Thursday, January 18, 2018

Putting the Survival Manual to Good Use

Matt D, Former USMC, Father, Musician, Martial Artist and American Brother, shares this personal review of Hawke's Green Beret Survival Manual.

He writes: In 2009 I was gifted with this book. At the time I had a job that required me to spend hours riding and would take the book with me every day and read it; then read through it again annually so that I could retain the information. I did not know it at the time, but there would be situations in my life in the years to come where having this book would prove to be a great help.

After graduating college I had to relocate to Minnesota. It was quite a shock to go from living near the ocean to seeing feet of snow fall in one day. I always loved being outdoors and seeing new places, but unfortunately I had an undiagnosed case of PTSD from my time in the Marines. I became very withdrawn and Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual was the first tool that helped me start to come out of my shell.

One winter I found myself trapped in the woods where I was doing some logging with a friend. It was freezing cold with feet of snow. We climbed to the top of a ridge and took shelter under a rocky overhang. Starting a fire out there was very hard to do in the winter, even with a lighter. When you have PTSD it is not always easy to stay calm, but I had the book on me as it stays in my pack, and I remembered the introduction which tells you to stay calm, commit to coming back alive, and then shows you how to make it back safely. I stuck to the techniques of the book, got some dry tinder from inside of tree and went to work creating a successful fire that no doubt saved our lives.

After surviving on the ridge top I began to go outside frequently, reading through each chapter to learn more techniques. I started to be able to enjoy life again as I spent time in the woods, a place that soothed my soul. I even branched out into free climbing and tracking. What I learned from Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual helped me turn the wilderness into a haven and a sanctuary for myself. I now know what to eat, what grows that works as medicine, how to signal for help, and how to catch food even if I have very little to work with. This is a peace that helps calm fears, anxieties, and insecurities.   The more time I spend in the wilderness the less I have problems with my past.

I also owe part of my health and life to this book as I used it, and the Hawkchete, to keep myself, my kids, and an autistic woman alive and well when our team was forgotten outdoors near the north shore 3 years ago.

If you want to learn to survive I recommend reading this book. If you want something to help you recover and take your life back I recommend reading this book as well.