I live a soldier’s lifestyle. I register and assess signs of incoming threats and danger and am prepared to respond as needed. I have mastered the skill of emotional suppression, using the practice to hone my defense tactics. One of my mantras is Protection at all cost.
As I have aged, the Soldier Basics Manual has changed. At first, I attended classes meant to promote me along the chain, but then, new words and phrases showed up, and it was clear no one on the chain knew what to do with them, even though we had to integrate fast.
For example, PTSD. Seemingly out of the blue, we were told to identify trauma-informed stress patterns without the slightest training in how to cross the gap between suppressed and declared feelings. Luckily, a Ropes Specialist Soldier stepped forward, offering Zipline Tips for crossing gaps.
Technology has helped blend prompt changes. I remember when CardSwiping didn’t have a physical card—at least now there is one, and I find it easier to Slow Down and Read the Signs.
Signs have many shapes and purposes: Stop, Yield, Warning, Do Not Enter, Yield. Then there are the Scam Signs, but being soldier-trained, I understand hidden codes. Do Not Enter might be code for You Will Be This Way Again: Place a Marker.
