From the Battlefield to the Page: The Healing Role of Writing
The role of personal reflection and writing in navigating the anger, trauma, and transition from war to civilian life
Introduction:
“My name is Chipp Naylon. From the military perspective, my path began as a little kid. I had a great uncle who was a naval aviator and was killed in the Pacific Theater. Hearing his story as a young kid planted a seed in my mind that I wanted to go, ironically, to the Naval Academy. He did not go there, but the seed was planted before I even remember. My focus as a young kid, then through high school, was getting into the Naval Academy. When I got there, I wasn’t sure what I wanted service-wise, but I was 100% sure I didn’t want to be a Marine.
Then, one thing led to another. I met a lot of upperclassmen and Marine Corps officers stationed in Annapolis whom I respected tremendously, and I realized that’s the route I wanted to go. So, I ended up commissioning to the Marine Corps, serving nine years in the infantry. After I got out, I transitioned back to school, got my CPA, and now I’m a real estate developer and CPA. I’m married and live in Richmond, Virginia, with my 17-year-old daughter. That’s the high level of where I am in life and how the military played into it.”
You wrote this fantastic book, The New Ministry of Truth. What inspired you to write this book? Was there a specific moment when you knew you wanted to, or did it happen over time?
“The actual publishing of the book was more incidental. When I started traveling solo, hitchhiking around Europe in college and being on the road on my own, my mom gave me a travel journal. I adopted that as a technique and started putting pen to paper, pouring my thoughts out. I did that throughout my entire deployment as well. As frustration mounted during the deployment, journaling became catharsis for me. It was a way of putting my thoughts and experiences down on paper.
When I got back from deployment, I realized that I had the makings of a manuscript. So, for about three years, I woke up early each day and worked on it, not with the intention of publishing but more for the therapeutic aspect—it was my way of coping with the anger and frustration from my time in Afghanistan.
Three years later, I had a completed manuscript. Speaking to fellow vets, I realized that the frustration I was feeling was not unique to me. I saw publishing as a way to share my specific story, but also to provide a voice for many veterans who felt the same frustration.”
You experienced many difficulties in Afghanistan. What was the process like coming home and readjusting back into the civilian world?
“It’s really a transition. The most specific challenge is what we call hyper-vigilance. When you're overseas in a combat zone, you're always on high alert, looking for threats everywhere. It’s essential in that context, but less so when you're back home. The process of turning off or attempting to turn off that hyper-vigilance took time and effort.”
When you returned home, did you feel like you got a lot of support, or did you and the other veterans struggle to readjust?
“I think we received significantly more support than the stories I’ve read about Vietnam veterans. What helped us a lot was that we returned home as a team. Our entire team deployed together and came back together. When we got home, we had time to acclimate and be together before going our separate ways. Having that support from the team helped a ton.
You hear stories about soldiers and Marines spending a year or more in Vietnam and then flying home alone, with no adjustment period, and a society not only opposed to the war but often opposed to the veterans themselves. I think society has matured a lot since then. Now, people understand that they may not agree with a war but still support the individuals who fought in it. There’s more awareness of the difference between the policymakers who send us into harm’s way and the guys who volunteer to serve.”
When you initially joined the military, what prompted that decision? Was it something you always wanted, or more spur of the moment?
“I touched on it briefly in the intro, but hearing stories about my great uncle and his experience in the Pacific Theater during World War II planted the seed of military service. No one in my immediate generation above me served in the military, but volunteering to serve and putting others before yourself was emphasized in my family. So, I think the combination of hearing my great uncle's story and being raised in an environment that valued service led to my decision to join the military.”
You spent a lot of time in the military and wrote a book sharing some of these experiences. What’s one story you’ve never really shared before that you think is important or interesting?
“It’s a tough question. I spent nine years in the Marine Corps and four years at the Naval Academy, so 13 years of military service in total. This may not be the answer you’re looking for, but as unique as the deployments were and my time overseas—both in combat and non-combat—what I miss the most are not the big ticket items, but the little things. It’s the camaraderie, hanging out with the guys, waiting for transport, and turning shared frustration into dark humor.
I have countless specific stories, but what I want to emphasize is that it’s not the major events, but the minutiae of daily life. It’s the shared experience, the brotherhood. Everyone who has served has that. It’s the little moments that make a difference—just putting a smile on your face, laughing about it, and moving forward.”
How did the brotherhood you created shape your outlook on life overall?
“What it emphasizes is putting others before yourself. In combat, for self-preservation, I rationalized my situation by focusing on bringing the guys on my left and right home safely, while also trying to improve the lives of the locals we interacted with.
That mentality, trying to better myself while helping others, is something I’ve carried with me both in and out of uniform. It’s about helping those around you and striving to live a life with that focus.”
What message would you want to share with young people considering joining the military?
“I have this conversation all the time. When I was in high school, I looked for similar advice. I would say that the military isn’t for everyone, but for the right people, it can be a life-changing experience. It instills discipline, which I didn’t have at 18. It also opens up opportunities, both in and out of service.
For a 17 or 18-year-old, a four-year enlistment or officer tour may seem like an eternity, but in the grand scheme of life, it’s not that much time. A few years in the service can provide critical life skills and experience, and it helps you gain maturity. If you decide to go back to school, start a business, or get into law enforcement, you’ll have the foundation of working together with a team, overcoming adversity, and achieving a common goal.
If you’re interested in joining, just remember you don’t have to commit for 20 years. A four-year term can change your life.”