How music and faith pulled a combat veteran back from the edge - Tango Alpha Lima

About this episode

Shannon Book shares his journey from combat veteran struggles with addiction to finding hope and purpose through music.

Shannon Book grew up in the Kentucky hills, joined the Navy in the mid-1990s and spent 17 years as a Fleet Marine Force corpsman, including two tours in Iraq. He survived Fallujah running on coffee grounds and sheer grit. What nearly broke him came after. When he was medically retired in 2010, the brothers he counted on had moved on, his marriage dissolved, and a years-long battle with alcohol and drugs nearly cost him everything. What kept him going — then and now — is music. On this episode of Tango Alpha Lima, Book opens up about founding the veteran band Vetted, the dark night he pressed a handgun to his own forehead, the DUI that became his turning point, and the Veterans Court system that helped him walk out of that dark alley one step at a time. He's now sober, back in the studio, and sharing the message he once gave others from a stage — this time from a place of hard-earned experience. Also on this episode: why traditional field screenings miss TBIs in combat zones — and the surprising food that became a secret weapon for fighter pilots. Your stories. Your service. Your community. This is Tango Alpha Lima. Show links Learn more about American Legion Family Day and share…

People in this episode

Guest: Shannon Book

Topics covered

• music
• faith
• combat veteran
• mental health
• addiction recovery
• Veterans Court

Keywords

• veteran band
• Vetted
• DUI
• TBI
• combat zones

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Tango Alpha Lima, the Millenium Protocol, music

Books & works: Tango Alpha Lima, Help Now Watch Quiet Explosions, Tales from the Blast Factory, Smithsonian

Places: Kentucky, Iraq, Fallujah

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