Our #SocialResponsibility to Our Soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder / #PTSD #thisAmericanQuilt @potus
It used to be called “shell shock.” The reality of war can put a soldier in situations not normal for the average human being. Prolonged exposure to the drama and aftermath of violence can surely have an effect on a person’s mind and heart (soul). ‘Shell shock’ has been well-documented on film, such as Tom Cruises character in, ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ and late-director Stanley Kubrick’s, ‘Full-Metal Jacket.’ A person’s ‘bearings’ are shifted and a new normal takes hold. This new normal juxtaposes itself against the normalcy of everyday society. Inevitably, the soldier who has experienced sustained levels of stress has what amounts to separate operating systems which do not always agree with each other. The ravages of war are not taking in with a soft light. I had a friend who served in Iraq as a Marine. I knew him before and after his service. Many active and veteran armed forces personnel never see the front lines or have to literally fight their way out of ...