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West of Broken Bow | My relative has suffered with it ever since Vietnam. He piloted landing crafts and other floating vessels. Body bags were what he regularly had to transport to and from the ship. It has affected his sleep for decades. A CPAP machine seems to help these days. Flashbacks would regularly haunt his sleep.
He would drink heavily over there to try and cope with the horrors of war. This would prove to be a battle in itself when he returned to the states and attempt to find normalcy. I recall him saying that out of nowhere he’d start crying once back in society. The flashbacks of war scenes would play over and over. Lots of prayer, time, and staying away from alcohol has seemed to help.
Do you or any of your loved ones suffer with PTSD? My understanding is that long ago soldiers were shamed and punished for exhibiting signs of PTSD.
We were having a discussion at a restaurant about Vietnam with others who served. One guy went on three tours. He didn’t open up about what he faced as a soldier. Life for him in the states before the war was full of poverty. Over there he mentioned receiving regular pay, regular meals, and clothing. Back in the states life for him must’ve been awful to say that was why he kept signing back up.
Edited by TractorAddict 8/4/2023 13:59
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PTSD
