My name is Joseph Mullin, I am a disabled veteran. I have 4 grown wonderful children who understand why I am doing this.
I have a graduate and an undergraduate degree. I have 20 years of experience performing underwater recovery within emergency management so I am highly versed in risk/benefit assessment. I have been around the ocean a my life, swimming, surfing, scuba diving, and now kayaking. I love kayaking.
I study the water every time I go out. The movement, the action, the directions, the different shapes of swells, chop, waves and even wakes. If you can read the water then you can find the best path to paddle along.
I have PTSD from my underwater recovery experience. I can somewhat relate to what my brother and sister veterans are going through although I could never fully fathom what they have experienced.
Let me tell you what one of my episodes is like:
The rush of emotions all at once can be quite overwhelming. fight or flight, depression, anxiety, confusion, frightened, apprehensive, loneliness and fear.
I am lucky in that I realize what is happening and I need to be alone long enough to get my head straight again. I know what triggers my episodes so I try to avoid them or I have to prepare myself in advance to discuss the situations. Even then I get emotional.
This is why I chose Mission 22 and why I embark on this journey to raise awareness that this is real and we have to do what we can to help.
I hope you follow along as I prepare and make this journey and that you will support the cause and spread the word.
To all my fellow Viet Nam veterans out there welcome home and I would love to shake your hand at one of the stops I will be making. I extend the same invitation to all veterans. There is a bond among veterans that can’t be explained nor can it be broken not matter which branch you served in and I include the Coast Guard as well.
acske2017 