How a Prepared Mind Can Help Minimize PTSD
Scott DeLuzio: [00:00:00] Thanks for tuning in to the Drive On Podcast where we are focused on giving hope and strength to the entire military community whether you’re a veteran, active duty, guard, reserve, or a family member, this podcast will share inspirational stories and resources that are useful to you. I’m your host Scott DeLuzio and now let’s get on with the show.
Hey everybody. Welcome back to the Drive On Podcast. Today my guest is Lieutenant Colonel Brian Slade. He is an Apache pilot and the author of Cleared Hot Lessons, Learned about life, love and leadership while flying the Apache Gunship in Afghanistan, and why I believe a prepared mind can help minimize ptsd.
And we’re going to be discussing his time flying over Afghanistan in Apaches and the challenges that he faced afterwards throughout all of his experiences. So welcome to the show, Brian. Glad to have.
Brian Slade: Well, thanks. I am glad to be here.
Scott DeLuzio: Appreciate it. Yeah, absolutely. So, why don’t you give us a little bit more background [00:01:00] on yourself and you know, thing, things like that.
Brian Slade: Okay. Well, you said I fly Apaches, I have to correct you a little. I did fly Apaches . I now fly. I transitioned over to the Air Force from the Army. The deployment that the book Cleared Hot that we’re kept talking about after that deployment and did, I transferred over to the Air Force, you know, and I always say I transferred over for, to the Air Force for all the reasons I didn’t join it in the first place,
So, like, when I was young, you know, I was like, Oh, the Air Force, you know, they stay in four star hotels, those whistles, you know, all that kind stuff. And then later I was like, they stand for Star Hotels . Like, and so I, you know, I made, they, they’re gone for four months at a time instead of 23 months at a time, you know?
That made that transition. But then I ended up flying Combat Search and Rescue with the Air Force, which is a whole nother, and that’s what I currently do, is what I currently do. I’m the oldest of eight kids. I like to say eldest cuz it sounds more sophisticated, but there’s not a lot that’s sophisticated about me, so, so it’s kind of misleading.
I moved outta my house at 15 cuz there was no food [00:02:00] left. I’m just kidding. That’s not why I moved out. But I did move out at. Finished up high school and went to college at Utah State. You know, actually I went to, on a church mission for two years to Brazil, and then I went to college at Utah State.
Played with little football there, got in the rotc, got commission, and decided to fly helicopters, and then, you know, that’s the catalyst right there.
Scott DeLuzio: Well, that seems like you had a pretty interest. Upbringing, you know, leaving home at 15 and then, you know, just kind of going on your own way, that way.
That, that is pretty interesting in and of itself. But then let’s, you know, you fast forward a few years and you’re in Afghanistan and you’re flying Apache gunships and you’re you’re doing all sorts of crazy stuff over there and I’m, we’re gonna get into that for sure, but, Definitely seems like a pretty interesting lif...
