PTSD – LET’S REFRAME THE CONVERSATION

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day – Let’s Reframe the Conversation

June 27th marks PTSD Awareness Day—a time to recognize the battles that continue long after the mission is over. For many in our Ranger community, the word “disorder” can feel like a label that doesn’t fit. Most of us can recite the Ranger Creed forward and backwards and we know it says nothing about disorder. In fact, life in the Regiment is anything but disordered. Most who have served in the Regiment understand the horrors of war. Many of you have stood in the face of chaos, done what few can, and shouldered more than your share of the task, 100% and then some. So, if you are suffering from some of the ill-effects of close combat, what you’re feeling isn’t weakness or disorder—it’s the natural cost of operating in the unnatural realm. It is simply not natural to watch a buddy bleed out on the battlefield, try to hold a comrade’s brain matter in place with your bare hands, or put guys into body bags when they are burned beyond recognition. If you are carrying those kinds of loads on your own, you need a Ranger Buddy.

PTSD isn’t a character flaw. It’s a wound of the soul, mind, and body. And just like any battlefield injury, it deserves real attention. Remember back to the old night jump and follow on movement to daylight? When a guy broke his leg on that training jump, he did not do the follow-on foot movement—so why try to walk through life with an untreated wound? The good news is healing is possible. The other good news is you don’t have to do it alone. Talk to someone. Reach out. Back your Ranger brothers. Make some wellness checks. Get in the truck and drive to see an old Ranger Buddy who may be hurting! Real strength isn’t staying Stoic and silent—it’s taking action to help yourself and/or a Ranger buddy in need.

Let me encourage you with a reminder from the Psalms--

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18

If you need some help or know someone who does reach out to TRF or any of the other Ranger Organizations. Whether you are struggling a little or a lot, most of us know people who can help you. This PTSD Awareness Day don’t get hung up on the title. What is important is getting better. Know that there is no shame in seeking healing. Faith reminds us that even the strongest warriors need restoration. And in God’s eyes, there’s always hope—always a way forward.

Rangers Lead The Way!

Dan Knight
Spiritual Fitness Director
Three Rangers Foundation

ASKING GOD FOR HELP

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8

Asking for Help to Swing
I have a lovely 4-year-old granddaughter named Rae. Rae loves to swing on the tire swing hanging underneath a big pecan tree in my yard. However, Rae can’t really climb up and get herself swinging properly on the tire swing without some help from me. As soon as she gets to my house, rain or shine, she wants to “swing big”. She never fails to ask me for help as soon as she arrives at my house. In fact, on occasion, she will call me on her mom’s phone to come get her so she can swing. She only lives about 12 miles away so… frequently I drop whatever I am doing to go get her and let her swing! Rae has figured out how to ask for help with things she can’t accomplish on her own. Most of us could learn a thing or two about asking for help from the average 4-year-old like Rae!

We Are All Broken People Traveling on Broken Roads
Because we are imperfect people traveling down the broken roads of life, we must learn to ask God for help. We must ask him as often as we need help, which is really every day. Not only do we travel down broken roads, but we do it in broken bodies. The broken bodies are easy to see on some Rangers, but we are all broken in some way. This abundance of imperfection causes problems. We have problems, and all those around us have problems. Broken people on broken roads on a journey filled with problems means we must ask God for help--daily. The solution to navigating the brokenness both in us and around us is simply to go to the only one of us who was perfect in this life and ask him for help: Jesus.

Recognizing Our Need
Asking God for help means first recognizing our need. Our brokenness reveals our limitations of thought, power, supply and ability. God is not limited in thought, supply, power or ability. Pride and insecurity prevent us from recognizing our need. Recognizing our need and expressing our need to God is an act of humility. God helps humble people. Humility is an attribute. A lack of humility inevitably leads to a fall. We are reminded in Proverbs 16:18 that "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." This verse warns that arrogance will lead to our downfall! This verse serves as a reminder to remain humble and aware of our limitations.

Revealing Our Faith
Asking for God’s help reveals our measure of faith. Assuming God will help us is not faith. It is pride or indifference. Knowing God will help us and then asking him for that help demonstrates true faith. Assumption activates no belief. Asking activates faith in us. It is our faith that God rewards. God never rewards assumption. God always rewards faith.

Persistence: Our Measure of Faith
God is a loving father who delights in providing for his children, just as I delight in swinging Rae on the tire swing! Rae is persistent. She asks, seeks, and knocks often at inconvenient times! But, because she seeks and asks, she usually gets what she wants (yes, I know I am spoiling her to a degree)! Our measure of persistence demonstrates our faith. Faith is asking, seeking, and knocking often over and over again if necessary. For in all the asking, seeking and knocking we get to know better the One who answers and opens the door: Jesus. There is no shame in asking God for help. People who ask God for help are those who receive God’s help.

