Today we hear a Combat Story from Marine Officer and US Army Special Operations Command (or USASOC) leader Varpas de Sa Pereira (de SA Pur-rare-a). His book Warrior Withdrawal: When BAMF No Longer Means Bad*$$ M^ther#u@!er is a great read for anyone trying to understand why so many of veterans - myself included - face challenges transitioning out of the military outside of just PTSD.
Varpas faced combat many times, deploying time and again with a variety of units in search of some "thing" he was missing. He was finally fully engrossed in the ‘system’ and had trouble pulling himself out of it. After 15 years of service, including time in USASOC at the tip of the spear, he finally retired and went back to school to study clinical psychology, where he realized what he had experienced was not abnormal. Many veterans, for whom being a warrior is ingrained in their psyche, struggle to adapt to life outside the military, often leading them to mental health challenges. Varpas coined this as Warrior Withdrawal Syndrome and now works as a psychotherapist to help veterans facing difficulties in their newfound lives.
In this episode we talk through several of his combat experiences in Iraq and some really challenging experiences that officers often face in making life and death decisions in very ambiguous environments.
He is currently a staff psychologist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where he provides mental health care to veterans and their families. You can get his book Warrior Withdrawal on Amazon. With that, please enjoy this unique interview with Varpas.
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Instagram, LinkediN, X : @drvarpas
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🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro00:49 Introduction to Combat Story01:08 Meet Varpus Desaparara01:56 Warrior Withdrawal: Understanding Veteran Challenges02:40 Varpus' Unique Background02:59 The Meaning Behind the Name Varpus04:45 Family History and Military Service07:45 The Concept of 'Left of Boom'09:38 The Transition from Military to Civilian Life15:30 The Making of a Marine Officer18:16 First Deployment Experiences28:00 General's Aide and Beyond37:13 Reflecting on Regret and Mental Health38:38 Memorable Events from the First Deployment40:35 Taking Initiative and Facing Challenges41:47 Combat Realities and Leadership Decisions43:28 Navigating Friendly Fire and Tactical Decisions48:32 Moral Dilemmas and Command Conflicts55:44 Career Progression and Special Ops Aspirations01:06:31 Leadership Reflections and Personal Growth01:12:25 Leadership Challenges in Fallujah01:14:01 IED Strikes and Quick Reaction Force01:16:03 Engaging the Enemy and Emotional Toll01:24:47 Transitioning to Regiment and Family Sacrifices01:29:07 Special Operations and Missed Opportunities01:33:42 Warrior Withdrawal and Psychological Impact01:45:38 Reflections and Moving Forward01:50:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
