[BiglyCommentary]

"We came home, got married, got our education, got jobs and built our lives. Nobody turned into killing machines. We drank too much and many marriages failed - but eventually most of us got over it, just like all the men who returned from war in all the previous generations."

THAT!!! WW I and II vets came home, and went forward with life and living. I have known a few vets that milk PTSD like a cow. It's their "go to" excuse for everything.

[Chainmail]

Not to sound too harsh, but the few vets that I have known who constantly harp on their difficulties with PTSD never saw particularly deadly - or sometimes any - combat.

The reason for this is that our military services generally do an excellent job of weeding out the psychologically fragile during boot camp - and combat vets usually consider themselves lucky and grateful to be alive.

PTSD is the normal human reaction to excesses of fear, sleeplessness, and shock at seeing things that most other young people will never see in their lifetimes. Everyone I knew who had served in direct combat has some level of PTSD - it's something that no amount of counseling, or drinking will really change much. It just takes time and finding a wife who supports you through the process - and doesn't get embarrassed when you dive under the table when there's an unexpected pop nearby.