Additional insights into are offered by Beyond Intractability project participants.
Fear is a very important factor in intractable conflict. Emotions like fear can often cause extreme and seemingly irrational behavior in people, which can result in escalating conflict. According to James F. Mattil, the Managing Editor of Flashpoints: Guide to World Conflict, "The common thread that weaves violent political movements together is fear. It is not the only motivating factor behind political violence, nor necessarily the most obvious, but it is virtually always there. Whenever we ask why people hate, or why they are willing to kill or die for a cause, the answer is invariably fear."[5]
People are social in nature, with shared values, religion, tradition, language, etc. Whenever the basic characteristics that tie a group together are threatened, the group will fear for its survival. As a result, the group will also attempt to get rid of the threat, sometimes through distorted or violent means.
History plays an important role in this process. Historical experiences shape how groups view threats. If a group has been hurt or wounded in the past, it affects their outlook today. For example, historical tensions and wrongdoing affect the way Israelis and Palestinians see each other today. Oftentimes, history is exaggerated -- meaning one group is portrayed as extremely heroic and another group portrayed as barbarian or inhuman. This in turn leads to more mistreatment, as it is easier to abuse or hurt a group that has been dehumanized . A cycle develops--someone is hurt, resulting in fear and the demonization of the person or group that hurt them. This, in turn, makes it easier for future wrongdoing to occur.
It is also important to note the impact that elites , or leaders, have on fear and conflict. Oftentimes, leaders use fear to their political advantage. Leaders need support from those they lead, and one way to gain this support is by playing on the fears of the people. Leaders in Northern Ireland can use the fear of either the Protestants or the Catholics to their own political advantage. Many have asserted that George Bush used the fear of another 9-11 to support the second U.S. war in Iraq. Leaders can even intentionally deepen these fears for their own purposes. Doing so can aggravate the already existing fears and lead to future difficulties.[6]
Individuals: There are many ways of approaching fear in the context of conflict. However, since fear is such a personal issue, most approaches focus on the individual. There are various ways to deal with your own fear, including
In order to overcome fears, individuals and groups must first come to terms with their own fears and understand just how destructive they can be. However, it is equally important to be aware of others' fears. Being aware of other people's fear allows you to deal with it appropriately. One of the most effective ways of handling the fear of others is through empathy, or seeing things from the other person's perspective. Once one does that, one can recognize actions of one's own that might be unnecessarily causing fear on the other side. By toning down one's language, or clarifying one's interests and needs, it is possible to dispel unwarranted fears, thereby helping the other side feel more secure. Empathy is also important in any attempt at reconciliation or mediation because it helps to foster a positive interaction between people.[8] It is also important to share your own fears so that others can empathize with you in return, and alter their behavior in ways that will lessen that fear as well.
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." -- |
Officials: Public support is essential for political leaders. One way leaders can gain this support is by addressing, playing off of, or even causing the fears of his or her people. As a result, leaders can play an important role in the creation and/or calming of fears, particularly in ethnic or inter-group conflicts. It is important that leaders are aware of the consequences of using fear as a motivational tool. Because fear is such a powerful emotion, leaders must be extremely cautious about playing on the fears of people. The former Yugoslavia is a perfect example of how the fears of the people can be used by leaders for power. Serb leaders often played on Serb fears in order to strengthen their power and to push people to do things they might otherwise have refused to do.[9] Contrast this with the very famous quote of Franklin Roosevelt: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." This is an overstatement...fear can be real and justified, but it is far too dangerous to exploit for other aims.
