Warrior to Civilian: The Field Manual for the Hero’s Journey

A compassionate, practical guidebook for veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life and for the loved ones supporting their journey.

＂Challenging yet reassuring....a key addition to every veteran’s packing list .＂ --Stan McChrystal, General, US Army (Ret) and Co-Founder and CEO, McChrystal Group

Some important statistics:

• There are over 22 million veterans alive today
• Each year, more than 200,000 new veterans transition out of active duty.
• Approximately 22 veterans commit suicide a day, and even more are living with PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), struggling with substance abuse, homelessness, and experience many, many other difficulties.

It’s clear that we have not honored the promise we make to veterans: that we as a country will help them after they’ve served and sacrificed. And while there are many books written by and for veterans, only a small selection of those address the transition to civilian life, and none are a truly complete reference for stepping out of service and back into normal life. Warrior to Civilian covers a range of topics, from the practical--finding a job, reintegrating into family life--to the more challenging topics, like dealing with loss, and finding new purpose in life. This well-curated resource incorporates stories, insights, and observations from veterans and their partners; evidence-based advice from health professionals and experts who work closely with veterans; and inspiration taken from heavyweights like Jon Kabbat-Zinn and Tony Robbins. The authors take care to address the unique challenges faced by veterans of color, and those in the LGBTQ+ communities.

With support from some of our country’s most recognizable military members, authors Rob Sarver, a former SEAL, and Alex Gendzier, combine their voices and their experiences in and out of the military in a unique way that will make this resource shine. Scaffolded by the hero’s journey, in which the hero experiences a series of transformative events, they reveal that within the loss that many veterans have suffered while serving and suffer in the transition, there is great opportunity for healing.

Lieutenant (SEAL) Robert Sarver is a 2004 graduate of the US Naval Academy, where he transferred after attending the Virginia Military Institute. He initially served as a surface warfare officer and ultimately as a Navy SEAL assigned to SEAL Team 3, where he completed seven deployments, including three tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and two tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Rob’s military awards and decorations include: The Bronze Star Medal with combat ＂V＂ device and oak leaf cluster, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon with gold star device and various other personal and unit awards. Rob has served in multiple leadership and executive positions since leaving the military in 2013 with organizations including Goldman Sachs, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Employer Direct Solutions, Sycamore Tree Capital Partners, and is presently serving as the Chief Operating Officer of MicroTraks, Inc and WildLife Partners, and other entrepreneurial ventures. Rob also completed his Executive MBA with a major in Entrepreneurial Management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in May 2016.

Alex Gendzier is a partner at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, where he is a senior advisor to the VALOR Group, which provides pro bono legal services to veterans and their families, and where he has led his law firms’ efforts to assist Afghan allies and friends. Although Alex has no military experience, his own journey through losses and life transitions, sense of his own successes and failures, and desire to make a contribution to our service members and their families led to his collaboration with Rob Sarver.