‘Black Hawk Down’ veteran now deployed in fight against opioids
An Army veteran who fought in the Battle of Mogadishu and later was portrayed in the film “Black Hawk Down” is now deploying on a new mission: the war against opioids.
Former Delta Force operator and Master Sgt. Norman Hooten has obtained his doctorate’s degree in pharmacy and says he is making the jump to the medical field to help fellow veterans who are suffering.
“I lost a couple of close friends that died of drug related overdoses and they were really good guys – special operations guys,” Hooten said in an interview with the Department of Veterans Affairs last week. “Losing my fellow soldiers to substance abuse was almost as bad as losing them in combat. All their talent and potential was lost and I wanted to do something about it.”
Hooten on Friday completed his residency at a VA hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is now part of the staff at one of the VA’s facilities in Orlando.
Hooten first wanted to pursue a career in medicine in August 2001 when he retired — but he was soon recalled to active duty after the 9/11 terror attacks. He was deployed to Afghanistan, before spending eight years with the Federal Air Marshal Service and then working as a contractor in Jordan. In 2012 he headed back to medical school to complete his studies, the VA says.
“It’s never too late to make a difference and go back to learn and grow,” Hooten said. “You should give back until your last dying breath. I started [pharmacy] school at 52 and at 57 I’m finishing up my residency.”
Hooten said during an Army event in 2013 that one lesson he took from the Battle of Mogadishu was to be creative and adapt to any situation.
“Train like you fight,” he said. “Don’t train like you think you’re going to fight. Don’t train like you want to fight. Do a real good analysis of the enemy, because he’s 50 percent of that equation, and then train like you will fight. Get used to being creative and adapting to the enemy’s actions.”
Now he is telling the VA that he “can’t stand idle while veterans suffer with addiction.”
“If I can help just one veteran, or have just one call me later to tell me that I was able to help them get off opioids, then that would be tremendous,” Hooten said.
Filed under: General Problems
Thank you Dr.Ibsen,for your common sense and compassion,2 commodities that are in short supply these days.I can relate to the person who said,this must have felt like being Jewish in WWll.Well,”dr.”hooteryou arent doing much more than fostering persecution and another war.I think your ‘blackhawk’shouldve stayed down[Forgive me Jesus,I know we supposed to pray for our enemies]Allow me,hooter,to share the story of the Battle of Allen.As a merchant marine[Seafarers Intl.Union]I believe the year was 77[?]could be wrong.See,I,m 63 now and all my backbone,hips and feet have turned to powder.I wonder if you were even born yet.Working on deck of the 210’MV Tracy Martin,about 300 miles out S.S.W.in the Gulf of Mexico w/a crew of 4.Our job was to ferry welders from one oil rig to the otherto complete their job.3X daily,2 for transport,1 for pumping heavy water or some such chems for whatever job neededThe vessel stayed moored out always,with exception of dry dock once yearly.This is designated a “standby”ship,and here’s why-This bastard hurricane Allen tweaked itself from a ‘Trop.disturbance’to a pounding 165mph in a bit over 51 hours.So the T.Martin stands by while about 75 or 80 rig workers get shuttled on choppers to shore.In good weather,the trip takes awhile,6 people max per trip and 300 mlies is a ways…Thankfully,no flights went into the drink,but watching the fading lites of the last chopper to go is eerie.This crazy hustle went nonstop for DAYS,now the sun is setting and we are bilge pumping,bleeding air from filters [obviously!]then the huge task of laying our ‘lines’into the side cleats.These lines[ropes]are braided nylon length for each about 200’diameter around 5″X.Huge when soaking and tossed thru the air!!Finally got the lines triple tied w/manila rope,by now the swells are crashing the stern so bad,capt.orders us inside and bolt hatches.About 8:30pm the biggest d.hand we got goes into violent vomiting fits that were so bad we feared he’d choke.The other 2 were catatonic w/fear one got a nasty cut over his eyebrow hitting the bulwarks.That left me ,John and capt.who was at the helm cussing non-stop.Somewhere in this mess,ALL our lines dissappeared.The swells just took em.including our sea anchor[hat wouldnt have helped anyway]no one ate anything but vienna sausage and drank lotta water.The view from the pilothouse I was NOT ready for,16 to 20 ft.breaking crests blasting the glass .We were pitching and rolling but the yawing washe peh vbv hat others lidVCV TY%he needs oy shat actor what fshat fadthese thinghese thingd, terrifying!!Diving down into a swell makes ya wonder if the vessel can punch thru it!!!!By daylite,we still had30 miles to go.Capt.comes dowd,asks if anyone needs a Dr,one needs to see one while there.So the guys that cuts needed it were seen,luckily.I condidered turning in my Z card for while,but God gives supernatural courage when needed.That.Mr.hooter,seemd to have been lost on you.What an F—ing tragedy!Suicide from desperation is as ugly as any war wounds.Look at both sides of he dilemma.I deeply regret you have chosen Fla.to start your ‘psuedo practice’GOD help us,PLEASE!!!!AMEN.OH,and did I mention I am female?A woman that did a man’s job!!This is my brother’s web site-dont blame him!!!!!!I welcome any resonse from you ,or anyone for that matter!Thank you.GOD BLESS THE USA!!!!