Third Parties: Mediators and third parties can play an important part in helping people to overcome their fears. By understanding the ways in which fear can create and escalate conflict, third parties can address these issues in a constructive manner. One way this can be accomplished is by assuring that people on both sides of a conflict feel that their individual needs and fears are being addressed. Oftentimes this is done through no-fault discussions, wherein people are not allowed to discuss who is wrong in a situation, but only ways in which they may move toward a peaceful resolution. Neither side should have to sacrifice in areas that they consider to be an important need or fear. Solutions must always "satisfy fundamental needs and allay deepest fears."[10]
It is also important to remember that an issue such as identity and the fears associated with it are not zero-sum . In other words, the calming of one group's fear does not necessarily mean that another group has more reason to fear. Usually quite the opposite is true. The more secure one group feels, the less they feel a need to attack other groups. Thus security can actually be a win-win or positive sum game: the more one side has, the more the other side has too. This is true from the bully on the playground...who is usually an insecure child, to the bully in the international system.
Through empathy and understanding, groups in conflict can learn about the fears and needs of others and, in the process, overcome their own fears as well.
[1] Merriam-Webster Online [book on-line] (accessed 7 March 2003); available from http://www.webster.com ; Internet.
[2] Paul Wahrhaftig, Belgrade Combating Fear Project [article on-line] (accessed 11 March 2003); available from http://www.conflictres.org/vol181/belgrade.html ; Internet.
[3] James F. Mattil, What in the Name of God?: Fundamentalism, Fear & Terrorism [article on-line] (accessed 7 March 2003); available from http://www.flashpoints.info/issue-briefings/Analysis%20&%20Commentary/Analysis-Religion-main.htm ; Internet.
[4] Steve Utterwulghe, Rwanda's Protracted Social Conflict: Considering the Subjective Perspective in Conflict Resolution Strategies [article on-line] (accessed 7 March 2003); available from http://www.trinstitute.org/ojpcr/2-3utter.htm ; Internet.
[5] James F. Mattil, What in the Name of God?: Fundamentalism, Fear & Terrorism [article on-line] (accessed 7 March 2003); available from http://www.flashpoints.info/issue-briefings/Analysis%20&%20Commentary/Analysis-Religion-main.htm ; Internet.
[6] Herbert Kelman, "Social-Psychological Dimensions of International Conflict," in Peacemaking in International Conflict: Methods and Techniques, eds. I. William Zartman and J. Lewis Rasmussen (Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press, 1997), 197.
[7] **Endnote missing (will add later).
[8] Herbert Kelman, "Social-Psychological Dimensions of International Conflict," in Peacemaking in International Conflict: Methods and Techniques, eds. I. William Zartman and J. Lewis Rasmussen (Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press, 1997), 199.
[9] Anthony Oberschall, The manipulation of ethnicity: from ethnic cooperation to violence and war in Yugoslavia [article on-line] (accessed 13 March 2003); available from http://www.unc.edu/courses/2002fall/soci/326/039/manipulation-of-ethnicity.pdf ; Internet.
[10] Herbert Kelman, "Social-Psychological Dimensions of International Conflict," in Peacemaking in International Conflict: Methods and Techniques, eds. I. William Zartman and J. Lewis Rasmussen (Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press, 1997), 197.
Use the following to cite this article: Barker, Phil. "Fear." Beyond Intractability . Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: July 2003 < http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/fear >.
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Fear is the state or feeling of uncertainty. The fear can be real or perceived. But in either case, the fear can occupy a person and greatly impact the life of an individual. Read the following short and long essay on Fear, why fear happens, and how can we deal fear in our Life
It is a feeling of being afraid. In some situations the person experiences fear instead of any other similar feeling such as awe, alarm, anxiety, or panic. It can be defined as a response to danger. It is the feeling we get when we expect something bad about to happen. It is an emotion characterized by feelings of apprehension, uncertainty and worry. Fear is defined as a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat.
Fear can be defined as a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat whereas worry is a sense of anxiety or uneasiness. Since fear is an emotional response, it occurs in the presence of imminent danger, whereas cowardice, a behavior that often goes hand in hand with fear is an anticipation of danger. The fear and lying are both part of same coin thereof.
