Find Your Tribe Before You Get Out | Former JTF 2 Coxswain Pat Miller

"I had my body fully divvied up before ever getting on that plane." Patrick "Pat" Miller served 19 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, from the infantry with 2nd Battalion PPCLI to eight years in special operations, including six as a special operations coxswain with JTF 2. He deployed to Bosnia and to Afghanistan in 2002. When the uniform came off, he had to figure out who he was without it. In this episode of The Guardrail Series, Pat sits down with host Sach Latti to talk about the mental preparation most 20-year-olds never have to do, what selection actually tests, why "deeds, not words" can work against you in civilian life, and how a camera became his next mission. Today he shoots motorsport as Megapixel Sniper and works in film as an armourer and military consultant. Pat also shares the lesson he wishes he'd heard before release: don't rely on the people still serving to be your tribe. They can't be there for you the way you need. Build that community before you need it. If you or a Veteran you know is facing housing instability, financial stress or a difficult transition, the Legion Foundation (BC/Yukon Command) offers direct support. Links below. CHAPTERS 0:00 Cold open & introduction 1:47 Special ops vs. the regular army, and what a coxswain does 11:20 Base brat, a blown knee, and getting out (then back in) 16:12 First deployment: Bosnia 32:50 Sidebar: using AI to get organized 44:17 9/11, Afghanistan, and deciding what he could live with 1:04:42 Selection: 40 started, four were picked up 1:30:55 Deeds, not words, in uniform and out 1:43:38 The Decisive Moment: photography as art therapy for Veterans 1:56:50 Find your tribe before you get out CONNECT WITH PAT Instagram: @megapixelsniper CONNECT WITH THE LEGION FOUNDATION Facebook:   / legionfoundationbcyukoncommand   Instagram:   / legionfoundationbcyukon   RESOURCES Legion Foundation — Veteran Homelessness Program https://legionbcyukonfoundation.ca/vhp/ Legion Foundation — Leave the Streets Behind Program https://legionbcyukonfoundation.ca/le... Veterans Transition Network — Military Cultural Competency Course A free, self-paced course for professionals working with Veterans https://vtncanada.org/culturalcompete... Built for Zero Canada — Veteran homelessness services and national statistics collected in one place https://bfzcanada.ca/veterans/ Veterans Affairs Canada — Mental Health and Wellness https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/mental-... Need to talk to someone now? The VAC Assistance Service is free, confidential and available 24/7 to Veterans, former RCMP members, their families and caregivers: 1-800-268-7708 (TTY 1-800-567-5803). The Guardrail Series is produced by Sach In Motion in partnership with the Legion Foundation, BC/Yukon Command. #Veterans #CanadianArmedForces #TheGuardrailSeries