Your purchase of this item is a donation to the non-profit that authored the book. In the United States, your $50 donation is $10 for the book and shipping and $40 for the organization.

About the Nautical Salute Program

The journey home from military service is often far more challenging than the journey into it. For many veterans, the battles do not end when they leave the field; they continue in the mind and spirit.

While the uniforms are stored away, and the medals are displayed on shelves, the invisible wounds of war—PTSD, depression, anxiety, and the profound sense of isolation—can linger for years.

Navigating civilian life after service can feel like being adrift at sea with no clear course. Nautical Salute offers a compass to help these heroes find their way back to peace, connection, and purpose.

At the heart of Nautical Salute is Shawn Hibbard, a combat Army veteran who intimately understands these struggles.
After serving in Afghanistan and experiencing the difficulties of reintegration firsthand, Shawn found solace and healing in an unexpected place: the water. His vision for Nautical Salute is born from a deep desire to help fellow veterans reconnect with themselves, with each other, and with the natural world.

Through therapeutic boat excursions, Shawn and his team provide veterans with an opportunity to step away from their daily challenges and immerse themselves in an environment that promotes healing, camaraderie, and reflection.

This book, Nautical Salute: A Therapeutic Approach to Honoring Our Heroes, is a guide to understanding the power of water-based therapy and how it can offer veterans a new way forward. It explores the science, stories, and strategies behind Nautical Salute and demonstrates how the simple yet profound act of being on the water can heal deep emotional wounds.

Whether you are a veteran, a family member, a mental health professional, or someone who supports the veteran community, this book will illuminate the path to healing through the transformative experience of nautical therapy.

The Vision of Nautical Salute

Shawn Hibbard's personal journey of healing through water inspired the creation of Nautical Salute. As a combat Army veteran, Shawn knows firsthand the weight of trauma and the struggle to find peace. After returning from service, he experienced the debilitating effects of PTSD and the overwhelming sense of isolation that often accompanies it.

Traditional therapy methods were helpful, but something was missing. It was on the water—surrounded by the rhythmic waves, the expansive sky, and the soothing sounds of nature—that Shawn found a sense of calm and clarity that had eluded him for so long.

Recognizing the transformative power of these experiences, Shawn set out to create a program that would bring this healing to other veterans. Nautical Salute was born from a desire to honor, heal, and reconnect those who have served.

Through guided boat excursions, veterans are given the opportunity to leave behind the pressures of daily life and immerse themselves in a setting that promotes relaxation, reflection, and connection. These trips are more than just boat rides; they are therapeutic experiences that offer veterans a chance to heal, bond, and rediscover a sense of purpose.

The Author

His military career is marked by excellence and bravery. In 2003, Shawn attended Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) School and completed Sniper School that same year. He deployed to Afghanistan two times — from 2004 to 2005 and again in 2009. Then he served a six-month deployment to the United States Pentagon.

His valor in combat earned him the prestigious Bronze Star Medal with Valor in 2009 for his actions in Afghanistan. In 2012, his dedication and heroism were recognized when he was selected as a Hero Soldier for the U.S. Army All-American Football Team.

After 22 years of Honorable service, Shawn retired from the Army in 2018.

Your purchase of this item is support the non-profit that authored the book.

About the Nautical Salute Program

The journey home from military service is often far more challenging than the journey into it. For many veterans, the battles do not end when they leave the field; they continue in the mind and spirit.

While the uniforms are stored away, and the medals are displayed on shelves, the invisible wounds of war—PTSD, depression, anxiety, and the profound sense of isolation—can linger for years.

Navigating civilian life after service can feel like being adrift at sea with no clear course. Nautical Salute offers a compass to help these heroes find their way back to peace, connection, and purpose.

At the heart of Nautical Salute is Shawn Hibbard, a combat Army veteran who intimately understands these struggles.
After serving in Afghanistan and experiencing the difficulties of reintegration firsthand, Shawn found solace and healing in an unexpected place: the water. His vision for Nautical Salute is born from a deep desire to help fellow veterans reconnect with themselves, with each other, and with the natural world.

Through therapeutic boat excursions, Shawn and his team provide veterans with an opportunity to step away from their daily challenges and immerse themselves in an environment that promotes healing, camaraderie, and reflection.

This book, Nautical Salute: A Therapeutic Approach to Honoring Our Heroes, is a guide to understanding the power of water-based therapy and how it can offer veterans a new way forward. It explores the science, stories, and strategies behind Nautical Salute and demonstrates how the simple yet profound act of being on the water can heal deep emotional wounds.

Whether you are a veteran, a family member, a mental health professional, or someone who supports the veteran community, this book will illuminate the path to healing through the transformative experience of nautical therapy.

