Ben Owen

So I called him. You know, they had pay phones in the little barracks courtyard area, the company area. And so my parents had a 1-800 number, and they had for a very long time. I don't remember why. So I was able to call my parents pretty frequently. But when they sent me to the – what are the – The return home unit, or I can't remember what it was called.

Usually you languish in that thing for like six weeks because they're pissed at you. Because either you're a quitter, you lied, you fucked something up, you're getting kicked out. And I wasn't any of those things, but I felt all of those things. And somehow they cranked me out of there in one day. I was in and I was out the next day. So I called my granddaddy, my dad's dad.

Usually you languish in that thing for like six weeks because they're pissed at you. Because either you're a quitter, you lied, you fucked something up, you're getting kicked out. And I wasn't any of those things, but I felt all of those things. And somehow they cranked me out of there in one day. I was in and I was out the next day. So I called my granddaddy, my dad's dad.

Usually you languish in that thing for like six weeks because they're pissed at you. Because either you're a quitter, you lied, you fucked something up, you're getting kicked out. And I wasn't any of those things, but I felt all of those things. And somehow they cranked me out of there in one day. I was in and I was out the next day. So I called my granddaddy, my dad's dad.

Korean War vet, president of a community college, and told him what happened. He lived in Phoenix City at the time. So he came and picked me up. And I don't remember how I got back to Auburn, but I just wanted to crawl in the hall and fucking die. I was so ashamed of myself. And I carried that chip on my shoulder for a long time. Looking back now, like, dude, I tried.

Korean War vet, president of a community college, and told him what happened. He lived in Phoenix City at the time. So he came and picked me up. And I don't remember how I got back to Auburn, but I just wanted to crawl in the hall and fucking die. I was so ashamed of myself. And I carried that chip on my shoulder for a long time. Looking back now, like, dude, I tried.

Korean War vet, president of a community college, and told him what happened. He lived in Phoenix City at the time. So he came and picked me up. And I don't remember how I got back to Auburn, but I just wanted to crawl in the hall and fucking die. I was so ashamed of myself. And I carried that chip on my shoulder for a long time. Looking back now, like, dude, I tried.

If I had just not lied about my injury and done what the waiver, because apparently ROTC doesn't talk to active duty. So they had no idea about the ACL. ROTC knew all about it. So, you know, I did my best. I raised my right hand and swore in and then went and tried and fucking failed like I had so many other things up to this point. And it all came back to the same stuff over and over.

If I had just not lied about my injury and done what the waiver, because apparently ROTC doesn't talk to active duty. So they had no idea about the ACL. ROTC knew all about it. So, you know, I did my best. I raised my right hand and swore in and then went and tried and fucking failed like I had so many other things up to this point. And it all came back to the same stuff over and over.

If I had just not lied about my injury and done what the waiver, because apparently ROTC doesn't talk to active duty. So they had no idea about the ACL. ROTC knew all about it. So, you know, I did my best. I raised my right hand and swore in and then went and tried and fucking failed like I had so many other things up to this point. And it all came back to the same stuff over and over.

Me manipulating my circumstances, trying to get the outcome I think I want. rather than seeking, you know, maybe what God's will would be in those circumstances. Ended up back at Auburn, and things escalated pretty quick after that. Real quick. When did your dad find out? A matter of days or hours from when it happened. Did you tell him? Did your granddad tell him? Yeah, I told him.

Me manipulating my circumstances, trying to get the outcome I think I want. rather than seeking, you know, maybe what God's will would be in those circumstances. Ended up back at Auburn, and things escalated pretty quick after that. Real quick. When did your dad find out? A matter of days or hours from when it happened. Did you tell him? Did your granddad tell him? Yeah, I told him.

Me manipulating my circumstances, trying to get the outcome I think I want. rather than seeking, you know, maybe what God's will would be in those circumstances. Ended up back at Auburn, and things escalated pretty quick after that. Real quick. When did your dad find out? A matter of days or hours from when it happened. Did you tell him? Did your granddad tell him? Yeah, I told him.

I don't remember. phone conversations at all i was blackout drunk but i mean dad obviously knew i had no acl and also knew i was insane for enlisting and saying i wasn't on any medication and all the other things so i think he probably figured that was going to happen right um

I don't remember. phone conversations at all i was blackout drunk but i mean dad obviously knew i had no acl and also knew i was insane for enlisting and saying i wasn't on any medication and all the other things so i think he probably figured that was going to happen right um

I don't remember. phone conversations at all i was blackout drunk but i mean dad obviously knew i had no acl and also knew i was insane for enlisting and saying i wasn't on any medication and all the other things so i think he probably figured that was going to happen right um

And so they, you know, when they discharged me because it was due to a pre-existing, what do they call it, EPTS, existing prior to service, I had to wait two years and have proof that I fixed it before I could re-enlist. And so my plan, and obviously this got back to ROTC too, that this had happened. So now they're pissed at me too. My plan was to do,

And so they, you know, when they discharged me because it was due to a pre-existing, what do they call it, EPTS, existing prior to service, I had to wait two years and have proof that I fixed it before I could re-enlist. And so my plan, and obviously this got back to ROTC too, that this had happened. So now they're pissed at me too. My plan was to do,

And so they, you know, when they discharged me because it was due to a pre-existing, what do they call it, EPTS, existing prior to service, I had to wait two years and have proof that I fixed it before I could re-enlist. And so my plan, and obviously this got back to ROTC too, that this had happened. So now they're pissed at me too. My plan was to do,

do the two years of college that I had left or whatever, and then go back in, which was ridiculous to think about because none of my actions lined up with that being my plan following this. I went back to the apartment my parents had stopped paying for in Auburn and holed up alone with a ton of alcohol and firearms. You a football fan? No, I'm not. I'm not either.