The fear is such a powerful emotion is because it evolved as a survival mechanism. When there was some type of danger present, the person experiencing the danger would have a fear response. The fear response helped them to either protect themselves or avoid the dangerous situation.
There are many causes of fear. A common cause is the thought that something bad might happen to you or those close to you. Many fears, such as fear of the dark, are learned fears.
In humans, fear is believed to have evolved as a response mainly to physical dangers [e.g., animals that might eat them]. In psychology, however, it is believed to occur as a response to a broader range of stimuli, and therefore it can happen in many different contexts.
When we are in danger, our mind and body get alerted to the fact that something bad is about to happen. We get alert, our heart beats faster and our senses become more acute. It may depend on what you are afraid of. If you are afraid of heights, people might tease you. If you are afraid of spiders, people might think that is strange. But whatever you are afraid of, most people understand that it can not be normal to enjoy being in fear.
What is Social Fear?
It is the fear of being judged, embarrassed, criticized or disliked by other people in social situations. It can be a powerful enough fear that it can significantly limit a person’s ability to function.
There are many effects of fear. Some people experience an increased heart rate, dizziness or shortness of breath. These symptoms occur because the body prepares itself for fighting or running. Other people experience some type of physical pain, such as stomach problems. Some people also have trouble sleeping due to fear. It eats out the self respect and human dignity.
There may be something that we can learn from our fears. The fear of spiders might make you more aware of the amount of insects in your home. The fear of dogs might make you more aware of the amount of unvaccinated animals in your community.
Fear can be very powerful if you let it get out of control. The best way to overcome your fears is to face them. If you try and avoid your fear, it will not go away over time.
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What this handout is about.
This handout discusses the situational nature of writer’s block and other writing anxiety and suggests things you can try to feel more confident and optimistic about yourself as a writer.
“Writing anxiety” and “writer’s block” are informal terms for a wide variety of apprehensive and pessimistic feelings about writing. These feelings may not be pervasive in a person’s writing life. For example, you might feel perfectly fine writing a biology lab report but apprehensive about writing a paper on a novel. You may confidently tackle a paper about the sociology of gender but delete and start over twenty times when composing an email to a cute classmate to suggest a coffee date. In other words, writing anxiety and writers’ block are situational (Hjortshoj 7). These terms do NOT describe psychological attributes. People aren’t born anxious writers; rather, they become anxious or blocked through negative or difficult experiences with writing.
Although there is a great deal of variation among individuals, there are also some common experiences that writers in general find stressful.
For example, you may struggle when you are:
Get support.
Choose a writing buddy, someone you trust to encourage you in your writing life. Your writing buddy might be a friend or family member, a classmate, a teacher, a colleague, or a Writing Center tutor. Talk to your writing buddy about your ideas, your writing process, your worries, and your successes. Share pieces of your writing. Make checking in with your writing buddy a regular part of your schedule. When you share pieces of writing with your buddy, use our handout on asking for feedback .
In his book Understanding Writing Blocks, Keith Hjortshoj describes how isolation can harm writers, particularly students who are working on long projects not connected with coursework (134-135). He suggests that in addition to connecting with supportive individuals, such students can benefit from forming or joining a writing group, which functions in much the same way as a writing buddy. A group can provide readers, deadlines, support, praise, and constructive criticism. For help starting one, see our handout about writing groups .
Often, writers who are experiencing block or anxiety have a worse opinion of their own writing than anyone else! Make a list of the things you do well. You might ask a friend or colleague to help you generate such a list. Here are some possibilities to get you started:
Choose at least one strength as your starting point. Instead of saying “I can’t write,” say “I am a writer who can …”
Writing is an attempt to fix meaning on the page, but you know, and your readers know, that there is always more to be said on a topic. The best writers can do is to contribute what they know and feel about a topic at a particular point in time.
