What Is Combat PTSD?

[Sean Rice]

You're an ass. You have the instinct to close out anybody that didn't have the same experience that YOU had. You don't want to admit that "other people" had combat experience, but not YOUR experience. Let me tell you something: Ask 300 people that fought in the same war as you and you're going to find 300 wars... NONE of them yours.

I was a PHOTOGRAPHER and not military. Guess what, I PICKED up a gun. Guess what, I have the same f*cking nightnmares and can SEE the people that I shot and the people that I could NOT shoot and somebody else had to.

Arrogant. To think that you can define a combat veteran? Who has the right to talk on this forum? I PROMISE that I have a higher body count than you and I was a photographer.

One shot. One Kill. I was taught by my Viet Nam Daddy since I was 6 years old and wanted to teach him his own lesson when I was 13.

Combat PTSD is about coming back and having to deal with real life when all the people around you have NO idea what you saw. If you TRY to describe it, they STILL can't understand and you see it in their eyes.

Seriously: I don't CARE about your reasoning and argument. Hopefully, this forum is about SOLVING the anger, flooding, anxiety, rage... Hopefully, you back down and help your fellow soldiers and not argue about who may participate and whose pain doesn't count.

 

[Zipperhead]

Okay Sean, reality check here for one second. Anthony is the guy that owns this Forum. You are on it at his discretion. Calling him an ass kinda means your testing his discretion. If you want to stay here and get some help, shut up. We are all veterans. Maybe the Forum is poorly named. The Forum is meant for military members who have Combat PTSD. No, we are not saying that civi's who have been in a warzone cannot suffer from PTSD. What we are saying is that due to our training, we feel more comfortable discussing OUR ISSUES with other vets. Yes, it's all about us. You are an outsider here. If you want to see if you can get what you need on OUR SITE, do not judge us. Do not belittle us. And stop pointing out that your a photographer. As if that makes you special. "I was in a warzone, and I was just a civi." Well fine then civi, go talk with your friends and leave us alone.

 

[Jimmy1]

Nobody is begrudging the fact that you have PTSD. Nobody is begrudging the fact that you have been in a war zone.

But the site was made so veterans could all go some place and feel comfortable.
The other site was designed so that everyone else with PTSD could also go somewhere and feel safe.

I don't know why your so angry. Its just the way it is.

 

[anthony]

Thanks Jimmy, I am a member over there also but I just found it more relevant here as I can get a lot out of reading posts and interacting with veterans

Your account has been suspended here, as you are not a veteran as per the forum rules require.

 

[anthony]

Combat PTSD is about coming back and having to deal with real life when all the people around you have NO idea what you saw. If you TRY to describe it, they STILL can't understand and you see it in their eyes.

Actually, that is the same for nearly most traumatic events, if you ask the person experiencing the event. That is not exclusive to combat. Nice argument, though Zipperhead hit it correctly, being Combat PTSD is about the training you have endured in the military, wearing a uniform which IS a bullseye to the enemy, weapon, etc.

A civilian can see just as much as a soldier, but that is no different than being in a car crash together. You DON'T have the combat training or military role, which is what defines combat PTSD, not just being in a combat zone. Shit, if that was the case, then every civilian within every war zone has endured Combat PTSD from witnessing events... witnessing is the not the same as being a soldier.

Even having to pickup a weapon as a civilian, still not a soldier... civilians kill each other every day of the week, that does not make them soldiers or veterans... that makes them a civilian who had a decision to make, and made it.

I am not disregarding any type of trauma, and all types of trauma are catered for on PTSDForum.org, just not this specific site here. Most people with PTSD have anger and similar issues to veterans, but they don't have the mentality and attitude, the coherent bond that veterans have from training together, then fighting together, then suffering together.

Something for future people to consider who try and come onto this forum as though they are equal to a veteran, without being a veteran. Not even close to the same thing.

PTSDForum.org exists to cater EVERY other type of trauma... veterans don't play nice though with others, hence why this one decision was made to split them off into their own forum. Experience dictated this from the past years of running PTSDForum.org, not just because I felt like it or that I am a veteran... considering I was anti this approach for so many years, but my approach simply was failing to support veterans due to the reality that they just don't play well with empathetic, compassioniate, sympathetic civilians. The military does everything to remove these emotions, not recognise and endorse them.

 

[Shadowtao]

Any Combat vets new to the VA may learn from my mistake.



I had been seeing a shrink 1-on-1 for a while and am now in a group. I asked to be placed in a group of Combat vets and was really surprised in my first group session meeting the other members.
It took me until my third group session at the VA I have just figured out that the VA uses the term 'combat' differently than I.
I spent 12 years in the Army, all but one as an Infantryman 11B type. Vietnam years.

Then and I bet still we would say "combat" as in the "Combat Arms," of :

• Infantry
• Armor (including Armored Cavalry)
• Field Artillery
• Air Defense Artillery
• Army Aviation (e.g., Attack Helicopter and Air Cavalry units)
• Special Forces
• Combat Engineers

So to me when told I would be in a group of combat vet's I expected a group of vet's from the above specialties. For whatever reasons I have a hard time relating to people who were not "Combat Arms."
I know it is one of the things wrong with me, but it is very difficult for me and something that had in the past caused me a lot of problems at work and in meeting people.
I almost dropped right out of the group that first session, but figure these are the people I need to learn how to get along with, how to be normal around.
I am now on my 5th session. It's not going well. To prevent myself from reacting poorly I have been keeping my mouth shut in the groups mostly. Last session I spoke for the first time and was cut off by the therapist who said we needed to talk in private, where I was told I reacted with anger that was not appropriate and that this group (trauma) may not be the one for me.

