Frontline: The Soldier's Heart [Posttraumatic Stress Disorder/Iraq/Suicides/etc.]

[Space-Cowboy]

: The Soldier's Heart

U.S. Marine Rob Sarra had been in the military for eight years when the war in Iraq began. A sergeant in charge of a unit of 32, he was considered part of the "tip of the spear" -- among the first troops to reach Baghdad. In late March 2003, Sarra opened fire on an Iraqi woman in a black burqa he suspected was a suicide bomber, prompting others in his unit to begin firing as well. Her body torn apart by bullets, the woman fell quickly to the ground. It was only then that Rob saw she held a small white flag.

videos [1-4]
1)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...view/1_hi.html


2)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...view/2_hi.html


3)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...view/3_hi.html


4)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...view/4_hi.html




It would be almost ten months ago, I made a thread in the SD based on a book called 'On Killing', which discussed the psychological stresses that each and every soldier has to go through in the war zone. The PTSD that these soldiers have to go through after serving their nation, is humbling to say the least.

This documentary by Frontline drives the point home... I found it a very powerful documentary, take a look.


I'll add it to the Documentaries section in a bit.

[Space-Cowboy]

U.S. Marine Rob Sarra had been in the military for eight years when the war in Iraq began. A sergeant in charge of a unit of 32, he was considered part of the "tip of the spear" -- among the first troops to reach Baghdad. In late March 2003, Sarra opened fire on an Iraqi woman in a black burqa he suspected was a suicide bomber, prompting others in his unit to begin firing as well. Her body torn apart by bullets, the woman fell quickly to the ground. It was only then that Rob saw she held a small white flag.

"Right then and there I was just like, what the hell happened? I was crying, hysterical…this woman got killed by my actions," Sarra tells FRONTLINE. "I wasn't going to talk to anyone about it. But little did I know it kind of worked itself back up to the surface when I came home."

Sarra is one of thousands of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq free from physical injury but haunted by memories from the battlefield. In "The Soldier's Heart," FRONTLINE explores the psychological cost of war and investigates whether the military is doing enough to help the many combat veterans coming home with emotional problems. With unprecedented access to active duty service members at Camp Pendleton, a Marine base in San Diego, and through interviews with mental health experts both in and out of the military and members of a Camp Pendleton support group, FRONTLINE uncovers one of the underreported stories from the war in Iraq.

According to Jim Dooley, a former soldier who fought in Vietnam and has counseled combat veterans for the last 20 years, "This is the most damaging type of war psychiatrically. You have no protection anywhere at all times. And therefore you're in constant death threat. And you're also witnessing death at an incredibly close range. And you're witnessing the carnage." But in most cases it's not until soldiers return from war that they begin to struggle internally with what they experienced, what they did, and what they didn't do, Dooley tells FRONTLINE.

"When you are finally back here, and you finally make connection with your safety, which is your family…that's when you begin to vibrate with the fact of where you were," Dooley explains.

In the case of Jeff Lucey, a lance corporal with the Marine Reserves of the 6th Motor Transport Battalion, coming home from Iraq was supposed to be a temporary situation. His unit was told they would most likely return to Iraq within the year. Rather than spending time on a military base, reserve marines like Lucey are returned home to pick up their lives as civilians.

But Lucey had a difficult time readjusting to life at home, those close to him tell FRONTLINE. He turned to alcohol more than he ever had before the war, told his family stories of war crimes he committed in Iraq, isolated himself in his room, had panic attacks, dropped out of school, and even spoke of taking his life, his family says. Lucey's father, Kevin, rationalized his son's behavior.

"Because the military told us, 'He's going to go through an adjustment period,'" Kevin Lucey tells FRONTLINE. "[The military said] 'don't push. Understand that there's going to be things maybe happening you might not understand right away. Don't be concerned…just watch [him].'"

Lucey and Sarra are two of the stories of service members that FRONTLINE follows in this report.

According to Colonel Thomas Burke, the director of health policy for the Department of Defense, nobody returns from combat unchanged. "They have expectations about what their families are going to be like. Their families have expectations of what they're going to be like," says Burke. "And the one thing that is absolutely true about all of those expectations is all of them are going to be wrong."

Combat psychological disorders among returning soldiers date back to the Civil War, when the phrase "Soldier's Heart" was first coined. Throughout the years, and through many wars, the name for the condition changed to "Shell Shock," "Battle Fatigue," and "Post-Vietnam Syndrome."

After a decade of research, psychiatrists determined that all the various names were describing the same reaction to combat. Today it's commonly referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. A study commissioned by the Army shows that one in six veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD. Yet the fear of being labeled a "coward" keeps many soldiers from seeking help.

In January, the Department of Defense announced plans for a new mental health program to assist the almost one million men and women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, not only are service members required to answer questions regarding their mental health prior to their departure and upon their immediate return, but they also receive a third screening four to six months later. Insiders point out, however, that instituting programs like this one and other support services is only one part of their challenge in changing the military's culture. Stigma, many believe, is at the heart of the matter. But according to Colonel Burke, "It's not just a matter of issuing an order and saying, `There will be no more stigma.' You just don't change the culture of an organization that quickly."