Writers often seek “flow,” which usually entails some sort of breakthrough followed by a beautifully coherent outpouring of knowledge. Flow is both a possibility—most people experience it at some point in their writing lives—and a myth. Inevitably, if you write over a long period of time and for many different situations, you will encounter obstacles. As Hjortshoj explains, obstacles are particularly common during times of transition—transitions to new writing roles or to new kinds of writing.
If block or apprehension is new for you, take time to understand the situations you are writing in. In particular, try to figure out what has changed in your writing life. Here are some possibilities:
It makes sense to have trouble when dealing with a situation for the first time. It’s also likely that when you confront these new situations, you will learn and grow. Writing in new situations can be rewarding. Not every format or audience will be right for you, but you won’t know which ones might be right until you try them. Think of new writing situations as apprenticeships. When you’re doing a new kind of writing, learn as much as you can about it, gain as many skills in that area as you can, and when you finish the apprenticeship, decide which of the skills you learned will serve you well later on. You might be surprised.
Below are some suggestions for how to learn about new kinds of writing:
Once you understand what readers want, you are in a better position to decide what to do with their criticisms. There are two extreme possibilities—dismissing the criticisms and accepting them all—but there is also a lot of middle ground. Figure out which criticisms are consistent with your own purposes, and do the hard work of engaging with them. Again, don’t expect an overnight turn-around; recognize that changing writing habits is a process and that papers are steps in the process.
Chances are that at some point in your writing life you will encounter readers who seem to dislike, disagree with, or miss the point of your work. Figuring out what to do with criticism from such readers is an important part of a writer’s growth.
Often, writing blocks occur at particular stages of the writing process. The writing process is cyclical and variable. For different writers, the process may include reading, brainstorming, drafting, getting feedback, revising, and editing. These stages do not always happen in this order, and once a writer has been through a particular stage, chances are they haven’t seen the last of that stage. For example, brainstorming may occur all along the way.
Figure out what your writing process looks like and whether there’s a particular stage where you tend to get stuck. Perhaps you love researching and taking notes on what you read, and you have a hard time moving from that work to getting started on your own first draft. Or once you have a draft, it seems set in stone and even though readers are asking you questions and making suggestions, you don’t know how to go back in and change it. Or just the opposite may be true; you revise and revise and don’t want to let the paper go.
Wherever you have trouble, take a longer look at what you do and what you might try. Sometimes what you do is working for you; it’s just a slow and difficult process. Other times, what you do may not be working; these are the times when you can look around for other approaches to try:
Okay, we’re kind of kidding with some of those last few suggestions, but there is no limit to what you can try (for some fun writing strategies, check out our online animated demos ). When it comes to conquering a block, give yourself permission to fall flat on your face. Trying and failing will you help you arrive at the thing that works for you.
Start storing up positive experiences with writing. Whatever obstacles you’ve faced, celebrate the occasions when you overcome them. This could be something as simple as getting started, sharing your work with someone besides a teacher, revising a paper for the first time, trying out a new brainstorming strategy, or turning in a paper that has been particularly challenging for you. You define what a success is for you. Keep a log or journal of your writing successes and breakthroughs, how you did it, how you felt. This log can serve as a boost later in your writing life when you face new challenges.
Wait a minute, didn’t we already say that? Yes. It’s worth repeating. Most people find relief for various kinds of anxieties by getting support from others. Sometimes the best person to help you through a spell of worry is someone who’s done that for you before—a family member, a friend, a mentor. Maybe you don’t even need to talk with this person about writing; maybe you just need to be reminded to believe in yourself, that you can do it.
If you don’t know anyone on campus yet whom you have this kind of relationship with, reach out to someone who seems like they could be a good listener and supportive. There are a number of professional resources for you on campus, people you can talk through your ideas or your worries with. A great place to start is the UNC Writing Center. If you know you have a problem with writing anxiety, make an appointment well before the paper is due. You can come to the Writing Center with a draft or even before you’ve started writing. You can also approach your instructor with questions about your writing assignment. If you’re an undergraduate, your academic advisor and your residence hall advisor are other possible resources. Counselors at Counseling and Wellness Services are also available to talk with you about anxieties and concerns that extend beyond writing.
