How Army terms help orient me, even today

If I haven’t warned you that bits of my past in the military would sometimes leak into my present as a Multiple Sclerosis News Today columnist, consider yourself warned. I was in the U.S. Army for almost 22 years, so it’s bound to happen occasionally.

If I’d become an archaeologist, as I’d wanted in the third grade, you’d have to endure me making comparisons between multiple sclerosis (MS) and mummies. If I’d been a proctologist, I’d be comparing MS with — well, you get the picture. Instead, when something in my life with this disease presents an issue, I often fall back on what I know for the solution.

In my short time writing these columns, I’ve introduced you to several of the abbreviations and acronyms that once helped me remember key components of tactical operations. This column offers another, this time referring to the variables that must be taken into account when planning a mission. Multiple sclerosis and its symptoms are nothing if not variable, so this term seems to work almost as though it were intended for my life today.

The mnemonic, somewhat a blend of acronym and abbreviation, is METT-TC, pronounced met-tee-see. For some strange reason I have an extra easy time remembering it. METT-TC stands for Mission, Enemy, Terrain (and weather), Troops (and support) available, Time available, and Civilians. Indulge me, please, as I go through each variable with MS in mind.

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Breaking down a tactical aid

Mission: I was about to write that my mission is to get through each day with multiple sclerosis, but that sounds as if all I want to do is survive. Some days it certainly feels that way, but my goal is to thrive. My mission should be to live my life with intention rather than merely trying to make it to tomorrow. I can’t promise that I’ll succeed every single time, but I’m sure going to try, and I think you should, too.

Enemy: The obvious enemy is MS, but there are others as well, and they include me. I might be my own best advocate, but sometimes I can be my own worst enemy, too. If anyone can talk me out of thriving, it’s me.

I generally don’t like to think of other people as my enemy. Even when they’re obstacles, it seems to be unwitting. However, I might make an exception for the person who made the effort to squeeze their car into the no-parking zone between my van and the curb. I feel that simultaneously blocking my ramp and the ramp onto the sidewalk is a little malicious.

Terrain: Terrain and weather affect everything I do and are always considerations. Even before I used a wheelchair, I had to take hills, stairs, tall curbs, and uneven surfaces into account when planning anything. If rain is in the forecast, I cannot just run back to the car. If it’s hot, I have to take extra steps to combat it.

Troops: Fortunately for me, I have top-notch troops and support available. My wife is my primary caregiver, and my kids open doors, move obstacles, and spot accessible parking spots and ramps. I consider my healthcare team to be my support element, and I couldn’t ask for better.

Time: I’d say that the time to complete a mission when you have multiple sclerosis is “as long as it takes,” but that isn’t realistic. With MS, time is energy, and I seem to have an extremely variable supply. It isn’t “as long as it takes” anymore; it’s “until I run out.”

Civilians: In our case, these are people without MS or who have no connection to it. They might be helpful. They might not be. Either way, they have to be accounted for without necessarily being counted on. You don’t have to plan on everyone else being a hindrance, but “somebody will probably step up and do that for me” can’t be a part of the plan, either.

Thank you for wading through another column where I try to apply lessons from my past to my present. Just know I’ll probably do it again.

Next week, I have the privilege of attending the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers annual meeting as part of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Multiple Sclerosis Committee. If you’re going to be there, stop by our booth and say hello.

Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.