“I had the privilege of working beside CW4 Cliff Bauman in uniform and witnessed his leadership. His tireless work ethic, optimism, and wisdom were always inspirational to those who were fortunate enough to be in his orbit. If, as they say, ‘Adversity is a terrible thing to waste,’ Cliff Bauman certainly exemplifies that important warrior mindset. Cliff understands the struggle of post-traumatic stress because he’s personally lived in its dark shadow. Cliff is indeed a true ‘Mental Health Warrior,’ and his life experiences are described in searing detail in Dr. Kammerer’s important account.”—Col. John Fenzel (USA, Ret.), author of The Lazarus Covenant

“Cliff Bauman is a true mental health warrior, patriot, and pioneer. Unlike many in the country, Cliff Bauman has firsthand experience, looking for people at the Pentagon on 9/11. Cliff was traumatized by what he saw, but packed away this trauma, just like he did his uniform and his boots from that day. Years later, these emotions took over as he attempted to end his own life. Cliff Bauman is a modern ‘everyman’ in our culture today. His triumphant story deserves to be told to everyone in the country, both inside and outside the military. I am proud to call him my friend.”—Danei Edelen, founder of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Brown County affiliate

“Dr. Kammerer brings readers through events that transpired at the Pentagon on 9/11 by presenting a gritty recollection of the events, as told by three National Guard first responders and many survivors, including me. Chief Warrant Officer Clifford Bauman, a young soldier at the time, put his heart into his work for three days, and when what he gave was not enough, it almost killed him. Combining Chief Bauman’s personal story with the accounts of many other first responders and survivors of the Pentagon on 9/11 and other traumatic events, plus insight from his years as a suicide prevention professional and forensic psychologist, Dr. Kammerer takes the reader through the harrowing event of 9/11, detailing the torment, PTSD, and survivor’s guilt that afflicts first responders’ psyches. Chief Bauman’s story is worthy of the reader’s attention, and Dr. Kammerer draws the reader in while taking them out of the storyenough to instill valuable lessons about how we think, why we react the way we do, and how to change both. I believe this is a good read for not only soldiers and veterans, but also civilians, as it applies to humans across the board.”—Dr. Richard E. Talley, Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Army

“If we truly want to care for those in pain, we must first find the courage to not only share our stories but learn from those brave enough to share theirs. The stories of Clifford Bauman and his battle buddies will no doubt test and grow each reader’s resilience and strength. Cliff’s story will show you that suicide is by far not a cowardly act, in fact the opposite. Readers will gain yet more understanding and hopefully possess the courage to become their brother’s keeper.”—Nick Cottrill, USA 1SG (Ret.), CEO and co-founder of Veteran Trash Talk