Manage episode 491644536 series 2894075
Sergeant First Class Alexander Stewart shares his powerful journey as a combat veteran serving on three different fronts while becoming a mental health advocate and author. His raw account reveals how witnessing 9/11 as a child sparked his military service and how he's now channeling combat experiences into helping others facing invisible wounds.
• Inspired to enlist after witnessing the impact of 9/11 on his New York community just 45 minutes from NYC
• Deployed to Afghanistan (2013-2014), Iraq (2015), and Syria (2017), each presenting unique challenges and traumas
• Evolved his leadership style through deployments, learning that being technically proficient isn't enough without empathy
• Faced significant barriers when seeking mental health treatment despite clear PTSD symptoms
• Authored "Unspoken Words," a poetry collection giving voice to veterans who struggle to articulate their experiences
• Lost 31 military friends to suicide and now works to break stigma while still serving on active duty
• Helped over 27 veterans and service members who were contemplating suicide
If you're struggling in silence, remember: "It's completely okay to not be okay." Reach out to someone - a friend, family member, or fellow veteran. You have the courage because you've already faced challenges in uniform. One suicide a day is one too many.
Support the show
Check out our website
Please Support & Donate to the Podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themorningform
USA Made socks with a Purpose. 20% off with code: TMF
https://www.solediersocks.com/tmf
Episode Powered By Act Now Education
Chapters
1. Unspoken Words: A Combat Veteran's Journey from Chaos to Advocacy with SFC Alexander Stewart (00:00:00)
2. Episode Introduction: Combat Veteran's Story (00:01:25)
3. 9/11's Impact and Military Enlistment (00:10:49)
4. Serving on Three Combat Fronts (00:19:12)
5. Leadership Evolution Through Deployments (00:40:24)
6. Confronting PTSD and Finding Help (01:01:56)
7. Using Poetry to Heal and Connect (01:24:16)
8. Breaking the Stigma and Final Thoughts (01:42:00)
117 episodes