PTSD

I may have already shared this story in a previous post. I felt compelled to write after reading Baraka’s post at

This story begins is about a neighbor of mine who could probably be characterized as someone with very little ambition. He was a drinker and he and his buddies were always hanging around the front to the building looking half-crocked so to speak. Nevertheless, he and his brother were always friendly and often offered casual conversation to me and my dh and the other neighbors.

The neighbor was a member of the National Guard and he was deployed to Iraq. The neighbor was home for a week for a visit. He approached me as I was walking through the front door. He had a very desperate and scared look in his brown eyes. He asked me if my hubby spoke Arabic. I thought this was a curious question and felt a little annoyed with the assumption. But, I quickly stopped my negative thinking in my tracks. I know that in order to fight the stereotypes, I must act as a positive leader with open arms.

I carefully explained that my husband is from Pakistan and that he speaks Urdu. He asked again whether or not he knew any Arabic. I said that he know a little, mostly from his Quaranic teachings. The neighbor asked if my dh could please come downstairs and speak to him. I could see that this young neighbor of mine was quite distraught and needed some guidance.

I went upstairs and told my hubby about the request. My dh hesitated for a moment. I think he felt that he was being set up as a target of this young man’s anger. I told my hubby about this man was very distraught and confused and was showing signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I told him that we should support him because he was reaching out.

My hubby went down stairs. I stayed behind, allowing the moment to be for the boys. The neighbor had witnessed a lot of violence and unnecessary death. He was unsure of why the US was in Iraq. He and his peers had been told during Basic Training that they were going as security forces to help the Iraqis create a democracy. This made him feel god and important.

He quickly learned that the US had no intention of using neither him nor the other soldiers to “help shape a democratic society.” My neighbor was upset that he had not even been taught how to greet Iraqis and he knew nothing of their culture. He felt like he was an intruder trespassing. My husband took some time to explain what a Muslim believes and how to greet with “Assalmu alekum.” They also talked at great length about the history of US and the mid-east relations. The neighbor was very grateful.

Grateful or not, I am sure he has suffered tremendously. He and many other soldiers are returning to the US with many unanswered questions, and feelings of grief and anger. People who experience PTSD need a lot of love and support. They need to belong to a group comprised of others who have shared the same experiences. They are prone to anger and paranoia and often self medicate with drugs and alcohol. Disproportionate amount of people experiencing homelessness are veterans.

It can be said that many of the men and women who engage in acts of terror and senseless violence do so because they have grown up in poverty and harbor a lot of anger toward the evils of the Western world. Many of these men and women value life differently than you and I and have un-wavering belief that they are soldiers of God. The same can be said about the young men and women who enlist in the US armed forces. Many enlistees come from poverty and feel that they have been slighted by the land of opportunity. They don’t see their “out”. They harbor a lot of anger and racist feelings toward the “Muslim enemy”. They feel that it is their duty and that they will honor the most important people in their lives: their parents, spouses, community, and God.

They return to the US very disillusioned and a new world-view which they are unable to share with their loved ones who could never understand life outside of their community walls. They find themselves unable to get ahead and with feelings of guilt, questioning the two things they had the most faith in: the US and God.

Today, we continue to deal with the aftermath of the destruction of the Vietnam “conflict”. Be sure that today’s “War on Terrorism” peace troopers will need a lot of supportive resources. Let’s all do our part, whether it is volunteering at your local VA, holding a fundraiser, or urging our local representatives to not cut the VA budget.

I have worked with many Veterans as part of a homeless advocacy program. What I have learned is that most would rather talk about their war experiences than not. Most have a lot to say about history and politics, etc., but have no one in their peer group todiscuss these topics.

And on a final note, thank you and God bless all of the World's soldiers. People are good; governements and dictators are the one with selfish agendas.