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Toby B.
![That's an image of the moon. It looks a little paler [in this photo], but it was very orange. In Iraq, because of all the sand, the moon comes up very orange on the horizon. A lot of times, it [was] very swollen and enlarged, [so] that reminded me of the moon rising in Baghdad](img/vets/vet_tobyb_moon.jpg)
![Smoking is something I do to calm me. Everyone smoked when we were in Iraq. A lot of times over there, you had nothing at all to do, you know. You're just sitting and waiting...so you smoke. So [now] it is always kind of a comfort or a social thing.](img/vets/vet_tobyb_smoking.jpg)
![[The cocoon] echoes a fear of mine, [of being in] that stage of hiding yourself away. A lot of times, I put myself into that sort of a cocoon. I shut people out while I'm trying to build myself into a different person. I tried to just jump into life and go back to what I had done before the military, but that didn't pan out so well.](img/vets/vet_tobyb_cocoon.jpg)
![[The fish tank] is very relaxing; it’s kind of meditative. It's almost like clearing your mind, focusing on a single image or point.](img/vets/vet_tobyb_fishtank.jpg)
After serving in the U.S. Army, Toby has had a difficult time transitioning to civilian life. Getting back into the life he had and activities he enjoyed before deployment was overwhelming. Driving and being around loud noises were particularly hard. However, Toby has found comfort and support from his friends and family, and in particular, from the Warrior Writers community.
