It has been said that the only warriors who do not suffer after being in combat are those who were killed. I cannot attest to that for all battle-tested warriors, but I certainly can for one—me.
Some years ago, a 13-year-old eighth-grade student from the Fairfield Middle School in Fairfield, Iowa, asked me, “Were you wounded in the war?”
For many years, I had been invited to Mrs. Broz’s class to talk about my wartime experiences. Though I had been asked and had answered many questions, this one was different. I paused, thought deeply, and replied.
“Yes, I was wounded, seriously wounded, but it was not a wound that anyone could see and fix.” The question gave me pause to think about warriors of all the wars, whose wounds, like mine, were unseen, untreated, and debilitating, even though no blood was shed.
I spent a sleepless night wondering if my answer had satisfied him…or me. What was there about my military service that left me so hopeless and so helpless when I returned home to civilian life? Was it me? The military? The combat?
In order to understand what happened to me, and to many others who serve their country in war, I must tell you about our experiences. When we are sent to war, we do not question why: Those questions are matters for others. The reality of war, however, and the damage it does both physically and mentally, is real, long-lasting, devastating, and costly. And it affects not just those who fight but also all who love them—friends and family.
In this book I tell my story and the story of others. My hope is that what I describe, including the relief we’ve found, will help others who have served and endured, and—like me—quietly suffered, to finally find what could lift the weight from our shoulders and allow us to enjoy life again.
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