Yes,I couldnt have said it better myself,Dr.Mark Ibsen,except,as a non physician,I’m not qualified.However,as a chronic pain patient for 25yrs.I CAN say this.This’clown’dr.hootenanny is in the dark w/o a light.I also live in Orlando,Fla.and the fact that you are ‘practicing’HERE terrifies me.I am a 63 yr.old retired merchant marine,merchants are not tied into the Service unless there is active wartime call to duty.Now then;on to addiction.Iwill say it again-Addiction is the populace that seek out drugs for recreation and euphoric state of being.When the drug is gone,it’s gone.They sigh,get up,forget the weekend fun and go back to work to earn $ enuf to repeat the sport on the next weekend.Dependence are those that thru maimings,accidents,birth defects,aquired illnesses,etc[and that covers a LOT!!]we sigh,get up and the first screaming fire of pain rips thru us like rush hour traffic.90%of us do not forget the weekend and go back to woek.If only!!We endure[along with the pain]the extra added burden of cardiac variety of anxiety wondering how to get what we need to merely function.All the while trying our best to trust that Christ Will see us thru it.Yes,this really must have been what it felt like to be Jewish in WWll.God Bless Israel….Thank you for putting this black hawk down clod in his black void world.And thank God for our freedom of speech on our nation’s birthday!!!Yes,REALLY THANK GOD!!!So we can read stories like the enemy of compassion and common sense that “Dr.”Hooten has issued.Mr.Hooten,at age 26,I was one of a crew of only 4 on a 120ft’standby’vessel the Tracy Martin of Martin Offshore Marine.We were 300 miles out watching the choppers evacuating entire gulf oil rigs.[In the event one failed,we were to onload their crew]Hurricane Allen was bearing down on us fromS.S.E..Even at a couple hundred miles on our stern,I do not want to remember those swells.All copters got away safely and on time,but when the lights of the last one fade into the night,the sheer humility of a 120ft.vessel vs.the Gulf delivers adrenaline and prayer you didnt know you had in you!Add to that one violently nauseated deck hand on the verge of panic.Our towing/mooring lines are 5″circunference,we strung and tied them fore and aft w/manila rope,triple knotted.They were fucking ripped away like kite string.I watched them go thru a porthole.101/2hrs.later we made it safely into Morgan City ,La.Oh,and did I mention?I’m only a lowly,weak female.Thank God[AGAIN!]that we had a capt.who knew his shit.I started working at 15 and now 63.I earned my dues and I know pain.Did Mogadishu offer you anything where your life was on the line?At least you could take shelter.Lemme tell ya,you CANT take shelter from 20’waves pushing you all nite long.AND NOW YOU WANT TO PRACTICE AS A DR.HERE IN ORLANDO?You are scarier than those waves…I challenge your response to this,unless you’re too busy holding your[bleep]in your hand bein’a ‘real man’I’m with you,Dr.Ibsen!Lisa Alligood,Seafarers Intl.Union 7-5-18
Great Dr Hooten.
Then do your homework
Don’t be a dipshit.
Know this:
100,000,000 Americans in chronic pain
Including post verterans with ptsd, who suicide.
Pain and ptsd are included and actually dwarf addiction stats