Mike
Liguori is a former United States Marine and veteran of the Iraq War. In his
book, “The Sandbox, Stories of Human Spirit and War,” he describes his two
tours in Iraq (’04-‘06) and his struggle coming home. Mr. Liguori battled Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) and struggled finding a purpose in life after war.
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| Mike Liguori |
In
a recent panel interview on KQED Public radio (03.13.13, 9:00am Forum) marking
the tenth anniversary of our invasion of Iraq, Mike Liguori described how he
grew up in San Carlos as an active Roman Catholic with a typical adolescent
machismo attitude toward life and war.
He went into the military with heroic visions of defending his nation
and retribution for the attacks of 9/11.
His first experience of live fire battle changed all of that. In fact, he was describing it and his service
in Iraq as a “loss of faith”…in his nation, himself and God.
Following his discharge from the service he bounced around a variety of jobs and schools
with little success or focus. He
experienced so much of what we are learning about Iraq/Afghanistan PTSD;
serious issues with anger, isolation, alcohol.
One night as he was fixing dinner alone in his apartment, he
contemplated suicide, using the knife he had in his hands. It was at that moment that he heard a voice
speak clearly to him as if someone was in the room with him; “…this is not your
time to die”. It was a turning point in
his life and a moment that he credits to God as he understands God.
In
2011, Mike graduated with a B.S. in Business Management and Administration from
Menlo College. He is the founder of
Operation Work Warriors, a non-profit organization helping veterans reintegrate
into civilian life by providing education, counseling and career guidance
(www.operationworkwarriors.org). He is
active in the veteran’s community, lobbying veteran legislation in Washington
D.C. with the Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). He is a public speaker about hiring veterans
in today’s workforce; our nation’s unemployment rate is 7.7% but for veterans
it is 9.4%. President Obama was recently
quoted as saying, “No one who fights for their country overseas should ever
have to fight for a job here at home.” (Washington Post, 03.19.13) Operation Work Warriors is about honoring
those who serve our country with the dignity and respect that comes with honest
work and a chance to build a future.
However
one understands the Easter story…history or metaphor…life by its nature is
organized for resurrection. A seed dies
and springs to life with new growth in its season. Every day our bodies replace old cells die as
they die with new cells. And it can
happen in the life of any good man or woman who finds themselves with the
second chance to choose life and make the most of it. For Mike Liguori, resurrection came as he
buried the illusions of the past and dedicated his life to doing something good
for somebody else. Service to others has
renewed his faith in a Higher Power, a compassionate God who cares about him
and his future. And he would tell you
that such faith has made all the difference.