God Bless!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Dan Knight
d.knight@threerangersfoundation.org

WHO’S IN YOUR FIRE TEAM?

I enjoy providing my thoughts to the monthly TRF Newsletter. I usually get some solid feedback and thoughts from several readers each month. This month's entry is from an old friend and 2/75 Legend, Ted Kennedy. Ted and I reconnected about 12-13 months ago and worked together with others to retrace the 6th Ranger Battalion's Cabanatuan Raid in JAN 2025 on the 80th anniversary. 

Ted has some solid thoughts on spiritual fitness. The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I think Ted's thoughts for this month nest nicely with this idea of iron sharpening iron!  Who is in your Fire Team?

God Bless!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Dan Knight
d.knight@threerangersfoundation.org

GO THE EXTRA MILE

And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Matthew 5:41

This statement from Jesus, while not a formal command, is certainly a challenge to many of us. When Jesus spoke these words, he was telling his hearers how they should behave, even when others seemed to be treating them unfairly. In those days, the Holy Land formed part of the Roman Empire, and it was heavily garrisoned by Roman legionnaires.

This army of occupation was there to prevent any rebellion by the local inhabitants. Roman soldiers had certain privileges, among which was the right to stop any able-bodied man who might be standing idly by or going in the same direction as the soldier. Unless that man was himself a Roman citizen, he could be ordered to carry all the soldier’s equipment for a maximum distance of a thousand paces (Latin: “mille passus”, which gives us our word “mile”). All major Roman roads also had mile markers. After that mile, the man could put down the burden and leave the soldier either to carry it himself, or the soldier could find another non-citizen to press into service for the next mile.

If these men refused to do this duty for a soldier on demand, they could be arrested and sent to prison. It was a most unpopular law, and people naturally evaded the duty if they possibly could – so Jesus must have startled and shocked his hearers by what he said. It was just the opposite of what they usually did. To have to go one mile with all that load (most Roman legionnaires carried about 60lbs on the march) was bad enough, but to go another mile SUA SPONTE-style—CRAZY!!! That statement likely seemed ridiculous to many who heard it.

What Jesus was really trying to say was that to accept an obligation cheerfully, and even to go beyond it, is almost always better than doing things under protest. To act in this way might make even a rough Roman soldier more human; treating people with generosity and forbearance might make friends instead of enemies. This is certainly the way in which Jesus himself acted towards others. Jesus’ words have passed into our language and are used today by many who often have no idea where the expression comes from. Most of us have heard the exhortation to “go the extra mile” but few of us might realize these are the words of Jesus Christ--the ultimate selfless servant.

Service is the act and art of seeking to diligently and genuinely meet the needs of another. You can serve as a delightful, personal expression or you can serve as a duty. A duty is heartless, without empathy, often boring and mundane. A delightful, personal expression of service means you add concern, empathy, and genuine relationships into your actions.

Service requires action. This means physical work will be required to truly serve another. You might have to break a sweat or get dirty. Sometimes your service will not be appreciated. Those you serve might be demanding and ungrateful of your service. In a demanding world, serving others can be difficult. Service is not simply talking about serving. This is called lip service. Lip service accomplishes nothing. It’s hard to serve others with warmth and sincerity if you have bitterness, anger, hate, or unforgiveness stored in your heart. What’s in your heart will come out of your mouth and through your actions.

True service comes from a true heart. This means no expectations of return nor want of recognition for your actions. In short, it means going the extra mile even if there is no return on your investment.  True service requires no attention, no spotlight or no recognition. True service like Jesus taught is selfless, joyous, and generous. The joy is in the serving. The joy is in helping meet the needs of others.

I know everyone reading this already understands going the extra mile. Most of you did it, some for a few years and some for many years. Service in the Regiment was not easy. Living up to the Ranger Creed demanded that we all “go the extra mile” literally and figuratively. I know most of you are no longer serving in the Regiment. Many are probably thinking, it is time to do something for myself. Take care of yourself but resist the urge to always make it all about you. There are still those around us who need our continued acts of service. Most of us have Ranger buddies, fellow veterans, or maybe just neighbors who need some help. Look for these opportunities, they are all around you. We must continue to go the extra mile and do it joyfully!

