Raquel Durden pursued life within the Army at full pace. It was uncommon to see Durden firming issues down for something, and being a girl in management roles, she confronted better strain to carry out than her male colleagues.
After she retired from the navy as a lieutenant colonel after a embellished 25-year profession, the Wisconsin native turned to yoga and holistic practices to fulfill her psychological and bodily well being wants. She realized there have been possible others on the market – active-duty navy members, veterans, first responders, legislation enforcement officers – that additionally wanted a wholesome method to dial down.
Tapping into her holistic wellness experience, alongside along with her expertise for writing, Durden produced her first ebook, Dial Down: Holistic Methods to Transfer from Chaos to Calm, printed by Contemporary Water Press earlier this yr. Durden interviewed 10 sources for the ebook, utilizing her navy connections as a former paratrooper and fight veteran, to incorporate distinctive views, from high-ranking officers to COVID-19 nurses.
Durden lately spoke to Army.com in regards to the ebook, her navy profession, challenges following her service, and recommendation for girls curious about pursuing the navy.
Kevin Damask (Army.com): It looks like veterans are inclined to open up and speak to different veterans or take heed to them if they’ve recommendation, or tales. Have you ever been getting good suggestions from veterans in your ebook?
Raquel Durden: To this point, I’ve. I used to be on the Army Influencer Convention in Atlanta in September. I used to be invited as a visitor speaker and this Air Pressure veteran got here as much as me, and she or he’s like, “I learn your ebook, and I beloved it, and I did among the respiratory practices. I purchased eight copies for my ebook membership.” That spoke to me, as a result of she’s a really energetic veteran and is understood in circles round Atlanta.
I did 10 interviews for the ebook. Once I was doing the interviews, I needed to observe trauma-sensitive writing. I did not wish to set off them, however I made positive I adopted up with, “Your story’s going to assist others. Individuals are going to narrate to it.” And veterans have such nice tales.
One other factor is, I did not have to achieve out too far. I do know some superior folks, together with individuals who served in Particular Ops, COVID nursing, twin legislation enforcement and different navy folks. We have now Black, white and LGBTQ represented. It wasn’t intentional… that is simply the way it was. The navy is consultant of our complete society, so the ebook ought to appear to be society.
I believe one of many causes the ebook is so genuine is as a result of I served within the navy and I interviewed different service members.
We are typically high-performance, busy individuals who simply cannot dial down. That’s sort of the first viewers for the ebook. I discuss how chaos just isn’t one thing to repair, keep away from, or concern. Chaos is one thing to navigate.
The navy does a very good job instilling confidence. They train us to have faith in your management, have faith in your tools, have faith in rehearsals, all of that. However what they don’t train you to do is dial down, how one can take off the masks of resilience and dial down in a wholesome method.
For lots of navy folks, staying busy on a regular basis is a trauma response. They only do not know that. They may even self-medicate with alcohol or medicine.
This ebook is a transformative information to learn to dial down frequently and on demand. Folks love to do the work. They only do not know what to do, so it’s a information for them.
VA has included this in its Complete Well being program, but it surely must be extra widespread. It should not need to be one thing that’s sought out. What if we simply normalized it?
KD: Why do you suppose the holistic method to psychological well being has extra advantages than the normal practices that we have been utilizing for a few years?
RD: I believe with holistic well being and holistic wellness practices, you grow to be an energetic participant in your personal well-being.
If you have a look at typical medication, a main care doctor sometimes examines and prescribes both a prescription, like drugs, or provides you a referral. However whenever you have a look at holistic well being, alternative could be very empowering. Like, “OK, you’ve got hypertension, what may we do? Properly, we may grow to be extra energetic. We may do some respiratory workouts to cut back our blood strain.” And high-performance folks, particularly veterans, firefighters, first responders, nurses … we like doing issues for ourselves. It provides us a variety of autonomy. I believe athletes may relate to that as properly. Athletes wish to recuperate and get again on the crew. They do not wish to simply get higher; they need a full restoration. That chance to compete once more. The navy is sort of a huge athletic crew. Give it some thought. All of us have the identical uniform, we’ve a coach, we simply name it a commander.
Rising Via the Ranks
KD: Why did you determine to hitch the navy, and when did you serve?
RD: Collectively, I used to be in from 1986 to 2012.
I enlisted early in my senior yr of highschool. I used to be solely 17 years outdated. I knew I wished to go to varsity since I used to be in first grade. However I did not actually have a method to pay for it, so I enlisted within the Army Reserve for cash for varsity and to journey. I wished to see the world.
I met one other Wisconsite who was going to Mankato State. He stated, “Hey, I acquired an ROTC scholarship. If I did, you may get one, since you’re method smarter than me.” So, I utilized for it and acquired a three-year ROTC scholarship whereas attending UW-Stevens Level.
I acquired commissioned on energetic obligation in 1991. Instantly, as a second lieutenant, I deployed to assist with Hurricane Andrew restoration.
After I got here again from that, barely a few months later, I deployed to Somalia, Operation Restore Hope with the tenth Mountain Division. The entire expertise examined my psychological toughness. There was a variety of work to be accomplished however I pursued issues that had been high-speed.
I acquired partnered with a Marine JAG officer, and we needed to make insulation funds in Somalia. That was crucial in holding the native inhabitants calm. Autos would undergo, tear up a discipline. The JAG officer may assess the harm and pay them.
