Common Veterans Podcast

Episode 9: Valhalla

The belief that dying in battle brings soldiers to the table of Odin. The Common Veterans take on the sensitive topic of suicide and PTSD.

** WARNING ** This episode discusses a very sensitive subject with Common Veterans. This episode discusses suicide, religion, the different beliefs of certain religions, and triggers that could be hard to handle.

I. Introductions

a. Which of us has experienced someone that has suicided or attempted suicide

i. Fred

ii. Jeff

iii. Tony

iv. Kenny

II. Let’s talk about life.

a. Being a Veteran means that one has signed a blank check to the government for them to cash, up to life itself

i. Being killed in combat is not suicide

ii. Suicide is illegal in the military

1. Suicide is illegal in most of the United States and goes against the Constitution of the United States – “Pursuit of happiness…”

b. Cannot separate body and soul

i. Separating the soul from the body is death

1. Souls go where the body has been commended to

a. Heaven

b. Hell

c. Purgatory (?)

c. Religions do not condone suicide

i. Christianity

1. Martyrism – certain death, but saving lives

ii. Muslim

1. Suicide bombing to certain sects gets them Virgins

iii. Judaism

1. Assisted suicide from a doctor to maintain

iv. Shinto

1. Only as an act of selflessness

III. Valhalla

a. Valhalla, Old Norse Valhöll, in Norse mythology, is the hall of slain warriors who live there blissfully under the leadership of the god Odin (Encyclopedia Brittanica)

i. Modern Day Interpretations are that this is the “Warrior’s Heaven”

1. Dying in combat sends you to Valhalla

a. This was the old Norse thought

b. Valhalla today is not always “combat related”

IV. Modern Day Valhalla

a. The interpretation often for modern-day Valhalla is that Valhalla is for anyone who sees combat and dies regardless of their death.

i. This often includes suicide with the response of “Til Valhalla!”

1. This frequently glorifies suicide and states that you’ll be in a Heaven type environment once your soul is separated from your body

2. As we discussed earlier there is no religion that condones suicide

b. Many people discuss that for it to be suicide you have to be in the right headspace and timing

i. Anyone that creates suicide are not in the right headspace

1. Mental health illness is very real and usually puts people in the wrong frame of mind

2. Being depressed does not make you suicidal

V. Suicide is Selfish

a. Suicide is a selfish act and it doesn’t only take away from the suicided, but the family and love ones of the suicided

i. Makes things difficult for people who loved the suicided

1. Trauma for whomever finds and/or cleans up the mess made

2. Loved ones wonder why

a. Even with a suicide note on why there is often something left out and the reason is never really ever uncovered

b. No suicide note = never having closure

i. Speculation only

ii. Renders any act of selflessness useless

1. Committing suicide is selfish and any aid that was given to others makes it useless

VI. Closing up

a. Review what has been discussed

i. Life

ii. Separation of Body and Soul

iii. Religions

iv. VALHALLA

v. Selfishness

b. Where to get help

i. National Suicide Hotline

1. 988

2. 1-800-273-TALK(8255)

ii. Veteran Suicide Hotline

1. 988 Option 1

iii. VetCenter

iv. FreedomSystem.org

v. 22 Until None

vi. Other Veteran Organizations

VII. Next Episode: Episode 10 Friends in Low Places

a. VFW, DAV, American Legion, Marine Corps League, and other fraternal organizations are out there for Veterans. This breakdown of the organizations talks to members and the benefit of the camaraderie that these programs provide. The Common Veterans represent FreedomSystem.org’s martial arts and mountain bike association.

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