The real danger, some military experts say, is that the men and women returning home could be forgotten.

"It's not about parades, it's not about a monument, because those things get acknowledged for a day, a week, whatever," says Fred Gusman, director of the National Center for PTSD. "It's just a matter of getting people not to forget that these people are putting their life in harm's way, and they're going through hell and just because it's not on CNN every night [doesn't mean] that we shouldn't assume responsibility," Gusman adds. "Not for the war. But responsibility to take care of our own people."

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...art/view/#rest

[Sweet_LiL_Hunnie]

i think that most of us that went to high school here in the states know of someone that's served in the military and if you've kept in touch with someone that went over into a combat zone. Most of them have some form of post traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately a good friend of mine served for 10 years and is on i think prozac because of his issues with the war. At times you just see him zone out and stare into space, or you have to watch your mouth when it comes to political debates bc sometimes he'll get into the talk and just go nutzo on how fucked up our government is and where we went wrong with iraq. it's a bit creepy and keeps him from being able to express his emotions properly. he doesn't sleep well or much at all and eventually it's going to take a toll on his life even more so.

as a friend it's hard to see close friends go through this, and we're somewhat helpless. you just have to be there for them when they want to talk and know what topics to avoid and stuff.

[Space-Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Sweet_LiL_Hunnie

i think that most of us that went to high school here in the states know of someone that's served in the military and if you've kept in touch with someone that went over into a combat zone. Most of them have some form of post traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately a good friend of mine served for 10 years and is on i think prozac because of his issues with the war. At times you just see him zone out and stare into space, or you have to watch your mouth when it comes to political debates bc sometimes he'll get into the talk and just go nutzo on how fucked up our government is and where we went wrong with iraq. it's a bit creepy and keeps him from being able to express his emotions properly. he doesn't sleep well or much at all and eventually it's going to take a toll on his life even more so.
as a friend it's hard to see close friends go through this, and we're somewhat helpless. you just have to be there for them when they want to talk and know what topics to avoid and stuff.

Sorry to hear that... You should definitely watch this documentary, the people here are going through their own inner demons, some fairing far worse...

[Spiky]

Awesome. Something to kill time.

[Space-Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Spiky

Awesome. Something to kill time.

I have two cousins down in the States who are enlisted. One cousin, who's from Iowa, is now in Afghanistan, the otherone works domestically somewhere.

My aunt's health is slowly deteriorating... she pretty much says she almost expects every day, someone is going to call her, or come to their house with news of my cousin's death...

I fear for his life too .... but it's what he wanted to do, serve his nation proudly; and defend the values that everyday Americans [and Canadians] take for granted. I can think of few things more honourable than that

[Sweet_LiL_Hunnie]

Originally Posted by Space-Cowboy

Sorry to hear that... You should definitely watch this documentary, the people here are going through their own inner demons, some fairing far worse...

actually i've kinda seen how bad it can get and know of those inner demons. you see one of my father's co-workers was this white guy named Sam. His son was my sister's age and we all got along well....until one night he kinda flipped out on his wife and with time she revealed the years of abuse she's endured bc of his depression from vietnam.

So we helped them (sam jr. and his mom) have a safe house till she moved in with her sister in a nearby texan town. long story short she got divorced from him and didn't ask him for a dime. Sam jr was only 6 and eventually his father was allowed visitation without supervision. His dad lost it on him once and beat the crap outta the kid at 12 and wasn't allowed to be near him.

at age 14 sam's dad was being nice and friendly and sam desperately wanted to get along with his dad bc he still loved the guy somehow and understood the war fucked him up mentally. One day sam's father told sam and his friends to do some yard work. when they came inside to get paid he blew his brains out with a shotgun infront of them. worst part was the days leading up to it he kept begging my parents to meet with him and how he wants to make amends with his wife and he needs a friend and yadda

luckily my mom's uncle died in ny so our family was gone, but had my parents been in town who knows, maybe they would have heard him out and worse maybe he would have taken them with him.

if you talk to sam jr. (his mom passed away last yr of cancer) or his mom at the time they'd both tell you they dont' blame him and know he was sick bc of issues he suffered with from the war.

[Sweet_LiL_Hunnie]

Originally Posted by Space-Cowboy

I have two cousins down in the States who are enlisted. One cousin, who's from Iowa, is now in Afghanistan, the otherone works domestically somewhere.

My aunt's health is slowly deteriorating... she pretty much says she almost expects every day, someone is going to call her, or come to their house with news of my cousin's death...

I fear for his life too .... but it's what he wanted to do, serve his nation proudly; and defend the values that everyday Americans [and Canadians] take for granted. I can think of few things more honourable than that

with that kinda stuff you just have to pray for the best and keep a positive outlook. I hope that your cousin has a safe and swift return home and that your aunt's health gets better. I would go into a depression if my brothers or future kids chose to do that with their life. I'd be proud of them but at the same time i'd be too worried.