Apprehension about writing is a common condition on college campuses. Because writing is the most common means of sharing our knowledge, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves when we write. This handout has given some suggestions for how to relieve that pressure. Talk with others; realize we’re all learning; take an occasional risk; turn to the people who believe in you. Counter negative experiences by actively creating positive ones.
Even after you have tried all of these strategies and read every Writing Center handout, invariably you will still have negative experiences in your writing life. When you get a paper back with a bad grade on it or when you get a rejection letter from a journal, fend off the negative aspects of that experience. Try not to let them sink in; try not to let your disappointment fester. Instead, jump right back in to some area of the writing process: choose one suggestion the evaluator has made and work on it, or read and discuss the paper with a friend or colleague, or do some writing or revising—on this or any paper—as quickly as possible.
Failures of various kinds are an inevitable part of the writing process. Without them, it would be difficult if not impossible to grow as a writer. Learning often occurs in the wake of a startling event, something that stirs you up, something that makes you wonder. Use your failures to keep moving.
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.
Hjortshoj, Keith. 2001. Understanding Writing Blocks . New York: Oxford University Press.
This is a particularly excellent resource for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Hjortshoj writes about his experiences working with university students experiencing block. He explains the transitional nature of most writing blocks and the importance of finding support from others when working on long projects.
Rose, Mike. 1985. When a Writer Can’t Write: Studies in Writer’s Block and Other Composing-Process Problems . New York: Guilford.
This collection of empirical studies is written primarily for writing teachers, researchers, and tutors. Studies focus on writers of various ages, including young children, high school students, and college students.
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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We need to see Christ’s glory, and while he often chooses not to shine as bright as the sun, the Transfigured Lord reveals himself in every heart. Fear can leave us confused and forgetful of him, but this is the beauty of the Transfiguration.
“Is not life on earth a drudgery?”( Job 7:1 ). Towns are destroyed by disaster and war, countless lives are lost, nearly all of our dreams are forgotten in fear, with even the best of friendships fading into faint echoes. The laments and prayers of the patriarchs and prophets and psalmists are never far from the hearts of all, as everyone cries out, “Have I no helper?” ( Job 6:13 ). And even if we have faith in the Lord, we also hear him say, “I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you” ( John 15:19 ). A great drudgery indeed.
In a town burned to the ground, it was fitting that its image of the Transfiguration survived. The Transfiguration is a great mystery, tying together difficulty and fear with the promise of Christ’s glory. Immediately before the Transfiguration, the Lord begins “to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly . . . be killed and on the third day be raised” ( Matt 16:21 ), and he tells his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” ( Matt 16:24 ). After these somber pronouncements, he takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain, and “they saw his glory” ( Luke 9:32 ). The Transfiguration shows what will become of the one who follows Christ, after denying himself and taking up his cross (see ST III, q. 45, a. 1 ).
Even amidst this glory, however, the disciples still find themselves trembling in fear. Rosary in hand, meditating on the mystery of the Transfiguration, this is often where I stop. I love the Lord and trust in his promises, but just like the disciples, I am still afraid. Like Peter, I am quick to say, “Lord, it is good that we are here” ( Matt 17:4 ), but then even more quickly find myself “very much afraid” ( Matt 17:6 ).
“Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and do not be afraid.’ And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone” ( Matt 17:7-8 ). We need to see Christ’s glory, and while he often chooses not to shine as bright as the sun, the Transfigured Lord reveals himself in every heart. Fear can leave us confused and forgetful of him, but this is the beauty of the Transfiguration, as Jesus shows us two marvels. First, more obviously, he shows us his glory, which he desires to share with us. Secondly, the Lord shows us generously his love and presence. Jesus promises this “always, until the end of the age” ( Matt 28:20 ). We only need to raise our eyes, something that we can always do, even when glory seems far off. He is not just waiting for us at the end of our suffering. He is present with us as the town burns down—as we raise our eyes, we will find Jesus alone.