Each time there was an opportunity to go abroad, I did it. I used to be stationed in Korea, which on the time, was the edgiest factor you may do. I used to be north of the Han River with the 2nd Infantry Division.
I did a yr in Egypt. Then I did a four-year stint in Black Ops. You could not discover me when you seemed up my identify. I do not even know if the identify of that program’s categorized, so I do not know if I can say it, however… for 4 years I labored below the Protection Intelligence Company.
Then 9/11 occurred. I labored as a casualty help officer and was on the Pentagon quite a bit. Within the ebook, I share that I had presumptive most cancers, which means it was tied to the navy, and the VA says it was tied to my Somalia deployment as a result of there was, pesticides, herbicides, petroleum oil, lubricant … all types of stuff occurring there.
Additionally, after 9/11, driving to the Pentagon daily, these fires from the plane that simply burned and burned. It smelled like jet gasoline for a month.
Then I did have a break in my service. My husband was additionally within the navy, and he was going to Afghanistan. He did 5 excursions over there. We additionally had a child to boost. So, I took a break however ultimately went again in, becoming a member of the Nationwide Guard, and eventually the Energetic Guard Reserve.
I acquired to face up a unit, the Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. I deployed three rotations to Kosovo, and I used to be a navy intelligence battalion commander.
After which I acquired my 20 years in, and I didn’t know what I used to be going to do subsequent. There wasn’t a transparent path, and there weren’t many ladies (in my unit). In California, I noticed girls generals and ladies full-bird colonels every day. Once I got here to Georgia, there was one.
Once I labored my method up, there have been about 5 of us lieutenant colonels, and at the moment, they only did not know the place to place us, so I stood up the Georgia Language Coaching Middle, which is a premier sustainable language coaching middle, with the assistance of two wonderful warrant officers.
Then retirement got here after 25 years.
Know the Expectations
KD: What do you suppose your greatest problem was within the Army? On the flip aspect, what was probably the most rewarding expertise?
RD: Early on, one among my greatest challenges was not realizing the panorama. I used to be the one one in my household who went into the navy, so I had nobody in my nook to ask.
I used to be an athlete in highschool. Once I enlisted, we needed to take the Army Bodily Health Check, and all of the drill sergeants wish to do is cross you as a result of they’ve hundreds of individuals to get by means of.
As quickly as you probably did your 18 push-ups, and also you went in your prolonged run, it was like, “OK, you handed!” I did not actually need to work that tough.
However then I grew to become a cadet. You sort of dimension up your competitors. So, I did the traditional variety of push-ups and sit-ups. I ran just a little sooner that day, simply because everyone was working sooner. And an ideal rating was 300. I scored like a 250, which is passing, however I acquired recommended for marginal efficiency.
I used to be like, “Properly, what do you imply?” Nobody had defined to me that there was a excessive finish to the scoring. So, as soon as I came upon there was a prime finish, I scored 300! Then I came upon there’s an prolonged scale. For each push-up is an additional level, for each extra six seconds on a run is an additional level. Oh my god, discuss leaving it on the monitor. I might come residence from a PT take a look at spent, as a result of I wished to achieve 320 or greater.
In search of Mentors
Early on, I didn’t have a mentor. I ultimately acquired mentorship, and surprisingly, it got here from a Black male officer who graduated from Juilliard. Not who I’d have gravitated towards, however he actually mentored me, and he stated some issues that had been sport changers. He is like, “You already know, you could be the one feminine within the room.” That occurred many, many instances. I am not offended about it; I felt comfy. I knew, based mostly on my schooling and coaching, that I may maintain my very own, but it surely’s very lonely generally. He stated, “All the boys have credibility till they speak. You stroll within the room as the one feminine; you wouldn’t have credibility till you speak. So, when you speak in that assembly or technique session, be sure to know what the hell you are speaking about.”
That actually caught with me. Like a variety of females who serve, I needed to be overprepared. I’d sit and pay attention and browse the room, and all these are nice expertise to have, it builds maturity and consciousness.
Essentially the most rewarding side (of the navy) is unquestionably the folks and the relationships. That’s been one remark about my ebook. I acquired an electronic mail the opposite day that learn, “Thanks, Raquel. I really feel such as you simply launched me to some wonderful folks.”
It is sort of like studying about abnormal people who find themselves extraordinary. You place that uniform on, and it builds capabilities, fearlessness, and resilience, however then after the mission’s over, you relax, and also you discuss it.
Surpassing the Normal
KD: What can be your recommendation for a younger lady that is enthusiastic about becoming a member of the navy? Many face sexual harassment and assault, or they’re held to the next normal, they usually need to work twice as onerous as their male counterparts to obtain the identical promotion. What would you inform them, realizing it’s a terrific alternative however there’s possible going to be challenges.
RD: I’d inform anybody, however particularly a feminine, to know the usual and exceed the usual. Assembly it’s marginal.
The secretary of conflict is reexamining a variety of requirements. I am fantastic with requirements so long as they’re significant. Know what the significant normal is. What when you’re having an off day? If the usual’s 7-minute miles, you be sure to are a stable 6.5, as a result of what when you get a cramp? What when you journey, slip, fall? What if there’s inclement climate?
You additionally wish to be in high-performance models. Additionally, be a life-long learner. The navy is on the leading edge. We use expertise that a variety of civilians will ultimately use. We’re not solely combating this battle or this case, however we’re additionally at all times taking a look at future conditions.
Should you’re a lifelong learner, it encourages different folks to be a learner as properly and that’s worthwhile whenever you’re a commander.
Story Continues
