Herold Noel, Hero

You really should listen to this. It’s the story of Herold Noel, a veteran of Iraq, who is “fighting his second war – a mental war”, a war against post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), a war that he “will be fighting all” his life. I think that the first time I heard about PTSD was 30 years ago when the Vietnam vets started reporting their post-war troubles. Now, it’s starting again.

Noel is an example of the talent that is hidden in so many people and seldom gets a chance to express itself. He’s only 25 but tells his story with a simple mastery that is heart-moving. He has devoted his life to speaking out for himself and his fellow veterans who gave their all in the war but now need help after the war.

He joined the Army at 19 as a way to achieve the American dream. He was determined to leave the drug- and crime-infested streets of his Brooklyn neighborhood. He served as a driver of a fuel truck. When he came back, he found that this experience was not enough to get a job driving a truck in New York or, in fact, getting any sort of job. So, he lost his kids, had problems with his wife and was homeless. He drank to stop the pain. Eventually he reached the point of attempted suicide, but was too drunk to go through with it.

The next day, someone from an organization called Black Veterans for Social Justice, gave him money to buy his kids Christmas presents. And that was the start of his journey back. Another organization, Operation Truth, was a conduit to an anonymous donor paying for an apartment for Herold and his wife for a year. Now, he has devoted his life to advocating for help for himself and his fellow veterans. He spoke before a Congressional committee in support of a bill to help those with PTSD. And he spoke with assurance, with honesty, frankly and movingly – without notes. His message was simple: Honor the living as well as we honor the dead.

He still carries in his jeep the magazines (the gun kind) that carried the clips which killed eight people. He wants to “give a life back by giving someone hope for life”.