The Warrior in a Garden: A Call for Veteran Peacebuilders

There is a quote from ancient Chinese lore that I am quite fond of. A student asks his master: “You teach me fighting but you talk about peace. How do you reconcile the two?” The master replied: “It is better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war.” It has been fifteen years since the events of September 11, 2001, and out of that day the United States found itself involved in three wars; Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Global War on Terror. For my part in these events, I served in the United States Marine Corps from 2001-2005, with the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines, an infantry battalion out of Camp Pendleton, California. Like all Marines, my time in the Corps was a pivotal moment in my life. For better or for worse, the experiences that I gained helped to mold me into the man I am today and set me on my current path.

When I made the decision to leave the Corps in 2005, there was a part of me that still wanted to serve my country in some capacity. At the time I wanted to pursue a career in the diplomatic field but to do so I knew I needed a formal education to complement my experiences in Iraq. After completing my undergraduate degree in International Relations, I felt that the field was missing something as it did not sufficiently provide me with the tools that were necessary to accomplish my goals. While researching graduate programs, I made the decision to pursue my master’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution instead. It was in the field of conflict resolution that I found what was missing from the field of international relations - a better path to actually overcoming the hardships we face.

While I admire the field of international relations and what it brings to the table, conflict resolution gives us a much more holistic and comprehensive approach when attempting to explain and traverse the obstacles we face both domestically and internationally. During my time at Mason’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR), I was surprised to see students with backgrounds similar to my own: combat veterans, retired veterans, reservists from various branches of the military, members of the intelligence community, and members of the law enforcement community. Together with students from various countries and cultures, we are able to bring a diverse set of experiences to the table that contribute greatly to the field of conflict resolution and the greater peacebuilding community. While the conflict resolution field offers more insight and practices into dealing with various conflicts, it can benefit greatly from the experiences of the Veteran Community. After all, who knows violence and conflict better than those of us who have experienced it intimately?

I am currently interning at the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD). The Institute was founded in 1992, by Ambassador (ret.) John W. McDonald and Dr. Louise Diamond. At IMTD, we take a holistic approach to diplomacy that seeks to engage all stakeholders within a society in the peacebuilding process. The multi-track system that we use originated due to the inefficiencies within the single track government approach. The multi-track system is designed for dynamic interaction among the different players of society, including but not limited to businesses, private citizens, and conflict resolution practitioners. Due to its holistic approach, multi-track diplomacy is a perfect fit for those veterans and others who want to continue to make a difference in the world and work towards finding solutions to our problems but work outside of the conflict resolution field. The vast experiences that the veteran community has accumulated while serving in conflict zones as well as the diverse educational and professional experiences that we have developed since returning from deployments provides us with unique perspectives. By utilizing the multi-track approach, we are presented with various avenues to deploy our combined knowledge to assist or even serve as leaders within the peacebuilding community.
 
When your country called, you answered that call! For many who read this you may feel as if you have done enough or believe that I am simply being naive. I completely understand, I too have experienced these moments, but we are still needed, just in a different capacity. At a time when the Middle East is on fire due to a proxy war in Syria, terrorist attacks by I.S.I.S, continued provocations from China and Russia, along with our own internal issues at home, those who are battle tested and comfortable in chaos are still needed both at home and abroad. With the numerous challenges that the veteran community faces due to inadequacies in the VA system, along with the mental and physical scars some of us carry from our time abroad we have to find better solutions to the hurdles we face. Inside and outside of the veteran community, my call to you is this: be the warrior in the garden. Be the individual who has reconciled the violence of the past with the hope for a better tomorrow. Be the one who continues to stand tall in the face of adversity. Be the one who uses the tools and knowledge at their disposal not just for their own gain but to also help others. Ultimately, be the one with the mindset and clarity to understand that bombs and bullets will not solve the worlds conflicts. Conflict resolution and multi-track diplomacy offer other avenues with which to approach adversity, and allow the veteran community to bring their vast array of experience to the peace making table.