God Bless!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Dan Knight
d.knight@threerangersfoundation.org

GREETINGS FROM THE PHILIPPINESs

I am writing this month's input from the Philippines. I am here as a part of Operation Cabanatuan Ranger 2025 to help remember and commemorate the Great Raid. This was 6th Ranger Battalion's raid on the POW Camp at Cabanatuan in January 1945 (80 years ago) that saved 516 POWs--making it the largest, and most successful, POW Recovery mission in US history. 

Remembering is important for our shared Ranger History. Remembering is also an important part of our faith. The concept of remembrance holds a significant place within the Bible and serves as a vital component of faith and obedience to God. Throughout Scripture, the act of remembering is not merely a mental exercise but a spiritual discipline that reinforces a believer's relationship with God, His commandments, and His mighty works.

In the Old Testament, remembrance is often linked to the covenant relationship between God and His people. The Israelites were repeatedly instructed to remember God's deeds and His laws. In Deuteronomy 6:12, Moses warns the Israelites, "Be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." This call to remembrance is a safeguard against spiritual amnesia.

Remembrance is also embedded in the worship practices and rituals of Israel. The use of memorial stones, as seen in Joshua 4:7, where stones were set up to commemorate the crossing of the Jordan River, serves as a tangible reminder of God's miraculous intervention. These physical markers were intended to provoke questions and storytelling, ensuring that future generations would know and remember the works of the LORD.

In the New Testament, the theme of remembrance is carried forward, particularly in the context of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper, instituted by Jesus, is a central act of remembrance for Christians. In 1 Corinthians 11:24-25, Paul recounts Jesus' words: "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me... This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." So, every time we observe the Lord's Supper, Scripture explains we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes, which serves as a continual reminder of Christ's sacrificial death and the new covenant established through His blood.

In summary, the importance of remembrance in the Bible is multifaceted. It serves as a means of preserving faith, fostering obedience, and ensuring the transmission of God's mighty acts and commandments to future generations. Through remembrance, believers are continually drawn back to the foundational truths of their faith, enabling them to live in accordance with God's will. 

Look for updates on the commemoration of 6th Ranger Battalion Operations in the Philippines on both Three Rangers Foundation and Legends of the 75th social media. Rangers Lead the Way!

Dan Knight

RANGERS—CHRISTMAS IS UPON US

Rangers—Christmas is upon us. During the Christmas Season, many churches and even some individual families celebrate with an Advent wreath. Advent is a 4-week season dedicated to reflective preparation for the arrival, or "advent" of Jesus Christ's Nativity at Christmas. During this important event on the church calendar, each week of Advent focuses on a different theme - hope, peace, joy, and love. Christians from all denominations and backgrounds celebrate Advent in different ways but all focus on the anticipation of waiting for the arrival of Jesus. Normally, the Advent wreath is created out of evergreens that symbolize everlasting life amid winter and death. The circular shape reminds us of God’s unending love and the eternal life He makes possible. Advent candles are usually nestled within the evergreen wreath.

The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the “Prophet’s Candle.” The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival.  The second candle represents faith and is called “Bethlehem’s Candle.” Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, also King David's birthplace.  The third candle symbolizes joy and is called the “Shepherd’s Candle.” To the shepherd’s great joy, the angels announced that Jesus came for humble, unimportant people like them, too.  The fourth candle represents peace and is called the “Angel’s Candle.” The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace—He brought people closer to God and each other again.  The fifth candle represents light and purity and is called “Christ’s candle.” It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day.

The Advent Season is a time for both thanksgiving and prayer. If you are interested in praying specifically for things that matter, please consider praying through the following list during the remainder of this Advent Season.

What Should I Pray for During Advent?
1. Pray for attentiveness to what truly matters without being distracted by trivial things.
2. Pray for opportunities to learn something new regularly.
3. Pray for discernment of how God would like you to set your priorities and the ability to focus on them consistently to fulfill His purposes in your life.
4. Pray for the grace to be able to rest, become aware of God's presence, and enjoy it.
5. Pray for freedom from all that burdens you - past mistakes, fears, destructive habits, pain that others have inflicted, and more.
6. Pray for joy and a sense of humor.
7. Pray for a clear mind and the ability to communicate with others clearly.
8. Pray for a genuine awareness of God's grace in your life and the humility to extend grace to others.
9. Pray for your Ranger buddies both at home and those deployed.
10. Pray for the discipline to live up to standards espoused by the Ranger Creed daily.

