trainer at the Martial Arts Center of Excellence, and Drill Instructor back home where it all started on Parris Island.
From this point, with absolutely no plan, he left the Marine Corps and became a partner in a local gym here in Beaufort, SC. The gym grew to three locations until the next calling came (which he accepted) - to go back to work for the United States Marine Corps, except this time as a civilian working with the Strength and Conditioning program known at the time as HITT. During this time he served as the program director for MCAS Beaufort and MCRD Parris Island as well as the advisory board for human performance HeadQuarters Marine Corps.
The next door that came open was into Industry at a national level. He accepted a role inside BeaverFit as the lead for Key Accounts for the federal government. This is still where he still resides as the Director of Training and Education as well as a consultant for companies in the areas of leadership, strategy, and performance.
His personal awards include being the best husband he can be to Christi and the best Dad he can be to Karma, TJ, Layla, Braxton, and Joshua. While serving he received a purple heart, combat action, navy achievement medals, and navy commendation with a “V”. Today his passion is opening minds on what is possible and never forgetting that doesn’t come from teaching people what to think but how.
