I served for 15 years in the U.S.Marines. Beirut was my first campaign. Storm was my last. These poor souls returning are the result of the politicians refusal to be what they are supposed to be, the peace makers.Their personal and career goals are first and foremost in their eyes. We as a nation need to start excercising our responsibilities as citizens as described in the constitution. we fire one and the rest will conform to OUR wants and needs, instead of their personal agendas. I support ALL of our kids comming home from military duty. I have many things that still haunt me, and there is little or no help for us(the vet), when we return home. Thay say "oh we have these support programs" but in reality THERE IS NONE THAT DO HELP. All vets need true help and good lives to return too.But there would be less of these problems if we had politicians that stood on OUR beliefs not theirs. the first line in the Constituion is "WE THE PEOPLE" not "I THE POLITICIAN" peace thru strength has very powerful meaning. We as citizens are loosing our rights as fast as we gained them.Due to the reason were not being citizens were being SUBJECTS, think about America. and yes I'm nuts. But, I'm thinking,not being subjugated to their ways and idealology.

I can relate to this, I served 20yrs and 5 wars as a Navy Seal, Viet Nam, Panama, Beruit, Granada, Desert Storm. I still have demons.

Fantastic and very enlightening......these men deserve to be treated with respect.War sucks in anyones eyes.

Oh what a powerful documentary for our men and women who return from deployment with problems. I personally know a few Iraq war veterans, directly related to my family, so there are problems. I remember my sister telling me her husband is a bit psycho after the first tour... she almost wanted to leave him. He came about and realized he had some problems and left the military as soon as he could. He lives a great family life now... i really do respect them for that.
Another friend, they refused to send to Iraq because he is such a nice guy. He volunteered each time to get there and get some battle field experience. Instead, he left as well with health problems caused just in training, I'm glad he didn't go now.
I sure hope that after this administration is gone, they new administration will look at taking care of our veterans much better and improve VA treatment.

Before one becomes a soldier for real, one is connected to one's own humanity. For civilians, identifying with one's own humanity is a daily process of recognition awakend to everyday, and reinforced and supported by immediate family and friends, and work colleagues.
When one enlists, the first thing that basic training cuts is the connection with your own humanity, and when in true combat, the horror of war with its appalling sights and sounds and smells, further reinforces that disconnection. Many soldiers actually recognise their humanity for the first time in their life, because the disconnection leaves a psychological and moral vacuum, and for the first time they recognise something inside of them is wrong. The unease grows, and the struggle to reconnect is a struggle in the seeking to re-connect.
Many cannot articulate this inner struggle, and those from whom they (rightfully) expect aid, are equally unable to articulate the issue, either through a lack of recognition of what is disconnected, or through some policy of isolationism.
I think that self-education would help, for through education can be found the means to articulate the vacuum. You may be soldiers, but you are also human beings, and human beings are reletavistically moral and humane: from that we perceive the spirit in ourselves...by that, and in that way reconnection is achieved.
Best wishes

you mirror my sentiments phil. we do not have the right to invade our next door neighbor's home, murder his wife and children, and then siphon all of the gas from his vehicles. that would end up in a murder conviction and the death penalty being imposed. so what gives george bush the right to completely circumnavigate congress and do precisly that to a soveriegn nation thousands of miles away?? bush should be executed for treason and war crimes, and the torching of our 200 plus year old constitution. the damage that he has done may never be reversed, and he has insured that the terrorist threat that his cabinet manufactured has now become a reality. it is an international war crime to invade a soveriegn nation, and that is punishable by death. irag is a soveriegn nation that had absolutely no connection to our own governments attacks on 9-11. it is a proven fact that usama bin laden and saddam hussein despised each other, yet most americans think that iraq was involved in the 9-11 attacks. the bush administration is solely responsible for those deaths, and they have benefitted greatly while the rest of the world suffers economic collapse. then these bastards will swoop in and buy up the world economy for pennies on the EURO, not the dying dollar, meanwhile we all go hungry and die early from the ratt wheel that we have been put on by the neo-con war machine.

Soldiers are trained to kill in situations that an ordinary civilian cannot even comprehend. Our training is designed to DE-sensitise and it works.
The REAL problem is those who are psychologically UNFIT to begin with and believe me I have met a few.
The solution to this - Disband and go to other countries if requested with FOOD and medical supplies. Conflict is heightened by aggressive invaders. All governments American, British or any other should be IMMEDIATELY replaced if they are found supporting or causing conflict ANYWHERE.
If a politician or representative has a problem with another person - THEY should sort it out personally or resign. I see NO politician in ANY conflict ANYWHERE word wide.
Send our politicians in to IRAQ, IRAN and Afghanistan etc on the front line and I GUARENTEE wars will end tomorrow. We the PEOPLE SAY 'NO!' to war and oppression.
BUSH, Blair, Rice, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest of the top 10 British and American should be brought before the 'PEOPLE' to answer and PAY the price for murder.
I pray for all those troops in the field to be safe and come home soon and that 'We the people' negotiate with the 'affected countries' to forgive us for allowing these officials to go so far. Peoples of different countries affected by these atrocities ' HELP' us to put an end to this madness, like me you are human and if given the choice we would be brothers of this EARTH and not enemies.
Call for those who ordered this to answer to their madness.