Suicide Note (courtesy of my intrepid and elusive compadre, The Scarlet Pimpernel)
This is what PTSD comes in the shape of—soldiers can not often handle coming back to the same world they left behind. It is something that drives soldiers over the edge and causes them to withdraw from society. As Americans we turn our nose down at them wondering why they act the way they do…. Talk show hosts like Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and so many others act like they know all about war; then they refuse to give any creadence to soldiers like me who have been to war and seen the brutality of war. These guys are nothing but WEAK SPINELESS COWARDS hiding behind microphones while soldiers come home and are losing everything they have.
We’ve all heard the stories of American soldiers who have returned from Iraq, resumed their lives, and have gone on to accomplish bigger and better things. We should all happy for and proud of these folks…but what about those who return from Iraq profoundly effected, perhaps even damaged or broken by their wartime experience? What of those who return and find themselves unable to reintegrate themselves back into “the world”?
SPC Doug Barber returned from Iraq, finding only that he left one war behind only to have to fight another, this one against Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one that he would ultimately lose when took his own life. Prior to doing so, however, he emailed The Scarlet Pimpernel with his story. You can read it here, and it’s an interesting commentary on those who profess to support our troops…as long we don’t actually have to DO anything for them once they return from war. Americans need to understand the truth- ALL versions of it. Doug Barber’s truth is what ultimately cost him his life, and yet we hear little about in the media. Then again, it’s difficult to wave the flag when you’re dealing with the truth, eh?
