Continuing Actions: A Warrior's Guide to Coming Home

by Dan Sheehan

Modern warriors are extremely well prepared to go into battle. But we don't know anything about how to come home.
The challenges of coming home after combat have always been part of a warrior's journey. Unfortunately, the modern warrior's preparation for combat does not include any information about how to overcome them--or even that they exist at all.
This gap in our preparation leaves us open to predictable, and avoidable, injuries when we return home that can be just as lethal as actual combat. Closing this gap is what Continuing Actions is all about.
Drawing on the works of mental health professionals, scholars, and other veterans, Continuing Actions shows that warriors have always had to face challenges when coming home, explains how these challenges impact us on multiple levels, and how our training and preparation have left us, and our families, exposed to needless suffering. It goes farther than just identifying the problem, however, and offers pragmatic solutions for how each individual veteran can overcome this gap in their training on their own.
With a Foreword by Dr. Jonathan Shay, bestselling author and esteemed leader in PTSD research and treatment, Continuing Actions is a guidebook for veterans and active duty alike. It is a reconnaissance into the most misunderstood aspect of the modern warrior's experience: the challenges of coming home.

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2015

About the author

Dan Sheehan served two tours with the Marine Corps in Iraq; the first as an attack helicopter pilot during the 2003 invasion and the second in 2004 as a forward air controller with a special operations unit. His award winning first book After Action: The True Story of a Cobra Pilot's Journey examines his combat experiences and how they followed him home.

His second book, Continuing Action: Completing the Warrior's Journey addresses gaps in the modern warrior's preparation for war and offers pragmatic guidance for veterans navigating the challenges of coming home. It is set for release in 2015.

Dan left the Marine Corps as a Major in 2007, and now lives in California with his wife, their two young children, and a pitbull named Kitty.

Reviews

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'll put my bias right out there, Dan's my cousin and I have a lot of love and respect for him. But when I say everyone should read this book it's not because Dan wrote it, but because it's a topic that every person who votes in the U.S. needs to gain an understanding of. We are so proud of our men and women who serve, but mostly its pretty remote. Few of us have close family members who have served, let alone served ourselves. Dan's first book explored his internal journey back to civilian life. This book gives many practical tips about how to help those around us who are returning. It may even spark in some of us a desire to devote some time for money to the many non-profits who help ease this transition. It's easy to read, intensely practical, and well written. Yay Dan!

[Anthony Angell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opener

Having served with Dan, he helped open my eyes to a lot about myself! Thanks for a great read Dan!

[Paul Endris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should have read this a long time ago. Worth your time if you’re interested in returning veterans, writing, or understanding the transformative experiences of combat.