Battle Scars: A Story of War and All That Follows

by Jason Fox

This is a true story. The events depicted took place during the last decade in an unnamed warzone. The names and locations have been redacted to protect the security of those involved and the practices of the British Special Forces. Out of respect for the KIA and survivors, everything else has been told as it happened…

Jason Fox served with the SBS for over a decade, thriving on the close bonds of the Special Forces brotherhood and the ‘death or glory’ nature of their missions.

Battle Scars tells the story of his career as an elite operator, from the gunfights, hostage rescues, daring escapes and heroic endeavours that defined his service, to a battle of a very different kind: the psychological devastation of combat that ultimately forced him to leave the military, and the hard reality of what takes place in the mind of a man once a career of imagined invincibility has come to an end.

Unflinchingly honest, Battle Scars is a breathtaking account of Special Forces soldiering: a chronicle of operational bravery, and of superhuman courage on and off the battlefield.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Audiobook, Military Fiction, War, Biography Memoir

291 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2018

About the author

Jason Fox is a television presenter, adventurer and a former UK Special Forces soldier and Royal Marine Commando.

There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a powerful book. It delves deeply into the author's military career and the emotions of his struggle with PTSD and his road to recovery. It is very raw, no punches are pulled. It's rare to find something discussed so openly, and for this, it is a wonderful accounting. I teared up several times and would recommend this book to anyone. I've never seen any of the TV shows Jason Fox has been involved in so I had no preconceived notions about him before I started reading. I felt the honesty bleed from the pages. A good read that will go a long way to helping others understand PTSD or perhaps even recognise it early in themselves and seek help. 5 stars from me.

[John M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me me me me me me me! Wow, what a self-centred *****. Okay, there is a decent book in here somewhere and, perhaps, a decent editor would have helped bring it about. But this is repetitive and quite boring in parts. I have no idea what I learned from it apart from the trite "it's good to talk and men should do more of it". Fox repeatedly states his love for his children but never illustrates it: a bit too much like parents who are so inept they have their kids taken into care - yes, they may love them but can't get their heads around the "mundane" tasks of feeding, clothing, cleaning, keeping house etc. Fox clearly left the child care to the mothers and that makes him a ***** in my book no matter what he says he did for "Queen and country" (or did he sign up for himself?) I have no idea what makes him tick - sadly.

[Carl Upshon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read. Not so much the usual bravado war stories but the humble battle against depression, PTSD and chronic burnout.

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

An interesting and inspiring read that looks into life in the military, PTSD and recovery.
I found Foxy's story to be really interesting and although struggled to read some of the war stories, it made me understand what Foxy had been through.
I think it's really important that this man that seems pretty much indestructible on SAS: Who Dares Wins, has struggled with mental health. I hope it helps a lot of people to realise it's okay not to be okay. To talk about your feelings and get help if needed.
The book was a little repetitive at times and I wish the timeline had been linear and not all over the place but it was still a good read.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s alright.

Nearly gave up but glad I finished it as it did get better. Good to read he actually got the help he needed and is working towards getting help for others too.

Disappointingly he comes across as selfish, misogynistic and a terrible father & partner.

Nevertheless, the undercurrent of the book is important! And hopefully this will help the readers, who may be in a similar place to where Foxy was, to see that they are not alone and that there are resources out there to tap into and find the brand of help that will get them on the road to recovery! 🤞🏼

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read. Written with honesty about his struggle with PTSD and suicidal thoughts, Foxy tells his story of his time in the British Military. It’s a really interesting and emotional story and I read it in two sittings. I liked him already after watching SAS: Who Dares Wins, but now I like him and respect him even more.

[m d · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like audiobooks. But I really like Foxy, and I found his story about his road to recovery following PTSD to be both interesting and important. It's a shame I was listening to it rather than reading it myself (even though I liked the fact that he was the one reading it to me ;)).

[Neil Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to read about the man behind what we see on TV. Very candid and clearly will help some people with similar challenges.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand, I liked this book because the author is very honest about his struggles with PTSD. Given the fact that he was a Royal Marine and then a member of the elite SBS, that is saying something because, as one finds in the book, being a member of the SBS is only for the few, and the few [so the notion goes] do not get PTSD because PTSD is a sign of weakness. Indeed, so ashamed was Mr. Fox of admitting that he was struggling with PTSD, that when he was discharged because of it he didn't even tell his buddies in the SBS, he ghosted them and/or made up a story about having tinnitus.

To admit all this and honestly lay out his struggles to overcome the PTSD takes great courage on Mr. Fox's part and he lays it all out honestly and bluntly. It's cool to see him, with the help of a shrink, overcome his PTSD and then go on to success on television and even set a record with some buddies, rowing across the Atlantic. Mr. Fox really is an extraordinary man.

Having said that, Mr. Fox also seems to be a terrible father/partner. He goes through relationships in a manner that at least seems as hectic as his life in the SBS, first one partner and then another and then another. He has a daughter with his wife, the daughter has medical problems, but that is all we ever hear about her. Is he involved in her life? Does he carry out his fatherly duties as he wrestles with PTSD? Does he have any relationship at all with her? The reader will not know after they read this book. He has a second daughter with another partner and that is the last you hear of that daughter. For all I know, Mr. Fox may be the world's greatest father, but from reading this book, his daughters come across as an afterthought.

Perhaps Mr. Fox is merely guarding their privacy, which would have been fine and indeed understandable—they certainly didn't volunteer to be in the book—but if so, Mr. Fox never mentions that. They appear only as a passing reference and then back to himself and his problems. This makes him appear self-absorbed and self-centered. I do not know if this is true and am not accusing him of being that way, just pointing out how the book makes him sound. Heck, even an admission that he was a horrible father or an absent one because of his career and/or PTSD would have made the reader sympathetic. The book makes it sound like he doesn't even think about it.

[Patrick White · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book. Although Jason Fox did not physically write the book the style of the prose captures his voice brilliantly — I presume the book was derived from recorded conversations and this is how the ghost-writer was able to achieve this. There is an interesting tension between Foxy and the therapist whom he credits for playing a major role in his recovery. Her style of therapy seemed to be to offer an attitude of total forgiveness, and this seemed key in Foxy coming to terms with his trauma — perhaps she was the mother figure he longed for in the heat of battle — and yet she did not completely forgive Foxy for the things he did in war, and seemed perturbed that her therapy had played a role in enabling him to continue to promote war and violence in the form of his SAS selection programme. She was actually reluctant to see him again and I wonder whether the whole experience confronted her with something about herself, namely: that her urge to help others was not purely selfless but an attempt to create a world she wanted to live in.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots to think about in this one. While PTSD for elite soldiers may appear to have little transferable value, there are lessons, hints and tips which pretty much anyone would find useful. The journey of the book is validating, the voice honest and authentic, the military history neither glorified nor airbrushed.

[Craig Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ll be honest I didn’t finish it. I found it pretty much based around PTSD. After reading Ant Middletons book prior to this. I was disappointed with this.

[Sam Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food for thought

[Matt Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye-opening book about the effects of PTSD and how sufferers were treated by the British military in the early 2000s. I’m sure a lot has been learnt since and things are better now, but this is a sad account of an elite soldier’s battle with his mental health, one which he ultimately wins. (I’m sure that’s not a spoiler.)

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up the book about a month ago and didn’t read it until yesterday and since then I couldn’t put the book down. A real page turner. The autobiography is of a man who had to deal with the wounds from battles as a Special Forces Soldier. A very inspiring and humbling account of his mental anguish and the difficulties of trying to get the right support from services. Today, services are so stretched they expect you to fit into their systems and individuals are all different in the way they respond to treatment. Not one size fits all. It appears there are a few women in this book who have been damage limitation as a result of his life in the SAS. It would have been nice to see if there had been any change in this or amends made, instead of reading ‘my new girlfriend’ or ‘my partner then.’

[Jodie Sheerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very hard review to write, and I’ve been thinking for a couple of days about what to say and how to say it. So my review isn’t going to be very long for this one. Rather than focusing too much on Foxy’s time in the military, the main focus of Battle Scars is Foxy’s battle with PTSD and chronic burnout. I felt very emotional whilst reading Battle Scars and often found it hard to read because of the emotional side of it. Battle Scars tells us about a side to the military that we don’t often get to hear about. However, in a way it was refreshing, as Foxy was brutally honest and opened up about his struggles and achievements. At a time when talking about mental health is so important, I think this is a very important book and should be read by many. Battle Scars was inspiring yet heartbreaking, and I can’t wait to read more from Jason Fox.

[Gareth Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read this book expecting a similar work to fellow sas who dares wins star ant Middleton then you will be disappointed as this is a different type of book.
It is a very interesting read wich gives interesting insights into the stresses and horrors of war and mostly covers Jason foxes battles with ptsd and depression.
Anyone who has gone through ptsd or maybe even just anxiety and depression may find some relatable content although an interesting read the book can be quite repetitive at times and I didn’t find it quite the page turner of the ant Middleton books.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful read. It made me see PTSD in a different light to how I previously had viewed it, and gave me a insight into how we shouldn't look at fixing our mental health issues with a 'one solution for all issues' mindset.
I praise the author for being brave enough to put his story out there and help dispel the image that somehow being a tough military type means that you have lost your ability to be affected by conflict and that you are invincible to mental health issues.

[Megan Wilkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first half to be a slow read and at one point I seriously considered giving up and starting a new book. I am pleased I persevered though. I found reading about Foxy's post-war experiences to be a thought-provoking and interesting read. It's incredible that he came through what he endured - hats off to him for sharing his story.

[Gary B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Likeable man. Decent book, but became too repetitive on the central subjects. The book didn't retain my interest all the way through. Admired how open he is about mental health, and how it affects men.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. Sad times in parts. A brave man to say the least in combat and at home. Fought many personal wars both mind and body.

[Esther Turnbull · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably unfair to give this book a score as I only read just over half. It felt like ploughing through treacle.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Most people admit to having stood near the edge of a railway station platform as a fast-moving train has hurtled through, their thoughts turning darkly to the final possibility: ‘What’s to stop me from jumping forward?’ It was a perverse flight of fancy, the human condition testing its resolve for survival in an everyday situation.”

3.5 - really enjoyed this and the writing was a lot better than expected. Foxy has a compelling story that he delivers well, but the jumping timeframe made it a little hard to follow chronologically.

Regardless - definitely recommended, a great read on an important and often under-discussed subject: men’s mental health

Would also recommend Life Under Fire (non-fiction). They complement each other very well.

[Samantha Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading some of the other reviews, I’m baffled by them, this an autobiography, and as such is all about the author. It’s refreshing to read a tale of a man who has been able to realise his mental health is important and to overcome it. After watching many series of “who dares wins,” reading this book helps to explain how Foxy acts with the recruits, hard but understanding, he is able to read the recruits despite their bluster and sometimes arrogance, and the book explains why.
A good book detailing the harsh life of an elite soldier, and the lessons learnt upon rejoining civilian life! As a military child, some things resonate with me.

[Eloise Stroud · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio and it was really interesting to hear about how Foxy struggled with his mental health and came to terms with it after being in denial over it for so long. The rawness and openness about his struggles with overcoming depression and PTSD were incredibly honest and I appreciated listening to his journey. I didn't connect with the audio as much as I'd have liked unfortunately and think I would have enjoyed it more if I'd have physically read it.

[Mrs C · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s always interesting when you know someone from the TV and they then share a bit of their life. This book helps you realise that each and every one of us can suffer with our mental health at any time. Money won’t protect you, neither will status. Jason is very open about his struggles and I feel that this book will most certainly help others. An interesting insight.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huge kudos to Foxy for being so open about his experiences and struggles. Was really reassuring and impactful for me to read someone else accurately describing the experience of PTSD, and EDMR & CBT therapy, where I have struggled to do the same. (Not obtained through combat)

[Matthew Cloke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good exploration into the issues surrounding mental health with good actionable steps to overcome this illness. A good read but the narrative got slightly lost during the middle. Last 150 pages were excellent.

[Elizabeth Judd Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An autobiography that deals with PTSD, caused by a military career. This book is helpful for whatever reason you might have PTSD, however (I’ve got it, and I’ve never been in a war). It’s a very honest book. Also a good read for people dealing with others who have PTSD.

[Josh Furze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible, such an amazing account of his life and how he came through his troubles! Action right from the start with the serious undertone throughout! A must read!!