LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, September 1, 2014 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Have you noticed how wars don’t end anymore? Soldiers come home when their tour of duty is over, but there’s no World War II-style national bash with the entire country coming together for parades and celebrations, no iconic photographs of sailors kissing pretty girls in the street while people smile, no sense of conclusion. Soldiers just come home.

Except that, even when they come home, the war isn’t over. Many of the troops return from the battlefield to find that there’s a new conflict raging within. Depression, alcoholism, homelessness, and all too often, suicide, these are just a few of the domestic enemies that threaten returning veterans. Former Marine Chris Albert knows all about the return home. When he came back from Iraq, he found find new foes waiting for him at home in Long Beach, California. The enemies were the unholy trio: depression, alcoholism, homelessness.

Chris was one of the lucky ones. Through committing himself to physical fitness and becoming a personal trainer, he eventually transformed himself into a businessman and an ex-alcoholic. But his time battling those demons of the returning veteran made him realize that what he had discovered could help fellow brothers- and sisters-in-arms who were coming home. Instead of allowing life to defeat them, they could learn to accept its challenge and meet with strength and enthusiasm. He knew from his own military service how much the uniform defines the character of a soldier, so it was a natural transition to develop a line of apparel that would empower returning veterans. He’s a Californian, so he wanted something that would reflect the urban beach style. He’s a personal trainer, so he required clothing that accommodated physical fitness and exercise. Warrior Soul Apparel is a lifestyle clothing brand that salutes a soldier for accepting the challenge to live. But it’s also designed to dress the warrior that lives within each of us.

With clothing that’s part personal expression and part textile support system, Albert realized that now is the time to expand his business. With a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that seeks to raise $8000 by September 26, Albert’s personal goal is to expand his clothing line to include a fall/winter line of hoodies, jackets, baseball jerseys, and utility/cargo pants, as well as more headgear. He’s also intending to create clothing for women that will include tee-shirts, shorts, tights, hats, and outerwear. The Warrior Soul line makes no apologies for outfitting people with gear that is fashionable and unique, and audacious enough to validate the fearlessness and bravery of the ones who choose to wear it. The returning soldier who has proven his mettle on the battlefield and the civilian who pushes herself in the gym have something in common: they know that obstacles are there to be overcome.

The Warrior Soul Apparel logo is the Chinese character “wu” which means martial, but also means to put down one’s weapons. By choosing this as the logo, Albert recognized the tough internal fortitude of the Asian peasants in feudal times who were forbidden to bear arms. But it’s not the weapon that measures courage. The peasants of long ago learned, as today’s returning veterans are finding out, that in order to face life, it’s necessary to draw on one’s own internal resources. The peasants developed the martial arts, a style of defense so powerful that it has endured into the modern era. The returning veterans are learning to embrace life as well, by summoning their own internal arsenal of courage and resilience.

Crowdfunding will help Albert to continue to serve as both an entrepreneur and a supporter of veteran’s causes. Twenty percent of his profit from Warrior Soul Apparel is donated to Team Amvets, a veterans’ service organization that assists returning soldiers in what can often be, as Albert knows from personal experience, a difficult transition to civilian life, but it can be done successfully. Chris Albert and Warrior Soul Apparel prove that. And yet, Chris knows that not every soldier comes home, even when they leave the battlefield. Veteran suicide is a tragic reality for far too many. That’s why he supports Active Heroes, an organization that focuses on veteran suicide. It’s Warrior Soul Apparel’s call of duty to honor all who wore the uniform.

About Warrior Soul Apparel
Chris Albert, the founder of Warrior Soul Apparel (www.warriorsoulapparel.com) is a veteran who served his time in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine, then returned home to Long Beach, California where alcoholism, homelessness, and depression were waiting for him. By committing his energies to physical fitness, he exorcised those demons by becoming a personal trainer and entrepreneur. His line of clothing is looking to a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in order to expand and add women’s attire and outerwear.

Chris Albert
Warrior Soul Apparel
562.673.5966
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