Back in my era of post-Vietnam veterans, there did not seem to be as much public acknowledgement of PTSD related issues. There isn’t really a post-Middle East conflict era yet since we as a nation are still very actively engaged in hostilities there. U.S. military personnel still deploy and return on a regular basis, many experiencing multiple combat tours of duty.
In the present day, there are almost daily reminders in the media from the effects of PTSD on members of our nation and local communities. It was a couple of years ago I was reading a local newspaper’s first person story of one such local service member’s trauma. His frustration with trying to cope and live a normal, a life free of torment was so very genuine. It caused reflection of my own journey.
It was at this point I was stirred by what I had read and wished it possible to do something that might help. Pondering the subject I was reminded along the way of my own personal experience so many years ago. A lot of time had passed, but it seemed to me time did not invalidate any of what had been experienced.
Fast forward to the present, have felt strongly encouraged to document the story and make it readily accessible to the community of veterans at large. The mission of MyPTSDStory.info and personal hope is for the message within the story to bring healing and peace to someone else.