Merry Christmas!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Dan Knight

KEEP DOING HARD THINGS

Regardless of where you served within the Regiment, you undoubtedly heard the quote, “Hard times don’t last, hard men do!” There is great truth in this statement! As the Spiritual Fitness Director for Three Rangers Foundation, one of my goals is to motivate our mentors to embrace total fitness (spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional). I realize many of us are old and broke. I seldom talk to an old Ranger who is not suffering from some level of physical disability. However, we are all still Rangers and Rangers Do Hard Things! No one gets a pass. There are still things we can and should do daily to keep ourselves fit!

Doing hard things requires discipline. There are few groups of men on planet Earth more disciplined than Rangers. The author of the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament has some wise words on discipline. Most of the fathers on here can likely relate to these words. We discipline those we love! In Hebrews chapter 12, verses 7-11, it says--
7 Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

I am not naïve. Few of us have the physical ability to still Ranger like we once did on active duty. However, you must still push yourself and train yourself. Linkup with an old Ranger Buddy for a hike and an overnight camping trip. Do some self-discipline through prayer and fasting. If you can't run--go for a walk. If you can't walk, go for a swim! Get a little wet, tired, and uncomfortable. I promise it is good for the soul! You might be separated from the Regiment, but you are not separated from the Ranger Creed! The Creed demands that you keep yourself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight!

I recently saw the article copied and pasted below in the 2/75 Signal Group Thread. The author is unknown, but I think the author is speaking to all of us as 75th Ranger veterans. The hard times we shared in the Regiment are what made us the men we are today. I did not write the message below--I wish I did though, as it says exactly what I am trying to say!

Modern men are easy to kill.
Not just physically – though that's certainly true. Two flights of stairs leave many gasping. But I mean something deeper. Most men today can be killed by:

• Mean words

• Harsh weather

• Missed meals

• Social disapproval

• Minor discomfort

Our ancestors would be horrified. They built civilizations in harsh conditions, fought wars, survived plagues, and crossed oceans with minimal provisions. They were hard to kill.  Being hard to kill isn't about being tough. It's about being resilient. Antifragile. Getting stronger when things get harder.  The ancient Spartans had a word for this: agoge. It meant not just education, but forging. Like steel in fire, they believed men had to be hammered into shape. Comfort was the enemy of strength. Your great-grandfather understood this. He didn't need motivation to work. He didn't need perfect conditions to start.  He didn't need validation to continue. He simply did what needed to be done.

Modern men have lost this art. We've become:

• Physically soft

• Mentally weak

• Spiritually fragile

• Emotionally unstable

We've traded resilience for comfort. Strength for safety. Glory for guarantee.

How to Be Hard to Kill:
1. Physical Hardening

• Train in all weather

• Fast regularly

• Sleep on hard surfaces

• Take cold showers

• Walk everywhere possible

2. Mental Toughening

• Read difficult books

• Learn new skills

• Embrace silence

• Practice discomfort

• Face your fears

3. Spiritual Strengthening

• Daily discipline

• Regular prayer

• Extended fasting

• Moral courage

• Standing alone

4. Emotional Fortitude

• Accept criticism

• Face conflict

• Bear pain

• Control anger

• Resist pleasure

Your ancestors didn't need motivational quotes. They needed grit. They didn't have comfort. They had a purpose!  They weren't hard to kill because they were special. They were hard to kill because they had to be.  You don't have to be. That's the problem. Comfort has made you easy to kill. Easy to discourage. Easy to defeat. Easy to control.

The solution isn't complicated:

• Do hard things daily

• Embrace discomfort

• Seek challenge

• Welcome struggle

• Love difficulty

A man who can't be killed by discomfort can't be controlled by pleasure.  A man who can't be killed by pain can't be stopped by fear.  A man who can't be killed by opposition can't be defeated by weakness.  Your ancestors built our civilization because they were hard to kill.  Your descendants will need you to be the same.  Start today. Do something hard. Then do it again tomorrow.  Become the man who can't be killed by comfort.  History belongs to such men.

Happy Thanksgiving--now go do something hard!
RLTW!
Dan Knight

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

Rangers are generally good at a lot of things. However, almost universally among Rangers, patience is not one of them! This stems in large part from the fact that we all served in a Regiment that demands excellence. From E-1 through 0-6, you meet the Ranger Standard (and meet it very quickly) or you get Released for Standards (RFS'ed). There is not a great deal of time for retraining and second chances--especially for mental and physical shortcomings. Non-performers and screw ups are just sent packing on the Black Chinook. However, as you make the transition into the civilian world, whether after one tour of Rangering or a full 30-year career in and around the Regiment, please know that RFS is simply not a thing in most civilian areas of life. You cannot really RFS a co-worker who is not meeting the standard. Additionally, it is hard and often expensive to RFS a wife! A better alternative is to develop some patience. 