The Vision of Nautical Salute

Shawn Hibbard's personal journey of healing through water inspired the creation of Nautical Salute. As a combat Army veteran, Shawn knows firsthand the weight of trauma and the struggle to find peace. After returning from service, he experienced the debilitating effects of PTSD and the overwhelming sense of isolation that often accompanies it.

Traditional therapy methods were helpful, but something was missing. It was on the water—surrounded by the rhythmic waves, the expansive sky, and the soothing sounds of nature—that Shawn found a sense of calm and clarity that had eluded him for so long.

Recognizing the transformative power of these experiences, Shawn set out to create a program that would bring this healing to other veterans. Nautical Salute was born from a desire to honor, heal, and reconnect those who have served.

Through guided boat excursions, veterans are given the opportunity to leave behind the pressures of daily life and immerse themselves in a setting that promotes relaxation, reflection, and connection. These trips are more than just boat rides; they are therapeutic experiences that offer veterans a chance to heal, bond, and rediscover a sense of purpose.

The Author

His military career is marked by excellence and bravery. In 2003, Shawn attended Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) School and completed Sniper School that same year. He deployed to Afghanistan two times — from 2004 to 2005 and again in 2009. Then he served a six-month deployment to the United States Pentagon.

His valor in combat earned him the prestigious Bronze Star Medal with Valor in 2009 for his actions in Afghanistan. In 2012, his dedication and heroism were recognized when he was selected as a Hero Soldier for the U.S. Army All-American Football Team.

After 22 years of Honorable service, Shawn retired from the Army in 2018.

The Silent Battle After Service

Veteran Isolation is a raw and honest exploration of the deep sense of disconnection many military veterans face when they return to civilian life. Long after the battlefield grows quiet, a new war begins inside. It is a war of identity, of belonging, of silence. This book brings those hidden battles into the light and gives veterans the words they may not have found for themselves. With heartfelt insight and practical understanding, Veteran Isolation opens the door to healing the invisible wounds that remain long after service ends.

Why Do Veterans Feel So Alone?

For many, the return to civilian life is not the homecoming others expect it to be. Friends and family may welcome them with open arms, but something inside feels off. Veterans often struggle with feeling misunderstood, emotionally distant, or detached from their surroundings. This book takes an unflinching look at the reasons why. It examines how military training, combat experience, loss, trauma, and rigid structure shape the way veterans engage with the world long after they come home. It helps readers understand why even the strongest and most accomplished veterans may wrestle with feelings of isolation.

Behind the Mask of Strength

Veterans are taught to stay calm under pressure, to be reliable, focused, and silent about their pain. This conditioning may save lives in combat but often becomes a barrier to emotional connection in civilian life. Veteran Isolation explores how this mask of strength can hide deep loneliness and why many veterans find it difficult to talk about what they are feeling. The book challenges the belief that asking for help is weakness and offers a new definition of strength that includes vulnerability, honesty, and reaching out for support.

The Family’s Role in Healing

Families often want to help but feel lost. They may sense something is wrong but do not know how to talk about it. Veteran Isolation includes insights for spouses, children, parents, and friends who care deeply but feel shut out. It explains what is happening emotionally inside the veteran and how to create a safe space for trust and communication. By offering tools to bridge the emotional gap, the book supports healing not only for the veteran but for the entire support system.

Breaking the Pattern of Withdrawal

Isolation does not happen all at once. It begins with emotional numbing, silence, avoidance, and eventually a full retreat from social circles and meaningful connection. Many veterans stop answering calls, lose interest in activities, or feel out of place even in their own homes. This book identifies these signs early and provides a roadmap to turn the pattern around. Through reflection exercises, mindset shifts, and steps toward reconnection, Veteran Isolation helps veterans gently re-enter their relationships and their lives.

Finding Purpose After Service

One of the greatest losses veterans experience is the sense of mission. In service, every day had a clear purpose. In civilian life, that clarity often disappears. Without a mission, many veterans drift, feeling useless or out of sync with the world. Veteran Isolation speaks directly to this void and offers ways to rediscover personal purpose. Whether through volunteering, creative work, helping other veterans, or building something new, readers are encouraged to find meaning that fits this new chapter of life.

You Are Not Broken

At its heart, Veteran Isolation is a message of hope. It reminds every veteran who has felt invisible, distant, or forgotten that they are not broken. Their feelings make sense. Their journey matters. And healing is not only possible, it is deserved. The book gently guides the reader to stop judging themselves and to begin honoring their experiences without shame. It emphasizes that true strength includes emotional honesty, seeking connection, and choosing to keep going even when it feels hard.

