Scars, Wars and Perseverance

I like to dedicate this book of poems to my mother, Gloria Tucker Zimmerman and my veteran nation who have to deal with the struggles of everyday life and have persevered through the end. Although times will get tough, hang in there and strength will come from up above and within. I encourage you to go through the journey and seek strength at the end. I hope my words encourage, motivate, and capture the depths of your soul.

Scars, Wars, and Perseverance, is a memoir by author Sgt. Charlie Brady. This collection of poems reflects his personal transformation from military to civilian life written in his unique creative voice discovered through his making of poetry and prose. The memoir is very unconventional in structure; it does not follow traditional format, grammar, or punctuation. Its themes, however, are common to most humans who have suffered and survived. Themes included are isolation, pain, fear, love, encouragement, and spiritual reliance. The author wants to give an authentic story of his life after being trapped in the realities of suppression, war, and human suffering. His use of poetry allows him to engage readers into his "soul space" and understand how the power of writing is used to heal and transform him to a new being. Sgt. Charlie Brady is an Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran who was deployed to Afghanistan which resulted with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other bodily injuries. From 2010 to present, Sgt. Brady receives several forms of therapeutic treatments including creative writing. He realized writing was his outlet to express, communicate, and ground himself in times of emotional and mental distress. Writing is also his source of kryptonite that eases anxiety, deescalates anger, and promotes positive mental health. Although this manuscript is unconventional, Sgt. Brady wants to share his experiences and vent to veterans, general public, and critics who may be unfamiliar with the power of writing. Sgt Brady's main goals are to share authentic memories, promote positive reinforcement, and influence veterans and communicate to people about the harsh realities of dealing with multiple battle wounds from the perspective of the veteran.

I, Charlie Brady, was born in Augusta GA, March 7, 1977. He was raised by a single parent in Louisville, GA, a former slave town and the first permanent capital of Georgia. Educated at historic Louisville Academy, Louisville High School, and Jefferson County High School, Charlie was the only African American male Honor Graduate of his class (1996). He attended GA Southern University where he earned a BBA in Operations Management and continued his education at Augusta State University where he earned his Master's Degree in Special Education. His professional achievements include: Special Ed Teacher and Football/Basketball Coach plus 14 years in the Army and Army Reserves. He was injured in Afghanistan by IED and suffered multiple injuries including PTSD and TBI. Charlie was honorably discharged; he is a disabled Vet. He is an alumnus of the Shepherd Center's Military Initiative Program. This program helped with his treatment and recovery from his transition from combat to civilian life. Now, SGT Brady is a passionate supporter and has a true allegiance to the veteran community. He found poetry as a way to vent out and release his deep inner thoughts. "I write for therapy. My themes include perseverance, pains, struggles, everyday life observations, optimism, love, appreciation for nature and religion." (Charlie Brady 2/6/19) I recently completed my first memoir, Scars, Wars, and Perseverance.