A high percentage of soldiers are returning from Iraq with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Even higher than from Vietnam.
There was not nearly such a high incidence of PTSD in WWII vets, even though they suffered horrors equal to anything on current battlefields. I'm sure that the stoic nature of that generation kept many cases from coming to light. Still, there was relatively little PTSD. My father and three uncles came home from WWII and returned to ordinary lives without becoming alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals, or abusive husbands and fathers.
Of course, these men had the full support of their nation, a distinct enemy, and a cause that they believed was worth fighting for. Our soldiers in recent wars have been denied these benefits--and look at the epidemic of PTSD.
Probably just a coincidence, right?
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hey, i don't know if i've already give this to you to read, but if i haven't, take a look at it.
http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_6250
this is an article published in GQ last christmas about my uncle cecil. he's a vietnam vet who's ptsd didn't show up until we started to bomb iraq. it's a pretty dang wonderful article.
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