Republished with gracious permission from Dominicana (August 2024).
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In 1981, Tim Walz and his father traveled to the nearest Army National Guard enlistment officer to his hometown in Nebraska.
“We met up with a lieutenant who had to get off his tractor from early spring plowing,” Walz said in a 2018 interview with MPR News. “And we did the oath of enlistment right there on the edge of a field with the recruiter. And that led me on a 24-year journey.”
The Minnesota governor, and now running mate with Vice President Kamala Harris, has often talked about his service in the National Guard. Now others are talking about it too, and not always in glowing terms, especially when it comes to Walz’s stepping away from the Guard.
Harris called him a “patriot” in Philadelphia on Tuesday, the first rally the two held together.
When breaking news happens, MPR News provides the context you need. Help us meet the significant demands of these newsgathering efforts.
“To his fellow veterans. He is Sergeant Major Walz,” Harris said, as the crowd cheered.
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance took aim at the governor’s accounts of his service on the campaign trail, calling Walz’s decision to leave the National Guard when he did “shameful.”
Members of the National Guard train to fight in wars, and to respond to national security threats. They also are called up for state emergencies. The majority of guard members have full-time civilian jobs and serve part-time in the guard.
Walz served in Nebraska, Texas and Arkansas before moving to Minnesota in 1996. He was in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery based in New Ulm.
He specialized in heavy artillery and had ribbons for proficiency in sharpshooting and hand grenades, according to military records MPR News obtained through an open records request.
During his service, he suffered hearing damage due to heavy artillery use . He later had surgery to address that.
His training missions included one near the Arctic Circle in northern Norway.
In 2003 he was deployed to Italy for nine months, providing support for the war in Afghanistan .
“[Our] responsibility was to provide support at these bases in the early parts of the war in 2003, where these troops in the active force went forward into the war zone,” Walz said. “And we went in and provided base security, provided training on the backside, because the regular force was deployed downrange.”
On May 15, 2005, Walz retired from the Guard. His separation record says he did so honorably.
Later that year, his battalion was deployed for the Iraq war.
The 1-125th Field Artillery “received an alert order for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005. The official Department of the Army mobilization order was received on Aug. 14, 2005, and the unit mobilized on Oct. 12, 2005,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, Minnesota National Guard’s director of operations.
At the time of his retirement, Walz was 41 and wanted to run for Congress. He was elected to the 1st Congressional District seat the following year.
In the 2022 race for governor, Republican candidate Scott Jensen — flanked by veterans — pointedly questioned Walz’s decision to leave the Guard before the battalion’s Iraq deployment.
“In my eyes, today is the day that Tim Walz is indicted for lack of leadership and an unwillingness to do his duty, and Minnesota needs to know about it,” Jensen said.
Walz said in 2018 he believed he could make a difference as a voice for soldiers in Congress.
“I wouldn’t put myself as a hero, but 24 years of service commendations, rising to a rank that your listeners who are in the military know, you don’t get to bluff your way to that, you earn that and, and I’m certainly proud of that,” he said.
Allan Bonnifield served with Walz, whom he first met in 1999. In a 2018 interview with MPR News, Bonnifield said Walz debated whether he should focus on a run for Congress or stay in the National Guard.
“He weighed that decision to run for Congress very, very heavy,” Bonnifield said. “He loved the military, he loved the Guard, he loved the soldiers that he worked with, and making that decision was very tough for him. Especially knowing that we were going on another deployment to Iraq. He didn’t take that decision lightly at all.”
Vance, who criticized Walz’s record, served four years in the Marines. He was deployed to Iraq for six months in 2005 as a combat correspondent, or military journalist according to Task and Purpose, a publication that covers the military.
