The Well Read PTSD Sufferer

This site was designed to put valuable information at the fingertips of Veterans that are battling PTSD.

I was diagnosed many years ago and still experience symptoms daily.

People ask "When were you in Vietnam?", my reply is usually, "Why just last night !!".

Exaggerated Startle Reflex:

Consistent with some clinical studies investigating the startle response in Vietnam veterans with PTSD, suggest that

the higher levels of startle response seen in the PTSD subjects may reflect a sensitization

of the fear/alarm response created by the stress of combat trauma..

My wife does not understand this symptom and gets aggravated at me when I jump.

My VA shrink said to bring her in and he would explain it to her. but that ain't gonna happen.

Try to understand your Veteran, and remember, for them "THE DEMONS NEVER DIE"

This picture was taken a few days prior to the beginning of the Tet Offefensive of 1968.

Behind me is the Perfume River across is the city of Hue and the Old Citadel..

The Citadel of Hue, set up by Nguyen Dynasty from 1805 to 1945, is now one amongst the relics of the Hue ancient Capital .

We were assigned to guard the bridge there, or what was left of it from B-52 bomings..

ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) soldiers also were assigned to guard the bridge also.

One evening a few of them asked if we wanted to eat supper with them, on the river bank.

Loving Oriental food and sick of C-Rations, myself and another soldier took them up on their offer.

They gave us each a bowl of rice and pointed to some green plants & meat to add on top.

After we had started eating, my buddy picked up a piece of the meat and asked "Oink Oink" ??

We had no translator and just winged it.

The ARVN soldiers burst out laughing at him and said "No Oink Oink GI, Bow Wow" !!!

With that, my buddy sat his bowl down and quickly returned to our position.

I turned back around from watching him leave, ate my bowl and took seconds.

Now I'm a died in the wool dog lover, but damn, I was sick of C-Rats.

FYI, it tastes like chicken, I call it the other, other White meat.

And I have never eaten dog since.

Next time you're in an Oriental Restaurant and eating Chicken "whatever", take a piece and ask yourself.

"Now just where on the chicken did this piece come from". ??

Two very helpful books when the VA says... NO.