Interesting. My experience in the military has been supporting the American policies in Central America in El Salvador/Honduras/Panama. I have been in a firefight and treated the wounded (it's not like in the movies) but have not had any mental reprecussions from this. I have had flashbacks (surprisingly) on two events of which I was a witness/participant. Can't go into too many details but it involved death, atrocities and gruesome affects from a nuclear accident. I know I don't have PTSD but watching two films brought back these memories in vivid detail. It left me numb. I was 'zoned' out. Since then, if I think about it, I can recall those memories.

So I can see how those vets who have experienced things that they do not wish to recall, choose not to talk about the war or their experiences. Those horrid memories are easy to bring up but difficult to get rid of.

I feel for those soldiers who grew up under the glorification of war by Hollywood and went off to Iraq/Afghanistan only to come back with a whole different perspective at an awful price. It almost feels like a little bit of your soul is torn out and the pain never goes away. At least, that is how I can explain it.

__________________

American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!