OM DENNE EPISODE
Vietnam veteran and Army helicopter pilot Robert Mitchell survived the war. But leaving Vietnam didn't mean leaving the war behind.
In Part 2 of our conversation, Robert shares what happened after he left the Army in 1970 and began a journey that would take him across Europe and ultimately change the direction of his life.
Struggling with the psychological effects of war, Robert traveled through England, Germany, and Greece, searching for answers and a way to understand the warrior spirit he carried home.
While living in Munich, a powerful dream forced him to confront what he calls the "spirit of death." Rather than running from that experience, Robert continued his journey, searching for its opposite: love.
Robert also discusses the challenges Vietnam veterans faced returning home, PTSD, veteran suicide, and the difficult transition from military service to civilian life.
It would take Robert twelve years to feel he had finally found his way home.
We also talk about his books, his career as a teacher, his thoughts on preserving veterans' stories, and his hopes of someday bringing his experiences to the big screen. And near the end, Robert reveals that he received the Distinguished Flying Cross for a helicopter rescue mission in Vietnam.
Robert Mitchell's Books on Amazon
Journey to Myrtos https://www.amazon.com/s?k=9781468025637
The Trials of the Initiate: Transforming the Warrior Spirit https://www.amazon.com/s?k=9781468025637
Education and the Culture of Democracy https://www.amazon.com/s?k=9781634103640
About Semper Try
Semper Try is about the stories that deserve to be heard. Veterans, coaches, volunteers, and everyday people who have faced challenges, found purpose, and kept trying.
Semper Try is proudly part of VET — Voices Empowering Tomorrow, a network of veteran-hosted podcasts.
Visit sempertry.com for more conversations, daily Today in Military History videos, and links to all our social media platforms.
Most stories die unheard. These WON'T.
Because Trying Beats Quitting.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
Tomorrow needs you.
#SemperTry #VietnamVeteran #VeteranStories #PTSD #VoicesEmpoweringTomorrow