A Companion for the Healing Journey

Whether you are a veteran reading these words alone in the quiet of your home, or a loved one searching for answers, this book was written to be a steady companion. It does not pretend to have all the answers, but it offers understanding, insight, and a starting place. You will find pages that reflect your own struggles and ideas that light the way forward. Veteran Isolation does not minimize the pain but honors it, and then gently invites healing into the story.

The First Step Is to Be Seen

Every journey of healing begins with being seen and heard. Veteran Isolation is more than a book. It is a witness. It is a way to say, “You are not alone.” If you are tired of pretending everything is fine, if you feel misunderstood, if you have pulled away from people you care about, this book is your invitation to come back into connection. Not all at once. Not with pressure. But one step at a time, with compassion and hope.

Mission Delta: Reclaiming Your Purpose
A Veteran's Guide to Rediscovering Identity, Meaning, and Mission After Military Service

What happens when the mission ends-but your life keeps going?

Mission Delta is a powerful, honest, and deeply human guide for veterans struggling to find direction after military service. Written by fellow veteran Shawn Hibbard, this book reaches into the silent spaces that many face after leaving the uniform behind-confusion, loneliness, disconnection-and lights a path forward with courage, clarity, and heart.

Drawing from real-world experience and profound insight, Hibbard speaks directly to those who have served. He understands what it feels like to lose the structure, the brotherhood, and the identity that came with the uniform. He knows the questions that follow: "Who am I now?" "What's the point?" "Does anyone understand?"

In Mission Delta, you'll find answers-not from a checklist, but from within. Through plain-spoken chapters and relatable stories, you'll walk through the process of rediscovering your values, reigniting your inner fire, and creating a life that reflects who you are now-not just who you were in service.

Each chapter delivers practical wisdom for real change:

Finding identity beyond the uniform
Making peace with your past
Reconnecting with purpose through service, creativity, and relationships
Embracing stillness, inner reflection, and honest self-inquiry
Creating a new mission designed by your values-not by orders
Hibbard reminds veterans that the strength, resilience, and leadership they developed in the military are not gone-they've just been waiting to be used in a new way. He guides readers through forming a "Change Circle"-a trusted group of supporters for growth-and shows how even pain, regret, and silence can become fuel for transformation.

This is not a book about quick fixes. It's about rebuilding from the inside out. It's about honoring who you were, making peace with what you've seen, and stepping into a new life that fits who you are becoming.

Whether you're a recently separated service member or a long-time veteran still searching for solid ground, Mission Delta is your invitation to reclaim your purpose and re-enter life with strength, clarity, and direction.

You are not broken. You are in transition. And your mission isn't over-it's changing.

A Raw Look into the Hidden War After Combat

Self-Destruct is not just another book about PTSD. It is a brutally honest, emotionally grounded exploration of what happens to the personal lives of combat veterans when the battle follows them home. Written in accessible language and designed to speak directly to both veterans and the people who love them, this book lays bare the truth about the slow unraveling of relationships in the wake of war.

The War Doesn’t End When the Tour Is Over

Coming home should bring peace, but for many combat veterans, it brings a new battlefield. One without uniforms, without weapons, and without clear enemies. This battlefield is filled with silence, broken trust, emotional distance, and self-sabotage. Self-Destruct explores the patterns that lead veterans to push away those they care about most, often without understanding why.

The Patterns That Tear Love Apart

Each chapter of this book breaks down a piece of the invisible machinery that drives veterans to isolate, shut down, or lash out. Topics include the chameleon effect, where veterans change their outward behavior to fit in while feeling completely alone inside. It also looks at how control becomes an obsession, how adrenaline becomes addictive, and how old trauma can cause new wounds in present-day relationships.

Stories from the Inside, Written for Healing

This book is written by someone who has lived the experience. The tone is direct, compassionate, and free of judgment. It’s not a textbook. It’s a conversation. The goal is not to diagnose or blame but to illuminate. Veterans will see themselves in these pages. Loved ones will begin to understand what’s behind the cold distance or angry outbursts. It’s not about excuses. It’s about clarity.

For Veterans Who Feel Alone and Those Trying to Reach Them

If you’re a veteran and you feel like you’re watching your own life fall apart while standing in the middle of it, this book is for you. If you’ve asked yourself why you can’t stop ruining things or why you feel numb all the time, this book will help you make sense of it. If you’re a spouse, partner, sibling, or friend of a veteran and you don’t know how to help or what you’re doing wrong, this book will give you the insight you’ve been craving.

Breaking the Cycle of Destruction

One of the most powerful messages in Self-Destruct is this: the cycle can be broken. Healing is possible, but it starts with recognizing the problem. The book walks the reader through the hard truths of guilt, regret, and repeated damage. It also offers a path out. Not a magic solution, but a real and steady process of self-awareness, responsibility, and re-learning how to connect.

