Episode 45: Fred Johnson on Shakespeare, Running, and PTSD

My guest this week has been in situations that I can only imagine -- four deployments with the US Army will put you in harm’s way on a regular basis. Fred Johnson is a retired Army colonel who now describes himself as a “professional volunteer,” as he’s trying to find his path after nearly 30 years in the military. He’s written a book about his experience, called Five Wars: A Soldier's Journey to Peace -- he says the fifth war was after he came home and tried to reintegrate into civilian life. I first met Fred when he came to tell a story at The Moth StorySLAM, which I produce here in Louisville. I was struck by his openness and clarity, and his very public search for healing. He told stories about cultural differences in Afghanistan, about the mistake he feels he made in Iraq, and about the moment when he knew he needed help.