Once you transition, you cannot expect or demand the same level of performance you grew accustomed to in the Regiment from spouses, children, friends, or co-workers. I think adjusting ourselves and becoming more patient with those around us is one of the toughest and most overlooked parts of transition. Most of us have heard the adage, "Patience is a Virtue". This proverb is usually attributed to Cato the Elder from the 4th Century AD. However, I like to think its origins are even earlier than that. In Proverbs 16:2 from the Bible we see, "Patience is better than power, and controlling one's emotions is better than capturing a city." The author of Proverbs (Solomon) understood that learning and practicing patience makes us happier and healthier.  We are all familiar with the Ranger Big Five Philosophy. It reminds Rangers to focus on the Big Five most important things: marksmanship training, physical training, medical training, small unit tactics, and mobility. Here are a few thoughts on patience that might help you understand and practice this virtue more effectively. Let me introduce you to the big five for developing more patience.

#1-Know what patience is and isn't. At its most basic level patience is the ability to wait for something without expressing irritation or frustration. There are three basic types of patience; interpersonal patience, patience during hardships, and patience concerning daily hassles. Interpersonal patience refers to our ability to be patient with other people. This type of patience is important for relationships especially when interacting with spouses, kids, or grandkids. Hardship patience is a type of long-term patience we need when we deal with a significant setback in life. Another word for this type of patience is perseverance or resilience. Most Rangers understand this type of patience, we just don't use it effectively with others. Daily hassle patience is the ability to stay calm through life’s little irritations. If you live in a city, you are going to get stuck in traffic. Going "postal" in bad traffic is not a good idea. Likewise, going off on co-workers when you have been Rangering through a tedious task at work and many of your co-workers have already quit is not going to endear you to them.

#2-Learn to be a better listener. This is one of the easiest ways to increase your interpersonal patience skills. Take time to really listen to your spouse, children, or co-workers. Most of us want to get to the facts of any discussion and then offer a quick Ranger solution like--"time for you to Ranger-up!" Sadly, this is lost on most folks outside the Regiment. I have to admit, I still find myself wanting to give this quick-fix Ranger advice even after being retired for 8 years. However, it just doesn't work very well among non-Rangers. You have to adjust your TTPs. Not listening will almost never help any relationship! Patient, active listening is a better technique to use.

#3-Accept what you can't change! This is another tough one for Rangers. Many of us served in the Regiment when standards required a fresh high and tight haircut every Monday morning at PT formation. Did this make us better in any way? Well, it likely made it easier to apply camo but... it didn't make much sense otherwise. I hated that standard but I could not change it so, I accepted that as a requirement to Ranger and got a fresh haircut every Sunday afternoon! Acceptance for things that are outside our control is essential for developing patience. The reality of life after the Regiment is that many things are simply outside our control. Would the world work better if it was led by Rangers? Undoubtedly, but... that is just our opinion and is not yet shared by most of the non-Rangers out there! A good tip for practicing acceptance is to adjust your expectations. Look at the facts available to you and recognize which of these factors you can control. Then, realize you can change ONLY what you have control over and must let go of or accept the things you don’t control.

#4-Size up the situation. Not every crisis in life is a near ambush. Most things don't require an immediate response. Take some time to relax and think through your response. If you get an email from a boss or co-worker that pisses you off. DO NOT send off a Javelin round reply immediately. At a minimum do a few controlled breaths. Breathe in through your nose for a count of five, hold the breath for another count of five then exhale through your mouth for a count of ten. 2-3 of these deep controlled breaths will steady you and calm you as you prepare a more measured response. Focus on the breathing, not what led you to do the controlled breathing. If time permits, go for a walk or jog before responding, and in the best case sleep on it for a night before you fire off a response. They say time heals all wounds. Trust me on this one, this is solid advice. Unfortunately, I have relearned this lesson many times.

#5-Slow Down! Most of us try to do too much. Multitasking is a myth. Very few people can do their best work on multiple tasks simultaneously. A good technique is to do less and do it better. Being or looking busy is not necessarily a good thing especially if you are not being effective. Slowing down and practicing patience with those around you will help. Most non-Rangers in your life cannot match your pace anyway so by slowing down you'll still be near the front of the pack. 

In 2 Timothy 4:2, the Apostle Paul instructs the young pastor named Timothy to, "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching." I do not put myself on par with the Apostle Paul, however, I do encourage all of you to incorporate some more patience into your daily lives. Patience truly is a virtue and patience will undoubtedly help you be more successful in your life! Try out some of the recommended TTPs. I feel sure they will work for you!

RLTW!