Reclaiming Purpose and Relearning Presence

Combat may have changed everything, but it doesn’t have to define the rest of your life. Self-Destruct shows veterans how to reconnect with their sense of self, how to rebuild relationships, and how to find a new mission. The book stresses the importance of learning to be present again and of turning pain into purpose. Veterans are shown how their healing can not only help them but also become a light for others.

Resources and Support Without Judgment

This book does not just tell you what’s wrong. It offers real-world ideas for where to get help. From therapy to support groups, from introspective practices to service-driven recovery, Self-Destruct encourages veterans to take one brave step toward healing. There is no shame in needing help. There is only strength in choosing to take it.

A Message of Hope Without Hiding the Truth

The writing is clear, direct, and deeply human. Self-Destruct is not about sugarcoating reality. It is about honoring the courage it takes to live with wounds that never seem to heal. It is about reaching the people who are tired of pretending they are okay. It is about proving that the same strength that got someone through war can help get them through the aftermath.

This Book Is a Lifeline

Whether you are struggling in silence or watching someone you love disappear into themselves, Self-Destruct is a lifeline. It is a powerful companion for those caught in the invisible battle at home and a guide to rebuilding what war tried to destroy. You are not the only one. You are not beyond saving. And this book is here to prove it.

Shadow Wounds: The Pain No One Sees

Shadow Wounds is a powerful and compassionate exploration of the emotional injuries carried by those who have experienced trauma, especially combat veterans. These wounds may not bleed, but they are just as real. This book gives voice to the silent suffering many endure, offering both understanding and hope. It is for those who have returned from battle, or from the battles of life, and find themselves changed in ways they can’t explain.

Understanding the Unseen Damage

Not all wounds are visible. Some live in the shadows of the mind and heart. In this book, readers are invited to look at the emotional and psychological injuries that often go unnoticed. These are the wounds that keep people awake at night, make them distant from their loved ones, and slowly erode their connection to joy, peace, and meaning. Shadow Wounds puts words to feelings that have long been buried.

For Veterans, Families, and Anyone Living with Trauma

While this book is written with veterans in mind, it reaches far beyond the military. Anyone who has faced trauma, grief, abandonment, or abuse will find their story reflected in these pages. This book offers clarity for those trying to make sense of their inner pain and offers tools for loved ones who want to understand and help.

When the Hurt Is Deep but Hidden

You can be smiling on the outside and shattered on the inside. You can go to work, raise a family, and function in the world while falling apart inside your own skin. Shadow Wounds speaks directly to this reality. It offers a safe place to be honest about how hard life can be when pain is hidden. It encourages readers to admit what they’ve been carrying and begin the work of healing it.

How Trauma Changes the Self

The book explores how trauma affects not just memory or mood but identity itself. It changes how a person sees the world and themselves. It can strip away purpose, self-worth, and trust. But Shadow Wounds does not leave the reader in despair. Instead, it gently leads them toward restoration. It explains how healing can begin by reclaiming the self, one small truth at a time.

Bringing Light to the Dark Places

Shadow Wounds is not just about naming the pain. It is about making space for light to enter. Through honest reflections and heartfelt insight, the book shows that healing is possible, even when it feels far away. It speaks to the soul, reminding the reader that they are not alone, not weak, and not beyond help.

Practical Wisdom and Emotional Truth

This book is filled with grounded advice for those navigating emotional injuries. It discusses how to deal with anger that seems to come from nowhere, how to respond to sudden emotional shutdowns, and how to begin trusting others again. It also helps readers understand how trauma can lead to self-isolation, addiction, or self-sabotage, and how to break those cycles gently and intentionally.

A Quiet Companion for the Toughest Days

Sometimes the most powerful healing begins in silence. Shadow Wounds is meant to be a companion for the moments when everything feels too heavy. It is a book that understands without judging. It invites the reader to sit with their truth and gives them permission to feel what they feel. It is not about fixing anyone. It is about honoring their experience and helping them take the next small step forward.

Not a Diagnosis. A Dialogue.

This is not a medical manual or a textbook. It is a conversation. A human voice reaching out to others who have suffered in silence for too long. It offers comfort, reflection, and encouragement. It does not demand change. It invites healing.

Because You Matter

Above all, Shadow Wounds is about reminding people that they matter. That their pain is real, but so is their strength. That their experiences may have shaped them, but they do not have to define them. It is a call to step out of the shadows and begin living again, one moment at a time.

If You Are Carrying Invisible Pain, This Book Is for You

Whether you are a veteran, a survivor, or someone struggling to understand the unspoken hurts inside you, Shadow Wounds was written with you in mind. This book sees what others miss. It acknowledges your quiet courage and stands with you in your healing journey. You are not alone, and your life still holds meaning.