Content Note
The stories and experiences shared on this site address trauma, military sexual abuse, PTSD, suicide, and the cumulative impact of crisis work. I share this not to solicit sympathy, but to advance understanding and advocacy for trauma-informed leadership, especially within humanitarian and veteran-serving organizations.
If you’re navigating your own healing journey, please know that engaging with this content is your choice. You are in control of your pace and boundaries.
If you’re in crisis or struggling:
• Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566 (24/7, free, confidential)
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-268-7708 (Canada)
• International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
Your life has value. You are not alone.
Through his books and speaking engagements, Laurence works to break down stigma, save lives, and create a world where mental health is treated with the same urgency as physical health.
Published Works
Breaking the Silence on Military Sexual Trauma in the CAF
A powerful memoir exploring the hidden wounds of military service and the journey from silence to healing. Through raw, honest storytelling, this book breaks down the barriers that prevent veterans from seeking help and offers hope for recovery.
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Part I – Before the Uniform: A Soldier’s First Silence
The beginning of Laurence Baird’s story, showing how childhood sexual abuse and his years in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets shaped his vulnerability, identity, and trust in institutions. It captures both the genuine gifts of cadet life, discipline, leadership, seamanship, and rising to Petty Officer First Class, and the devastating reality that the same system exposed him to further sexual assaults and failed to protect him. Moving beyond memoir, the book examines why cadet and military structures remain unsafe, connects these failures to stalled reforms like those identified in the Arbour Report, and offers concrete, evidence‑based recommendations to protect today’s youth in uniformed programs.
A Veteran’s Road from Exile to Humanitarian Frontlines
A transformative narrative about rediscovering purpose in humanitarian crisis zones. From battlefields to humanitarian frontlines in dangerous locations, this book chronicles a journey of resilience, reinvention, and finding meaning in service to others.
Dedicated to Mark Herrick, whose friendship, courage, and unwavering commitment to humanitarian principles continue to inspire this work and advocacy for mental health awareness and institutional reform.
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About Laurence
Laurence Baird’s journey from soldier to humanitarian security advisor is one of profound transformation. After serving in the military, Laurence faced the challenges that many veterans encounter: the struggle to translate military skills into civilian life, the weight of trauma that few understand, and the search for purpose beyond the uniform.
Rather than retreating from danger, Laurence found his calling on humanitarian frontlines, working in some of the world’s most crisis-affected regions to save lives and protect vulnerable populations.
Professional Experience & Credentials
- 20+ years humanitarian work with World Vision, WUSC, IRC, Care International, and Food for the Hungry
- Security Advisor specializing in crisis management and operational safety
- Harvard Humanitarian Response Intensive Course graduate
- Mental health advocate focusing on BPD, PTSD, and veteran support
- Geographic experience in 70+ countries: Haiti, Nepal, Syria, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Kenya, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Peru
Today, Laurence works as a security advisor at WUSC (World University Service of Canada) while continuing to advocate for mental health awareness, organizational duty of care, and veteran support through his writing and speaking engagements.
Impact & Expertise
Published Author
2 books on trauma recovery and resilience
Global Experience
70+ countries in crisis zones
Mental Health Advocate
Breaking stigma, saving lives
What Readers Are Saying
A raw, honest account that every veteran should read. Laurence’s courage in sharing his story will save lives.”
— Verified Reader Review
★★★★★
Essential reading for humanitarian organizations. The insights on duty of care and staff mental health are invaluable.”
— Humanitarian Professional
★★★★★
“Powerful, moving, and ultimately hopeful. This book changed how I understand trauma and resilience.”
— Mental Health Advocate
★★★★★
What happens when the silence becomes heavier than the truth? In A Soldier’s Cry: Breaking the Silence, discover how one veteran’s breaking point became the first step toward healing, and how your voice can too.
*Updated*
Resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s about rising with purpose. This book reveals how real transformation happens when you’re willing to rebuild, retrain, and re-engage with your deepest calling. For veterans, humanitarian workers, and anyone learning to reinvent themselves.
Speaking & Media
Available for speaking and media engagements that confront the realities of military sexual trauma, challenge stigma, and amplify the voices of male survivors. Through lived experience and professional insight, these engagements explore healing, resilience, and systemic reform, fostering honest dialogue across military, veteran, and humanitarian communities. Presentations aim to advance mental health awareness, inspire institutional change, and build safer, more compassionate environments for those affected by trauma.
