What do you think?
Rate this book
Torque & Trauma: Fixing More Than Machines
Torque & Trauma is a raw, darkly honest memoir about childhood abuse, PTSD, and the lasting impact trauma has on men long after they’ve learned how to hide it.
Written by a retired U.S. Air Force mechanic, this military memoir explores how unresolved childhood trauma follows men into adulthood—into careers, marriage, fatherhood, and identity. It’s not a self-help book. It’s a true story about survival, denial, dark humor, and the hard truth that “manning up” doesn’t fix mental health.
After twenty years of military service maintaining F-15 and F-22 fighter jets, Chad Calahan knew pressure, responsibility, and discipline. What he didn’t understand—until later—was how childhood abuse and PTSD were shaping his reactions, relationships, and coping mechanisms behind the scenes.
This trauma memoir speaks directly to men who carry invisible
• Men struggling with PTSD, anxiety, or suppressed trauma
• Veterans adjusting to life after military service
• Readers of military memoirs, mental health books, and men’s nonfiction
• Anyone raised in abuse, neglect, or emotional chaos
This book is not inspirational fluff.
It’s an unfiltered mental health memoir that blends dark humor with brutal honesty—written for men who’ve been told to stay quiet, tough it out, or bury the past.
Torque & Trauma doesn’t offer quick fixes or motivational clichés. It offers recognition, truth, and proof that healing from trauma is possible—even if it’s uncomfortable, imperfect, and sarcastic along the way.
If you’re looking for a memoir about PTSD, childhood trauma, military life, or men’s mental health that actually tells the truth, this book is for you.
Written by a retired U.S. Air Force mechanic, this military memoir explores how unresolved childhood trauma follows men into adulthood—into careers, marriage, fatherhood, and identity. It’s not a self-help book. It’s a true story about survival, denial, dark humor, and the hard truth that “manning up” doesn’t fix mental health.
After twenty years of military service maintaining F-15 and F-22 fighter jets, Chad Calahan knew pressure, responsibility, and discipline. What he didn’t understand—until later—was how childhood abuse and PTSD were shaping his reactions, relationships, and coping mechanisms behind the scenes.
This trauma memoir speaks directly to men who carry invisible
• Men struggling with PTSD, anxiety, or suppressed trauma
• Veterans adjusting to life after military service
• Readers of military memoirs, mental health books, and men’s nonfiction
• Anyone raised in abuse, neglect, or emotional chaos
This book is not inspirational fluff.
It’s an unfiltered mental health memoir that blends dark humor with brutal honesty—written for men who’ve been told to stay quiet, tough it out, or bury the past.
Torque & Trauma doesn’t offer quick fixes or motivational clichés. It offers recognition, truth, and proof that healing from trauma is possible—even if it’s uncomfortable, imperfect, and sarcastic along the way.
If you’re looking for a memoir about PTSD, childhood trauma, military life, or men’s mental health that actually tells the truth, this book is for you.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2025
8 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 4, 2025
Torque and Trauma is unlike any memoir I’ve read before. Chad Calahan writes with the grit of a veteran and the openness of someone who has lived through pain but refuses to let it define him. His story moves between the unforgiving pace of life on the flightline and the hidden battles that come with PTSD and unresolved childhood wounds.
What struck me most was Calahan’s honesty. He doesn’t sugarcoat the toll of trauma, nor does he present healing as a simple or quick process. Instead, he shows the reality—the setbacks, the anger, and the courage it takes to keep moving forward. For men especially, who are so often told to stay silent about their struggles, his voice is both relatable and deeply necessary.
This book is not just about the military or PTSD—it’s about resilience, facing the weight of the past, and daring to believe in the possibility of healing. Calahan’s willingness to be vulnerable gives others permission to do the same, and that is what makes Torque and Trauma such a meaningful read.
What struck me most was Calahan’s honesty. He doesn’t sugarcoat the toll of trauma, nor does he present healing as a simple or quick process. Instead, he shows the reality—the setbacks, the anger, and the courage it takes to keep moving forward. For men especially, who are so often told to stay silent about their struggles, his voice is both relatable and deeply necessary.
This book is not just about the military or PTSD—it’s about resilience, facing the weight of the past, and daring to believe in the possibility of healing. Calahan’s willingness to be vulnerable gives others permission to do the same, and that is what makes Torque and Trauma such a meaningful read.
August 23, 2025
Knowing the author in real life made this an especially heartbreaking story to read at times, particularly the early years. It’s a great perspective into how our experiences and trauma can shape who we are. Though there’s an emphasis on his military service, I was still able to relate to his struggles with mental health, religious beliefs, and desire to be better for his child. An excellent read that I couldn’t put down from the first page!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews