From Prisoner of Anger to Peace Warrior: Greg Payton on Vietnam, Addiction, Forgiveness & Healing
Podcasts > I Am Refocused Podcast
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Vietnam War veteran and author
After returning home, Greg faced PTSD, homelessness, racism, addiction, and years of anger before beginning a path toward sobriety, forgiveness, activism, and peace. He eventually became a longtime peace advocate, working with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and traveling internationally to support reconciliation and nonviolence.
In this powerful conversation, Greg reflects on the human cost of war, racism within the military, addiction and recovery, the weight of unresolved anger, and what it truly means to forgive. His story is not simply about surviving Vietnam. It is about transforming pain into purpose and becoming what he calls a Peace Warrior.
A conversation about war, trauma, redemption, forgiveness, and the possibility of finding peace after years of carrying the battle home.
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