9.1 – We Want YOU to Join Recovery Today!

I knew nothing about recovery until I became desperate enough to look it up. I think an introduction should be given to every person in the military, especially people getting out. Sobriety and recovery saves tens of millions of people from misery and death every year.

Walking into a recovery meeting for the first time can be more courageous and difficult than walking into a recruiting office, though. It is time to face your problems, issues, and feelings. That can be fucking daunting! But think about this way: you endangered your life by joining the military and are now saving it by joining recovery.

There are many sober veterans in recovery, so come join us. This can be your stepping off point for a better life, today, right now. It always brings me joy when a new veteran comes in to a meeting. Looking back, going to recovery was the hardest and most courageous thing I have ever done, braver than joining the military and even volunteering twice for Iraq. Facing the suppressed layers of myself and my past was tougher than facing death in a combat zone. Ain’t that a fucker?!

Our fellowship is anonymous. We only use our first names and most of us value the protection of our identities. So, you don’t need to worry about everyone in town knowing you are in recovery. If you see someone you know, it becomes a secret bond that you don’t need to shout from the rooftops.

You don’t have to be homeless, mentally ill, sick, broke, or coming out of jails and prisons to come to meetings. There is no other requirement except a willingness to quit for one day at a time. You are welcome no matter what.

Coming into AA and admitting defeat by alcohol and weed saved my life. It also put me on the road to being re-introduced to myself and finally growing as a person. Being a drunken pothead for 17 years had kept me stagnant in many ways. I was a middle aged guy that was emotionally 18 at best when I decided to try sobriety. Through the recovery steps I began to see my layers of ego and faults. From there I continue release and repair them.

Google “your town AA or NA meetings”. Commit to one meeting a day for the first month and see what you think. You can always go back to your misery any time you like.

There is always a meeting happening on Zoom too. That is a great option for easing into recovery. You can leave your camera off and just listen for any similarities you have with the speakers. There’s a wealth of recovery talks and recorded meetings on Youtube as well. Seek and ye shall find.

You just need to want to stop for yourself. Most people that do it for others don’t make it. So, look up an AA or NA meeting and come join us. They are a Google search away.