"Walking Away From The Ledge” The Cut List: Vol. 1. These are the stories that didn’t make the cut to the final edit in my book.
Some of these stories will jump around, but I’ll do my best not to leave you, the reader, guessing when and where they happened. The first part was my original introduction to the book, a sarcastic, self-deprecating statement to acknowledge that some of us have buyer's remorse. The second part was to describe one of the dirtbags in basic training.
Before you dive in, I want to give you an out. Initially, I started writing this book, “Walking Away From The Ledge," because I thought it would be fun. I got about 10 pages in and lost interest quickly, thinking “who would want to read this?!” You see, this isn’t some “Lone Survivor,” “Act of Valor,” “Blackhawk Down” type of story with action, body counts, and heroics that saved the day. If that’s what you're looking for, I recommend putting this down, dealing with the buyer’s remorse, and picking up one of those books. This is more about an experience and a struggle. I’ve never really saved the day, though I desperately wanted to, and I don’t personally think I’ve ever been the hero of the day, although I've helped save a life or two.
This is more of a story of how a mediocre dude, who could barely do one pull-up in high school, couldn’t run a mile to save a life, and would rather cower away from confrontation, dealt with all that insecurity, joined the military, and was blessed in a myriad of unfathomable ways since. I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows throughout this journey, and I have no doubt that the God who led me to it has been with me every step of the way. I’m not proud of everything I have done, and have even cringed when writing or reliving some of these moments as I type them here. If you can relate and are interested in seeing how seemingly underwhelming people can overcome incredible odds and achieve more than mediocrity from an average person. In that case, this is the read for you. It’s sarcasm-laden and self-deprecating because, quite frankly, you can’t hurt me more than I have hurt myself. So, please sit back, relax, and enjoy my life. Maybe it’ll make you feel better about your life choices.
A major theme of Basic Training is learning to operate as a team, at the very least, and as a cohesive unit. This played out in several ways that I vividly remember. First, we had a guy who just refused to do anything and kept at it as a “refusal to train” tactic, so he would get kicked out, which eventually happened. However, in the meantime, we suffered for his refusals as group punishment was the thing in Basic.
One of our Drill Sergeants recommended that we handle this ourselves and that he would “look the other way.” One night, we decided to give him a “blanket party” of sorts. Instead of him being held down with a blanket as we pelt him with soap wrapped in a towel, we opted to wake him up very rudely sometime around 0100 hours and pummel him.
This allegedly street tough kid took off running and screaming like a teenage girl for the Drill Sergeant on duty! Street kid my ass! Punk ass more like it. The Drill Sergeant who had the overnight duty came in, turned on all the lights, and screamed, demanding to know the cause of this. We all pretended to be waking up and not know anything, but he wasn’t buying it.
He scuffed us up for five minutes or so with the usual: push-ups, flutter kicks, front-back-go’s, and whatever. After that, he said he was going to inform our Drill Sergeants in the morning and let them deal with us. When they came in, they were smiles from ear to ear and stopped the group punishment on behalf of this one douchebag.
About the author: Chris Kruger grew up just outside Spokane, Washington, and joined the Army before turning 21, driven by a sense of purpose and a thirst for challenge. Over the next 22 years, he forged a diverse and demanding military career, starting as an infantryman and eventually becoming a Blackhawk maintenance test pilot.
His journey took him from Basic Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he completed an impressive lineup of elite training programs, including Amphibious Reconnaissance School, Ranger School, HALO and HALO Jumpmaster, and Flight School, among others. Along the way, he earned the Expert and Combat Infantryman Badges, a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal, and several other honors.
Chris deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Far East, spending more than five and a half years overseas—experiences that profoundly shaped his outlook on leadership, resilience, and life. After retiring, he turned to writing as a way to unpack and give meaning to those intense years. What began as personal reflection quickly became a mission to reach others walking similar paths.
Today, Chris lives in Huntsville, Alabama, with his wife Genevieve and their two daughters, Charlize and Isabelle—writing from a place of survival, strength, and connection. Together, Chris and Genevieve are active in their local church and committed to encouraging others to overcome life’s hardships, expanding their reach through writing and a forthcoming podcast aimed at inspiring healing, faith, and perseverance.
Want to know more about some of these situations? You’ll have to get the book “Walking Away From The Ledge" for more details! If this story hit home—or reminded you of your own service—drop a comment below or share it with someone who might need it.
