INTRODUCTION

It is generally believed that war is followed by peace. That myth is exploded in the face of the tragedy which continues despite the passage of time since the last American soldier left Vietnam.

The recent upsurge of interest in the Vietnam war and in the men who fought there has also fueled a renewed interest in the aftermath of controversy and confusion that conflict left in its wake. Embroiled in the very core of that chaos are approximately 500,000 of the 3.14 million men and women who served in Southeast Asia. These are the forgotten warriors within whom the anguish continues, the anger and guilt still rage, and the questions remain unanswered. They are the leftover casualties of our country's most unpopular war.

The intensity of the social and political climate in this country during the Vietnam war played a major role in the resulting conflicts which continue to plague our Vietnam veterans. Far removed from our shores, our fighting men in Southeast Asia were nonetheless reached and touched personally by the bitter winds of dissent at home. The support so necessary to maintain morale, and a clear understanding of why he was fighting were clearly lacking. Inevitably this led to a demoralization both in combat and upon his return home. The "welcome homes" were largely nonexistent at the very least and frequently hostile.

In our desire to express our frustrations with the conflict in Vietnam, we targeted our young men who served there. In a very real sense, we did not separate the war from those who fought it. Having done that, it was easier to forget them than to confront their pain and anger.

When faced with that pain and anger, we admonished them to forget. We told them that time would mend their wounds and heal their emotional scars. The old adage "time heals all" does not appear to apply to many who fought in Vietnam. The depth of their grief, loss, and guilt has become intensified with the passing years. Time is now an all too familiar enemy in a seemingly unending battle. The war is not over; it is not behind us. Its legacy continues to haunt us in the eyes, heads, and hearts of its veterans and in those who love them. Indeed, as a Nation, it is within us all.

There are still too many men with too much grief and too little dignity; too many men who have still not come home.

Their war related readjustment problems have been designated as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as a disorder involving stress responses caused by events outside the range of common experience. It is considered an anxiety disorder (not a mental illness) marked by a reexperiencing of the trauma. The trauma tries to surface, though the individual tries to keep it submerged. (Veteran, September 1988)

The stress syndromes usually develop after the disaster or catastrophe has ended. It has been determined that when an individual has been exposed to a profound death experience or a life death threat, there is a residue of stress that remains throughout his daily living pattern. PTSD typifies this stress experience, and the individual frequently adapts his daily behavior to that of the traumatic experience. Such behavior may be related to anger, depression, nightmares, substance abuse problems and feelings of alienation, just a few of the many related problems among those afflicted with PTSD. PTSD is also described in terms of the Survivor Syndrome which consists of "The persistence into civilian life of traits that were reality adaptations in the traumatic situation." (B. Goderez, 1985) The survivor alternates between combat and civilian functioning, very much like that of a Multiple Personality Syndrome. There appears to be a definite relationship between the duration and degree of combat exposure to the severity of the stress disorder. This can also apply to the degree of alcohol/drug abuse. (B. Goderez, 1985)

What is needed now is an understanding of the readjustment problems confronting our Vietnam veterans by families, friends, and society in general. "Honor, justice, and dignity are not words for "flower children." They are words to be used in reference to those who, with their lives, fought for what their country thought was necessary. It is time to let the world know that we, as a country, stand behind those who defend us in whatever conflict." (P. Giglia, 1.983)