As for the rate of ptsd, I don't know if they are different or not from times before. If the definition of such has changed, what has it been changed to? I'd heard the definition of ptsd is somewhat different from before but I don't know that for certain. It brings up the question, if the definition in medical terms of what constitutes ptsd has been changed, why? Are the symptoms different now or simply redefined to something different? Ie: a lesser level of indications?
Either way it may not bear on the root cause, and I do think part of that is individuals over there sitting there wondering "what are we doing here, is this worth it?"
I agree with you, once rounds start flying, nobody is worried about the why of it. Only thing they are concerned with is staying alive and/or winning the immediate fight. However between those times, there is time to think and I can't see soldiers & such looking around at things as well as having access to information on the `net and asking themselves questions. If they are honest with themselves, they are no doubt some very tough questions and even tougher correct answers.
I spoke with a couple veterans from this current affair and they both said the same thing "it is BS, we don't belong there and it is a giant waste of lives, effort, etc. However we signed up and we are stuck with it" I wonder does the change in what they're either seeing in the ptsd or the change in defining it reflect the stress of a soldier being over there and trying to simply keep themselves and their fellows alive given they question whether or not what they're doing is worth thier lives?
I know many years ago I asked myself some of the same questions, my day in serving wasn't too far removed from the era of country joe & the fish ranting about " 1,2,3,4, what the hell are we fighting for?" I can tell you when you're pulling a watch, you have a lot of time to think about things and a lot of questions you are stuck there with. In joining the military you essentially write a blank check on your life, it might be cashed at any time and you wonder or hope the cost is worth it.
In my day, it was Us vrs. Ivan, and things back in that era would have been very drastic had something happened. Although by the same token, at least to my own thinking, back then things were far more clear what it was about. What these youngsters are stuck with today is clear only in that what we and they have been told is not the whole truth and they are expected to honor the blank check they wrote over that, not an easy thing to do. I can only imagine the stress that would cause an individual.
My day or my own thoughts back then were "we have John Wayne, Bo Dereck, air conditioning, `57 chevies, and the Beach Boys, what does Ivan have? The Berlin wall? What does that say about us and them and what each side is about?" Perhaps the unsophisticated musings of a dolt 18 year old kid, but it was enough for me to understand what I was doing and why it was worth it. I don't see the kids over in the sand-box having anything to rest thier faith on such as I did. And it leaves me wondering as to whether or not that is what is causing or is partly causing them personal issues of whatever stripe.
