Excelsior & Oscars go together! I was so excited to see this news first published by Coffee or Die Magazine late last year. It shines a light on decades of studies of which were designed to better identify & assist our troops that are so affected with complicated trauma diagnoses.
You’ve likely seen “Platoon” by Oliver Stone, but did you know there was an original, alternative version penned by the same Oliver Stone that spoke to spirituality & ancient warriors? It’s true, and the legendary rock & roll demigod Jim Morrison is rumored to have had the original in his possession in his Paris apartment upon his death in 1971. Folks in the know, like Vietnam veteran and published author John Podlaski write about it some. To make the broadest impact, the story wasn’t changed, but was narrowed into a more viewable scope that could be digested by the public to raise awareness of the plights of the warriors that were called to fight.
The movie Platoon, was nominated for eight awards at the 59th Academy Awards, winning four (including Best Picture, Best Director for Oliver Stone, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing). Stone sat down and not only wrote it all out once, but twice for us all to know and learn.
Today, following in those same steps, Disney+ is introducing a more gritty, grounded character into its gallery of plucky superheroes with a series based on the Marvel comic book hero Moon Knight. Moon Knight is a classic Marvel comic series about Marc Spector, a US Marine turned CIA operative and mercenary. After being killed on an archeological dig, Spector is resurrected by the Egyptian moon god Khonsu and goes on to serve as Khonsu’s agent of vengeance against “those who would harm the innocent.”
In the series, the veteran Marine faces all the same battles of our nation’s everyday warrior heroes: subjected to multiple traumas and then subjected to misinformed, undereducated professionals trying desperately to lower veteran suicide rates who seemingly miss that “one size does not fit all” despite good hearted intentions.
The Marvel character, Moon Knight, played by actor Oscar Isaac, regularly battles with a form of dissociative identity disorder (there are many) which is different from schizophrenia, or the myriad of other, often misdiagnosed conditions applied to trauma survivors. The treatments are different as well, and medication with an occasional 15-minute office visit isn’t always the answer.
Think about that: if one “alter” responds well to a medical treatment, it doesn’t mean that all the others will follow suit, creating quite a challenge. Some research shows that one alters may have green eyes where another suddenly has brown; I have been informed by medical professionals in this field of study that the changes can affect iris recognition software such as the security features on one’s cell phone. It stands to reason, that if misdiagnosed and not given proper treatment, if one is a warrior affected by a form of DID relate to in-service traumas, whether directly or triggered secondarily, what may be effective one day just may not be the very next, pushing the need for further inquiry and care for those warriors affected, which were created by our own society.
A lot of negative, horrific works on DID have been done by directors such as M. Night Shyamalan, who by profession, specializes in dark, psychological dramas which could be viewed as unhelpful, but I find such creations imperative to raising awareness as to why the issue of DID is of paramount study to all of humanity. Often, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, it’s not just our warriors to whom this “survival” mechanism applies; the average age of first split is roughly six years of age when applied to the “normal” population of those subjected to multiple traumas. The resounding common denominator here is multiple traumas.
It’s a tough subject for sure. It’s misunderstood for certain. There is hope, always. No throw-aways. Again, I see our warriors leading the way for advancement and better mental health education for us all, which is why supporting them in healing is essential. There is so much to be learned and so much peace to be earned by it despite those seeking to profit; Sadly, it appears “they” might always exist. We can overcome that, together.
One great anecdote about the Moon Knight character is how he deals with it all; he is simply human at the heart of things, with great love and consciousness who does not possess any “powers” and who relies instead on his own “wit and physical ability” to accomplish his objectives just like the rest of us.
I am interested in seeing what Disney & Marvel do with this character. There is a great opportunity for better social wellness in this venture not to overlook the possible key integrations that might just help bring an affected warrior truly home again.
See ya next week. Be true to yourself. Thank you! Excelsior!
Always,
Dorothy
The VA’s NCPTSD – National Center for PTSD – https://www.ptsd.va.gov/ where veterans can ask for help & more information.
The Coffee or Die Magazine original writings can be found: https://coffeeordie.com/oscar-isaac-marvel-hero-moonknight/
Thank you, Eric Miller for your LinkedIn post which enabled this writing. Miller is a former Army Combat Medic from Parkersburg, WV. He holds a Bachelor’s in history and has worked with homeless populations and veteran services throughout the state. He is an avid outdoorsman and has recently become interested in woodworking.
Catch Vietnam Veteran John Podlaski on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/John-Podlaski
More on DID & NAMI: https://namimi.org/mental-illness/dissociative-disorder/didfactsheet.
Dorothy Meindok is the Veterans Consultant for The Post Newspaper. She served in the United States Navy and is currently a lawyer advocating for the rights of our nation’s veterans. Her column appears on Sundays.
