Stories of American Soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD
March 30, 2009
In 2003, author and film producer Straus (Prayers on My Pillow) began interviewing troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for the non-profit Armed Forces Foundation; as they returned home, she found their psychological wounds going unaddressed by the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (DVA). In 42 harrowing, inspiring stories, Straus crafts a multi-faceted view of the neglect and bureaucratic nonsense faced by returning warriors and their families. Though neurologist Col. Christopher Williams denies that the DoD or DVA are "falling short" in caring for vets with "invisible wounds" like traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), the stories of servicemen like Marine Corp Sergeant Christopher Horman speak for themselves: discharged with noted injuries, including PTSD, he secured treatment (with help from the AFF) only after he had lost his job, was forced to send away one of his sons, pawn his and his wife's wedding rings and move the family into a motel. With a thorough resource guide and input from caregivers and family members, often dealing with their own psychological hurdles, this is an invaluable volume for vets and their families, and another important cry for the proper treatment of the nation's defenders on the field and at home.