[Space-Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Sweet_LiL_Hunnie

actually i've kinda seen how bad it can get and know of those inner demons. you see one of my father's co-workers was this white guy named Sam. His son was my sister's age and we all got along well....until one night he kinda flipped out on his wife and with time she revealed the years of abuse she's endured bc of his depression from vietnam.

So we helped them (sam jr. and his mom) have a safe house till she moved in with her sister in a nearby texan town. long story short she got divorced from him and didn't ask him for a dime. Sam jr was only 6 and eventually his father was allowed visitation without supervision. His dad lost it on him once and beat the crap outta the kid at 12 and wasn't allowed to be near him.

at age 14 sam's dad was being nice and friendly and sam desperately wanted to get along with his dad bc he still loved the guy somehow and understood the war fucked him up mentally. One day sam's father told sam and his friends to do some yard work. when they came inside to get paid he blew his brains out with a shotgun infront of them. worst part was the days leading up to it he kept begging my parents to meet with him and how he wants to make amends with his wife and he needs a friend and yadda

luckily my mom's uncle died in ny so our family was gone, but had my parents been in town who knows, maybe they would have heard him out and worse maybe he would have taken them with him.

if you talk to sam jr. (his mom passed away last yr of cancer) or his mom at the time they'd both tell you they dont' blame him and know he was sick bc of issues he suffered with from the war.

Damn that's harsh

What you have to understand is..... when it really gets down to it, it really is hard for one human being to KILL another.

Does the military recondition humans into killing machines by driving home the very notion of 'KILL KILL KILL'? Certainly. Are there wackos who just join the military for cheap thrills; men who were screwed in the head to begin with? Again, certainly. Have the military committed heinous acts in certain cases in Iraq and elsewhere? Again, for sure.


But by and large, the individuals serving this country are altruistic people who ARE averse to taking another life.... who ARE averse to KILLING; despite the rigious training their put through..... ESPECIALLY by the Marines, to turn into cold blooded killers.

Altruism is ingrained in our genes, and in our social conditioning from BIRTH. Humans, really don't want to Kill. And because they're now put into an environment where they're faced with imminent danger, and FORCED to kill... you begin to see these kinds of mental conditions appear...

Shell Shock/ Battle Fatigue/ Posttraumatic Stress Disorder... the inner demons.

[FlyDesiGrl]

Originally Posted by Sweet_LiL_Hunnie

i think that most of us that went to high school here in the states know of someone that's served in the military and if you've kept in touch with someone that went over into a combat zone. Most of them have some form of post traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately a good friend of mine served for 10 years and is on i think prozac because of his issues with the war. At times you just see him zone out and stare into space, or you have to watch your mouth when it comes to political debates bc sometimes he'll get into the talk and just go nutzo on how fucked up our government is and where we went wrong with iraq. it's a bit creepy and keeps him from being able to express his emotions properly. he doesn't sleep well or much at all and eventually it's going to take a toll on his life even more so.

as a friend it's hard to see close friends go through this, and we're somewhat helpless. you just have to be there for them when they want to talk and know what topics to avoid and stuff.

True say, I know a couple of guys who went to the combat zones over the last few years, and politics and such are such sensitive issues. Actually the other day i was at Kroger and i bumped into an old high school friend, Nate. Straight out of high school he enlisted in the army, and i was just asking him how he's doing and what he's been up to. He was completely spaced out, like he could hear me, but he wasn't listening kind of thing. Then he just started to ramble about how shit life is, and it's too short, and take care of yourself, be happy, find true love, and so forth. I just gave him this puzzled look, but then he told me he went to the middle east, and i guess he's seen way too much to handle, and it's taken a toll on him.

A couple of aqquaintances have boyfriends in Iraq right now, and they tell me that their guys are just not the same anymore. It really does make you feel helpless at times, but like you said, you can only just be there to listen to them, and not say a word. I just let Nate vent his anger and frustrations, and made no comments at all, because i didn't know which way the wind would blow with my responses. Now he's out of the army, i think, and he's living back here in Houston and going to school. But he said he feels like his life has no meaning anymore, and he has no direction, and nobody will ever know what he has felt or seen with his own eyes. One can only imagine he said. He's a really good guy.

[vedicom]

If you want to see an over dramatized action application of post traumatic stress of Vietnam Vets check out Rambo, it's so political

[Space-Cowboy]

Originally Posted by vedicom

If you want to see an over dramatized action application of post traumatic stress of Vietnam Vets check out Rambo, it's so political

... Rambo?

[Space-Cowboy]

Watch the damn documentary people!

[Space-Cowboy]

bump

[Sikh4Lyfe]

Too many fragile pussies. Soldiers today aint got shit on WWII vets who did and saw way worse.

[Space-Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Sikh4Lyfe

Too many fragile pussies. Soldiers today aint got shit on WWII vets who did and saw way worse.

Well.... that's true in a sense I guess.... the war death toll in the latter part of the 20th century is nothing compared to the death toll in the first part.