Desert Storm Veteran Shares Book That Helped Him Regain Control After Combat

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thirty-five years after the Gulf War, U.S. Army veteran Robert Mackay says the hardest part of his service came after he returned home. This Veterans Day, Mackay is sharing how reading Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard helped him understand why he couldn’t switch off the constant alertness the military had trained into him, and how he regained control of his life.

The Gulf War began after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. Operation Desert Shield deployed U.S. forces to the region ahead of Operation Desert Storm, which included weeks of air strikes followed by a ground offensive to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

After years of military training to recognize threats and respond under pressure, Mackay says he found it difficult to switch off that heightened alertness. “When I came home, everything was a threat. I was constantly triggered and couldn’t turn it off. I wasn’t in control of my life,” he says. He describes the experience as exhausting and isolating. “I felt like others didn't understand what I was going through.”

Mackay wanted to understand why he continued reacting as though he were still in danger, even after returning home. He says he began finding answers when he read Dianetics and started applying the methods described in the book. “I was able to observe and understand the painful memories that were controlling my life. After that, the automaticities went away. I was able to think,” he says.

In Dianetics, Mr. Hubbard describes the “reactive mind” as the part of the mind that stores recordings of painful experiences. These recordings can influence a person’s thoughts and behavior without their awareness. The book outlines Mr. Hubbard’s method for locating these recordings and eliminating their negative effects.

Reflecting on his experience, Mackay says, “After applying the Dianetics techniques, I got all my control and awareness back. I can recall the events from the past, and I don’t stress about it. I’m free of that negative energy.”

For more information, visit www.dianetics.org.

Established in 1981, Bridge Publications, Inc., is the Los Angeles-based publisher of the nonfiction works of international best-selling author L. Ron Hubbard. Its award-winning facility serves North and Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Sara Lucatero
Bridge Publications, Inc.
sdinges@bridgepub.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d3fea1da-7e33-44c1-a6df-c1fc2cd7b306

Robert Mackay

A U.S. Army veteran describes the difficulty of returning home after deployment and how reading Dianetics helped him regain control of his life.