Ep. 98 The Red Bearded Viking; From the Lowest of Lows to Living His American Dream; Marine, Soldier; J.T.’s American Story

J.T. Robertson grew up in West Jordan, Utah.  His father, a retired firefighther, is someone he emulates to this day; his "mother by choice" adopted both J.T. and his brother after his birth mother left the family.

J.T. was given adult responsibility as an eight-year-old child when in the "care" of his birth mother.  As the older brother, J.T. fed and attended to his brother while their mother was engaged with men and drugs.  

J.T. lost contact with his mother when he was 12.  A drug hit was placed on her head, and she vanished.  His father did not know about what had happened at the home.

J.T. will be the first to tell you, his choices weren't always thought through beforeheand.  As a senior in high school, he found himself as a husband and father.  

J.T. took two glorious jobs at Firestone Tires and Hollywood Video to support his small family.

....Then September 11, 2001.  The following day, September 12, 2001, J.T. went to the recruiter's office.  He was going to protect his child, whether it be on home soil or foreign.  J.T. visited the airforce, navy, army, and finally...the marine recruitment centers.

On January 14, 2002 J.T. began bootcamp as a prospective marine, followed by the school of infantry.

J.T. was deployed to Iraq three days after his 2nd daughter was born.

He served 8 years as a marine with one deployment to Iraq, and six years with the army national guard with one deployment to Afghanistan.

J.T. was a witness to the disparity between Iraq and the United States, something most Americans can't even imagine.  He engaged in dangerous missions, including serving with the most decorated national guard unit in Utah, performing route clearance on the roads of Afghanistan.

J.T. saw the senseless destruction, the fog of war as friendly fire took out a column of marines.

He lost friends who came home with the war and were unable to cope with the PTS.

J.T himself came home with TBI, PTS, anxiety, and a victim mentality.  He suffered debilitating depression.  J.T. went through two divorces.  Life was hardly easy.

His PTS was unrecognizable to him.  First, believing it  to be survivors guilt, something J.T. would get over....but he didn't.  

Things escalated.  Living outside the wire for both deployments, friends getting blown up, and an overall culmination combined into a terrible storm.

The lowest point was the holiday season of 2015.  Working 2 jobs, living with a girl on the rebound, in peril of losing his business, living in the basement of a friend's home; the only thing he had to look forward to was spending Thanksgiving weekend with his girls until..

J.T. was arrested for being $1900 short on his child support.  He was put in jail until his credit card cleared for the amount owed, plus jailing expenses.

J.T.'s holiday season becomes even darker.  Finding himself alone, J.T. buys a gun with a singular purpose.  Sitting in the basement with only his beloved dog, Montana, J.T. puts the gun in his mouth.  Through a series of actions by J.T's buddy, Montana, he does not pursue his plan. 

Karaoke was the beginning of digging his hole out of depression.  The simple act of singing on statge gave J.T. a way out. 

It has been a steady progression of steps since that first karaoke night.

J.T. lives in Montana on serveral acres of land where he finds refuge and peace.   

"No matter what happens in your life, you have a choice...a choice to suffer or be happy."

During the pandemic, he experimented with honey and co-founded the Bearded Viking Mead Co..

You can find J.T. on the Podcast, Vikings, Outlaws, and Cowboys-dedicated to men's mental health

And on social media at:

https://www.instagram.com/beardedvikingmeadco/, 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083611050695

https://www.tiktok.com/@beardedvikingmead

https://www.youtube.com/@beardedviking1586

 

 

 

 

 

 

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