Combat Trauma: A Personal Look at Long-Term Consequences

by James D. Johnson

Much has been written of the short-term experience of combat trauma. Almost nothing has been documented about how that trauma impacts individuals years after their first conflict experiences and into later life. Here, Johnson relates the stories of fifteen of his combat brothers to share with the world what their terror of four decades ago has done to them and how it affects them to this day. With candor and vivid detail, they reveal how their combat trauma symptoms still infect their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors on a daily basis. Those returning from battle now and their family and friends will find here a roadmap of what to expect from those suffering from PTSD as a result of combat. With this knowledge, today's veterans and those who love and care for them can tackle the issues and challenges so that symptoms may be minimized and addressed. Those who still carry these wounds will find that they are not alone, and that there are ways of dealing with the horror, no matter how long ago it may have been. Johnson concludes the book with resources for obtaining help and mending the spirit in the face of what can be debilitating thoughts and fears.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, War, Memoir

150 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Final Frontier Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there are lots of clinical texts written by doctors surrounding PTSD, they are written in quite a detached way and don't give the victims of PTSD a voice. This is an incredibly insightful book that is written in combat veterans' voices; allowing someone who has never experienced PTSD to get a glimpse into what the symptoms are like, and therefore how they might help someone in that situation. It was an often-upsetting, deeply emotional read and I am glad I was able to pick it up.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the gravity and significance of the subject, I really tried to like this book. The writing was unfortunately repetitive and disorganized at times, and my ignorance regarding Vietnam war terminology made the stories confusing. Let the criticism not detract from my great respect for these men.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to set the book down several times to absorb what I was reading properly. Even so, I read this book cover to cover in less than one day- it was engrossing and immediate. It was incredibly brave for these veterans to write so vividly about their experiences and difficulties in the long years after deployment. This is not something that can be read properly without a great deal of heartache- for the men who wrote their stories, for the stories that will go unwritten, and for the men and women everywhere who suffer the lasting effects of trauma and combat. For those of us who love and care about people who have experienced these things- reading about such indescribable things is an imperfect way to learn how to bridge the gap between us, but we have to try. This book is one of the most emotionally difficult books I've read in a long time, but it is valuable resource for those who want to better understand the changes in a loved one since return from deployment or for a veteran who needs to understand they are not going crazy- that the anger, sadness, fear, concentration issues, mood swings, rage, despair, and insomnia is a completely natural reaction to the insanity that is combat. Crazy would be NOT being affected. You are't the first, the last, or the only one going through it, and these stories of veterans who have "seen the elephant" and then gone on to live productive, happy lives serve as examples of what is possible with a lot of work, love, and time.

[Phillip · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very serious book on combat trauma told collectively by a group of Vietnam vets. I'm putting it aside halfway through, for a variety of reasons. For one, it is repetitive; the same theme over and over and over, just told with different examples, flashbacks, stories, and examples. This is clearly a book for those who are suffering from combat trauma; it serves as a great reminder and therapy tool that what you are going through, you are not the only one. But, if you don't have combat trauma, there is nothing for you in this book. And that certainly includes me, for the most part! So, placing this in the shelf, just in case I ever know of someone who needs it.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

16 vietnam veterans share their experiences with combat and the trauma that they live with after they come home - even 40 years later. The writing isn't strong, but the stories are powerful.

[Deale Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on combat trauma. Must read for families, therapists, and everyone ... dealing with veterans and the consequences of combat.