Bonnifield said Walz focused on veterans in Congress . Of the 85 bills Walz sponsored over his six terms, nearly half had to do with veterans’ issues.
“He worked on making it easier for Guard members struggling to get help and contact the right people for post traumatic stress help, for the suicidal thoughts, for just making things quicker and making it so people realized it is an actual problem, it’s not something that will just go away,” Bonnifield said.
There have also been questions raised by critics about two aspects of Walz’s retirement documents. First, his title at retirement, and second, a lack of a signature on his separation record.
Walz left the military at the rank of command sergeant major, one of the top for an enlisted soldier.
Personnel file records show that he was reduced in rank months after retiring, leaving him as a master sergeant for benefits purposes.
“[Walz] held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion,” said Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, a public affairs officer with the Minnesota National Guard. “He retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.”
In the separation record for Walz, a signature box says “Soldier not available for signature.” The guard said that’s relatively routine for these documents.
“For members of the reserve components, who are not available for signature, using the regulatory statement of ‘not available to sign’ is common,” said Army Col. Ryan Cochran, the Minnesota National Guard’s director of manpower and personnel. “This statement is authorized and directed by both Army Regulations and National Guard Regulations to ensure the timely processing of administrative actions.”
MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and former APM Reports correspondent Chris Haxel contributed reporting to this story.
Students are often asked to write an essay on Fear Of Darkness in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.
Let’s take a look…
Understanding fear of darkness.
The fear of darkness, also known as Nyctophobia, is a common fear among many people, especially children. This fear can make a person feel scared or anxious when there is no light. It is often linked to the fear of the unknown, as darkness can hide things that may cause harm.
Many reasons can cause fear of darkness. Some people may have had a scary experience in the dark, like watching a horror movie. Others may fear darkness because they feel alone or unsafe without light. This fear can also come from scary stories about things that happen in the dark.
Overcoming fear of darkness can take time and patience. One method is to slowly spend more time in dark places to get used to them. Another way is to use night lights or keep a small light on. Talking about the fear can also help to lessen it.
Fear of darkness, also known as Nyctophobia, is a common fear among people, especially children. This fear can make a person feel scared or nervous when there is no light. It is not just the absence of light that scares them, but the thought of what might be hiding in the shadows.
Effects of fear of darkness.
Fear of darkness can make it hard for a person to sleep at night. They might feel scared to be alone in a dark room. This fear can also make it hard for them to go places where it might be dark, like a movie theater or a basement.
It is possible to overcome the fear of darkness. One way is to slowly spend more time in the dark. This helps a person to get used to the dark and feel less scared. Another way is to think about happy things when it is dark. This can make the dark seem less scary.
In conclusion, fear of darkness is a common fear that can be overcome. By understanding why we are scared of the dark and finding ways to feel less scared, we can start to feel more comfortable in the dark.
Introduction.
Fear of darkness, also known as Nyctophobia, is a common fear experienced by many, especially children. It is the intense fear that comes when the lights are turned off and everything around becomes dark. This fear often starts in childhood and can sometimes continue into adulthood.
Fear of darkness can be caused by many things. For some, it may be the result of a scary experience in the dark, like watching a horror movie. For others, it could be due to a lack of understanding of what darkness is. This is often the case with children who are still learning about the world around them. Darkness is simply the absence of light, but for a child, it can feel like a scary, unknown place where anything could happen.
The good news is that fear of darkness can be overcome. One way to do this is through exposure therapy. This involves slowly getting used to being in the dark, starting with just a few minutes at a time and gradually increasing the amount of time spent in the dark. Another method is cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps change the way a person thinks about darkness and teaches them coping strategies to deal with their fear.
Fear of darkness is a common fear that can have a big impact on a person’s life. But with understanding, patience, and the right help, it can be overcome. It’s important to remember that everyone has fears and that it’s okay to ask for help when you need it.
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Published: Jun 17, 2020
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