Critical Mass

A young man postpones a promising sports career and declines college scholarships, instead joining the US Marines to fight a war against an unknown enemy in the lush jungles of Viet Nam. Only after returning home does he discover his military training and skills will be required even more to survive the asphalt jungles of America. With recurring flashbacks to the music and turbulence of the '60s, he attempts to comprehend the meaning and significance of each traumatic experience, and find some redemption from those extremely memorable occurrences. Deeply conflicted and troubled from the horrors of war, he resurrects his earlier fascination with treetop flying and follows his passionate ambition-to fly in helicopters while helping others. As a flight nurse, ER nurse, EMT, paramedic, and firefighter, he becomes personally and spiritually impacted by increased hospital violence, drugs, tragic deaths, and coping with the horrible consequences of alcohol and its collective effect on society. Meanwhile, hospital administrations have failed to acknowledge or accept responsibility for violence against its employees and spent more energy and resources taking extreme measures to equivocate and deny the problem exists, rather than decisively providing a safe work environment for their staff. His personal experiences and unresolved confrontations with PTSD and depression, death and dying, major trauma and serious illness, betrayal and deceit, opioid dependence and suicide collectively and relentlessly challenge his resolute determination to persevere. But will his strong faith, warm heart, and witty spirit be able to improvise, adapt, and overcome the seemingly insurmountable dark forces? 39