During the long daily bus rides to high school in the 1990s, Ray would explore a variety of jobs, until it became clear that the United States Navy was the best opportunity for him to turn into a 'real man.' Applying himself with the kind of trademark diligence Ray continues to display today, he studied the science of military medical support and learned to be a Corpsman. In 2001 Ray found himself in Japan, and two years later, he was providing medical assistance to wounded soldiers in Iraq and cleaned up after those who were killed in combat. Ray reenlisted in 2005 and retired from the Navy in 2010 with that survivor's guilt intact, along with post-traumatic stress disorder and the residual effects of head injuries. This book is about the experience how he successfully attenuated the enduring effects of PTSD and has learned to cope with living through his experiences in Iraq.