 

[Jimmy1]

I suppose JP thats your opinion and your allowed to have one. Even on here.

This is my opinion.

This is actually a subject I feel very strongly on and I know there will be other veterans on here that share the same view. Combat has changed over the years though mate, not that long ago an Aussie Cook was on watch at a meant to be secure base and was shot dead by a so called friendly Afghani.
When we were deployed to Iraq, even clerks went on missions through the red zone to get to an objective, and they were not hiding inside the ASLAV, they were out one of holes scanning arcs.

I am not saying you are wrong when it comes to the definition of 'combat' and can understand why you struggle.
Here in Australia we define it by a badge. We have the Infantry Combat Badge and for all others it was the Army Combat Badge. I personally was a signaller, a so called pogue. I used to patrol with the infantry, and I have had the enemy in my sights and I know for a fact that during the Vietnam conflict Australian pogues went on active patrols and were killed there.

With PTSD as you are aware it is totally different. Modern warfare is ugly and horrific and any soldier, sailor, or airman/woman are exposed to it and have their lives threatened. They all suffer the horrible nightmares, watch over their shoulders, are on medication probably for the rest of their lives. They have all been in a combat zone and currently over in the Middle East no one is safe. We had a female signaller blown out of her bed at 5 am by a 22 mm rocket. It broke her hip and put her in hospital. She has never been the same since.

So JP I ask you this and hope you don't take offence, would she be welcome in your group therapy or does she have to take a sight picture on the enemy and pull the trigger.

Everyone on here may not be combat veterans in your eyes, but they are all veterans that have served their country and have the invisible wound of PTSD which they will carry around for the rest of their lives.

Anyway, you are most welcome here and with your experience you might be able to help some of us if not, I hope we can help you in some way.

No hard feelings

Jimmy

 

[Ned]

Last session I spoke for the first time and was cut off by the therapist who said we needed to talk in private, where I was told I reacted with anger that was not appropriate and that this group (trauma) may not be the one for me.

Hello JP. It sounds like your therapist has trouble accepting the old school 'forcefulness' . It is a fine line between outright anger and making your point. On anger, I decided to tackle that particular demon first. One thing that helped me was, ironically, one of the major causes of my problems. Five years in Northern Ireland definitely f#cked me up, but at the same time it taught me to control the anger, ground it even. When suited, booted and carrying a loaded rifle, and toe-to-toe with someone screaming and spitting in your face, you just have to learn it.
Even now, if me and the girl have a row, the non-reaction riles her. But the anger still brewed and corroded me inside at times, so I got on top of that first. It's helped.
On Jimmy's point. It's all a bit blurred in the last couple I was in, we had lasses in NI, Bosnia and of course the Middle East.
Yes, teeth arms should be the only ones in harm's way, but it doesn't work out that way, sadly. Don't end up thinking it is an exclusive club, mate, it's getting bigger all the time......
Maybe tell your therapist to watch a few good film portrayals of 'old school' Gunnys or even a few Brit ones, I reccommend 'The Hill' or 'Guns at Batasi', great insights into squaddie-think. Might help her.
Oh, and welcome.

 

[Anglesachse]

Not been here for a few days but I must and do agree with Ned and Jimmy. "Combat" must cover any arm of the Forces these days. Even today I still get called a "REMF" by the guys I went on patrol with, I know its just a name and all and not meant nasty and it doesn`t bother me. But then there are still those that look at you as if you have no idea of "Combat" because you weren`t "Teeth Arm", those who actualy believe just because you weren`t "thick" enough to join an Infantry Reg. you couldn`t have been in a contact.

I say Bollocks to the idea. I may have been a "Tradesman" and not a "Grunt" but I`ve smelt my share of cordite in enough firefights and I have earnt the respect of the guys I was out with pounding the ground in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Gulf. And even if it means blowing my own trumpet, I was better at "their" job than a lot of there own guys.

 

[anthony]

Combat is combat, regardless the CORP you serve nowadays. A grunt can sit on their arse, see and do nothing an entire operation, and the poor mechanic who travels around the country with a small team is being shot at and having to constantly defend themselves.

 

[drabs08]

What you have to take into account is that a lot of veterans have not had contact with their respective VA's. And others that have, are not getting the right help, so they turn to substance abuse to help them with their symptoms.

I will stand today and say that the THC found in marijuana is one of the best pain relievers out. It also gives you that euphoria. But unfortunately there are all the other chemicals and side effects which are not good.
Alcohol is another aid. A lot of people say they cannot sleep unless they have a drink, however; they are not aware that they don't actually go into a proper REM sleep whilst drunk and the body needs the REM sleep to sort themselves out.

I must say Jimmy this whole thing by Anthony has hit so close to home, I have to add that pot, Marijuana makes me more peranoid & hurts my ptsd worst, the drinks work for me but I still have to function for work the next day. The VA shrink actually told me like a month ago that it was good for me to drink, I just laughed, said then I must be doing ok then LOL

 

[drabs08]

I agree with all of you, our rifle team had to safe a team of mechanics working on a vehicle in Panama during Operation Just Cause, they were under fire & it wasnt their first time, not enough said about REMF's Anglesachse, you all see some crazy shit hit the fan as well, thats just one occasion that I mention. There were several I've been seeing this here was that still going on HOOAAH!!