The article points out the severe disconnect now existing between veterans and the general citizenry. At the end of World War II, when 11 out of every 100 citizens had served, every day involved many encounters with veterans and families of veterans. That contrasts sharply with less than 1 in 200 currently. Also, according to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America only 7 out of every 1,000 have served in those theaters of operation.
Our civilians live among unfathomable luxuries compared to people of other countries. Too often they regard with indifference, and/or bewilderment, and/or disgust those choosing honor, duty, and sacrifice with the attendant consequences. If you think disgust is over the line try reading Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment at the link below. Homeland Security had to withdraw the document, because it profiled all veterans as potential Timothy McVeighs.
That brings me to the final article I linked to, which I think is one of the best I have seen on PTSD. Dr. Hoge says laymen and professionals too often label as a disorder the adaptive skills taught or learned through experience to meet the extreme challenges of combat and non-combat military experiences. For example, high situational awareness which is vital to finding clues that signal an enemy threat can be labeled “hypervigilance” at home. Instantaneous recall of prior violent encounters provides keys to recognizing future dangers, but is labeled “flashbacks” at home. Chaotic sleep cycles caused by continuous night operations, or watch rotations during extended deployments disrupt “normal” sleep cycles. “Rigorous mission rehearsal and attention to detail (involving checking and rechecking everything mission related) contributes to ‘re-experiencing ‘symptoms, intolerance of mistakes, or should’ve – would’ve – could’ve – type thinking back home.”
Dr. Hoge says these and other behaviors and skills that were imperative to survival and success need to be dialed back after the return home. You cannot restart the human being like a computer, so the transition can take years. However, at home veterans do not encounter the encompassing love and understanding of their grandparents’ generation who all in one way or another experienced the war. Dr. Hoge says, “I can’t say enough about the value of showing gratitude and appreciation for the people in your life who you love.” So we should probably regard the warrior returning home as dealing with PTS, and reserve the “D” for the mental disorder of the civilians who can’t or won’t interact positively with veterans.
General Petraeus Speech http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=9312529#post9312529
Snoops Incorrect Attribution http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/045percent.asp
U.S. Veterans of World War II http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surviving_U.S._veterans_of_World_War_II
What was US population in 1945? http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_US_population_in_1945
Department of Veterans Affairs: Veteran Period of Service Statistics at a Glance http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/quickfacts/Homepage-slideshow.pdf
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America http://iava.org/about
U.S. Population 2012: Nearly 313 Million People http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2011/12/30/us-population-2012-nearly-313-million-people
Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment. http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/rightwing.pdf
The Paradox of PTSD http://digitaledition.qwinc.com/article/The+Paradox+Of+PTSD/835300/0/article.html
For example check this out...
I could easily write a theme defending WestPoint and the military as I did that day, explaining that USMA is an elite institution, that separate from that it is actually statistically much harder to enlist in the military than it is to get admitted to college, that serving the nation is a challenge that all able-bodied men should at least consider for a host of reasons, but I won't.Petraeus grew up in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York (about 4 miles from West Point--a national merit scholar and local newspaper delivery boy)...he knew all about West Point (and so did his mom).
Petraeus was wounded during a training accident (NOT COMBAT) and rushed to Nashville,TN. DR. BILL FRIST saved this narcissistic pal of Obama’s life. Imagine getting Bill Frist as your MD at an ER? Who the heck did he know? He should honor Bill Frist the rest of his life as I honor and thank those from the 93rd Evac Hosp in Tuy Hoa who saved my life after two GSW’s.
My letters only promise $5 trillion if I send $100 to a PO Box in Nigeria.