There are no rules; there is no book of instructions on how to deal with our experiences once we return to “the real world”...
I have to remind myself the veterans’ traumatic experiences actually occurred in “the real world”, and the world most of us live in daily is the actual fantasy...
You feel the need to tell it, then tell it...Your way...You’re the greatest expert on your story...Like the song said, “...Walk a mile in my shoes...”
That is true. I have learned that every single veteran has his own memories, his own perspective on his experiences. You could have been in the same fight at the same time and still have seen everything differently from each other.
I also learned as you have, that people external to these experiences will not really understand what happened or the permanent effects that come with it.
The best we can do is to train and support this new generation of our country’s protectors.