Douglas is an actor, and the creator of the play The American Soldier.

The American Soldier portrays fourteen characters, based on real stories and actual letters written by veterans and their family members from the American Revolution, all the way through current day Afghanistan. The story is told with a through-line and a strong message, but not chronologically. It examines the internal struggles and problems that soldiers face when returning home from combat and the sacrifice made by our veterans and their families.

We see one character who represents all the powerful and beautiful things of the military – discipline, teamwork, and brotherhood. He is the only character who comes out more than once to share these lessons with us. All other aspects are only seen once, and they represent our glimpse of what sacrifice is for our veterans and their families.

The play starts with our narrator sharing his lesson in discipline. We see a Revolutionary soldier freezing at Valley Forge, a grieving mother remembering her son and his story of how he died in Vietnam, our narrator sharing his lesson in teamwork, our Bronx WWII veteran suffering with the effects of PTSD from his experience in Iwo Jima, our African American Vietnam Vet, our Iraq veteran addicted to the adrenalin of war, a wife and son dealing with the father’s absence while he is away at war on 3rd deployment in Afghanistan, a father in the wake of his soldier son’s suicide from Iraq, a chicano soldier dealing with the loss of his limb and his wife helps him to stand up again, a WWI soldier sharing his love for his brother in the trenches, an eloquent Civil War Soldier writing his final letter to his wife (the Dear Sarah letter), and finally our narrator sharing his lesson in brotherhood.

Learn more about The American Soldier here -https://www.theamericansoldiersoloshow.com/

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In this episode we're diving into another round of listener-submitted questions. I always appreciate the honesty and vulnerability of these questions, and this week is no exception.First up, what does it really take to be The Best? Whether it’s in sports, business, or even sweeping the floor, how much sacrifice and commitment are required to reach the top? Are the sacrifices worth it, what is the cost of greatness, and finding purpose along the way?Next, a question about being “good enough.” After a year of life upheavals, a listener reflects on his deepest fear—never measuring up, never being enough. It’s a feeling that drives him to improve but also leaves him questioning whether satisfaction and self-acceptance are achievable. Finally, a question from a listener dealing with night sweats and high blood pressure long after leaving military service. It’s a frustrating struggle, especially when medications don’t seem to help, and it’s now impacting his marriage.Today's Sponsors: Spartan Forge: https://spartanforge.ai/Maui Nui Venison: Maui Nui Venison is offering listeners a limited collection of my favorite cuts and products. But... supply is limited by the nature of their work, so don’t wait. https://mauinuivenison.com/clearedhot

Joel Struthers spent six years as a legionnaire (and more specifically as a member of the elite Group Commando Parachutistes). The French Foreign Legion, a branch of the French army, is one of the most famous military organizations in the world.

Joel is the author of Appel, A Canadian in the French Foreign Legion, which details his time with the Legion, his experiences, the selection and recruitment process, and combat deployments to Africa.

Joel is also a helicopter pilot and a partner in a Canadian risk mitigation firm that solves difficult problems in challenging environments

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This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/CLEAREDHOT and get on your way to being your best self.