Some believe human nature is inherently violent and we can never escape the scourge of war.
Yet, isnt the fact that so many veterans commit suicide evidence for the reverse? Most humans do not want to kill eachother, and have to be persuaded to kill.
Most PTSD or moral injury is guilt from killing, according to Iraq Veteran Matthew Hoh.
To truly support veterans and all humans, should we not move to end war altogether? We already have international laws that will help eliminate war. We just need public and political will to respect these laws.
Please listen to Iraq Veteran Matthew Hoh speak about PTSD, moral injury and much more:
From Vietnam Veteran John Ketwig: “…the recent PBS TV Ken Burns documentary “The Vietnam War”…dutifully showed the Vietnam Memorial, the stark wall with the names of 58,315 Americans who died there, but there was no mention of the estimated 150,000 to 200,000 Vietnam veterans who have committed suicide since returning home from the war.”
“Truthfully, PTSD is not a “disorder.” Post-Traumatic Stress Damage is a normal and predictable reaction to the horrors of war, the heart and soul’s reaction to the unthinkable destruction of brick and mortar and life and limb. Our brave young soldiers join the military, often because it is the only employment available to them, for all the best reasons. When they see modern combat, the horrible effects of modern weapons, and the brutality encouraged by today’s American way of waging war, far too many are mentally and emotionally scarred for life. Today, the American people quietly accept that their brave young soldiers will come home “changed”, suffering from PTSD. On the ground in Vietnam we said the fallen were “wasted”. Despite the urging of the civilian mental health community, the Pentagon and VA refuse to acknowledge the existence of moral damage from war. They deny that PTSD is an outpouring of the soldier’s intrinsic humanity, of his or her respect for other human beings and their life’s accomplishments.
Abel Tomlinson 