Short Story

The Vietnam war left around 11% of American soldiers with PTSD. Many Vietnam veterans see doctors for medicine to control their PTSD. Medicine helps some veterans live longer, but today twenty-two virtuosos commit suicide everyday. An example is from The They Carried by Tim O’Brien; page 155 the first paragraph of the chapter, “Notes”. On the other hand, the song, “Goodnight Saigon” by Billie Joel, does not have any indication of what happens after the war. This essay will be comparing and contrasting Tim O’Brien’s book and Billie Joel’s song.

The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) findings indicate that of the 1.7 million veterans who ever experienced significant symptoms of PTSD after the Vietnam war, approximately 830,000 still experience clinically significant distress and disability from symptoms of PTSD. (Weiss, et al. par.1) Soldiers deployed into war zones are exposed to a broad spectrum of traumatic events that they are forced to cope with on the

As he maneuvers through he thinks not only of his fate, but also of how, “it should protect me, and especially as Death himself lies in it too7.” The brave soldier realized death could come at any moment, and it is practically lying right next to him. The young troop has become aware and vulnerable to death, just like the soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iran. Because soldiers witness the physical traumas of other man or themselves their lives are never the same at home. The mentally struggling soldiers often rub off on their family, affecting them as a whole.

average person does not deal with in such high doses. Lobello’s chronic stress can be attributed to his time overseas, but more importantly the lack of care he received upon returning back to the U.S. that has kept him from feeling safe in his own home. He also noted that his thoughts kept him awake at night. Over time, Lobello became increasingly aggressive and erratic, his actions proving to be unpredictable. His behavior went undiagnosed for quite some time, and he was given little heads up from his superiors that his behavior was actually quite common for veterans. As the central figure of the article, Lobello’s story is unfortunately one of many instances in which soldiers returning home from war are too quickly thrown back into the daily grind when in reality they would benefit greatly from a reintegration program, easing

Shells exploded all around us, peppering us with shrapnel. Over the past months, I’d watched friends, enemies, and innocent bystanders die. Every time someone fell, I felt the briefest flicker of guilt. Had it been my bullet? Was more blood on my hands? Some nights I yelled, hoping more than just God and the stars would hear me; some nights I cried, praying no one was listening. Around me, I saw grown men falling to bits, their nightmares screaming them back to reality as they echoed through the trenches. Reality was no better than their nightmares.

Time has passed since the battle, but the soldier is unable to get the image of his dying comrade out of his head, and worst of all, he knows there is nothing he can do to help the dying soldier. An experienced soldier like the speaker was naïve until he witnessed the horrific death of his comrade, and only then did he acknowledge the physical and mental agony war creates. The speaker questions how people can continue to call for war and urge young men to fight for personal glory and national honor. He realizes that they are innocent–they have not experienced the emotional trauma that he is going through now. This soldier was naïve as he took on the challenge of war, and like many other soldiers, it took a scarring experience and the inevitable death of a fellow soldier for the speaker to be stripped from his innocence, as he realizes that he cannot save the life of this man. He is no hero–no man fighting in war and killing other human beings is a hero. The speaker cannot control death or save lives, and this fact of war will continue to haunt his no longer innocent self.

Many men go into the to war fighting for their honor only to return to be trapped by their own thoughts and memories of the horrors experienced on the battle field. Kiowa, who is much more kind and patient, understands that everyone has different reactions to taking life. He knows he will never be able to put himself in Tim’s shoes, but he still tries to comfort him by assuring him he made the right decision. “You want to trade places with him” (981)? “This guy was dead the second he stepped on the trail” (982). While the solders try to comfort Tim, he stays quiet, continuing to look over the body. Locked up by thoughts of guilt, Tim is showing us no words can describe the reality associated with war.

“…and so, your cooperation is utmostly needed and required right now, Mr. Ralston,” Dorne said.

A thick cloud of dust is present in the air above him. The sounds of hollering, gunshots and deafening noises can be heard in every corner of the dark forest. He’s covered in his own blood and those of innocent people he had to kill. He’s clinging onto his gun with all his might; it’s the only hope of survival he has left. The taste of death is pungent and overwhelming making him dizzy and it’s slowing him down. “P-taff!” His eyelids then close and his body falls numb, he’s dead before the sound of the gunshot had reached his ears.The horrors of war that occurs in many places, leads to the loss of innocence of many young children because they are being terrorized and they're forced to make burdensome decisions.

"Here I thought this was cramped when I was stuck in here alone," Cat mutters, voice barely above a whisper. If they're on schedule they're still more than half an hour away from inspection, but old habits die hard and it's better to be safe than sorry.

“The Outer-Ring,” he said, laughing at the irony as he braced for impact. “A new step for mankind.”

Damien awoke to the sound of the wretched voice on his intercom. The like sound of a knife on glass combined with a dying cat seemed like the most accurate representation of him. The voice croaked a few time before speaking.

Angelos stood on the same chair that Eric stood on, and announced, “People, we need to focus. We will attack, soon. We need more action than conversation. Focus people, focus… Please, text your friends and family on the pier and tell them. We will get our supplies together and attack them. Each store should protect itself at this moment.”

I watched as the um, um...I do not remember her name, I have a horrible memory. I remember the other servant called out her name but I do not seem to remember. The girl took Will's arm and followed him to his horse.

It wasn't Jud and his lot this time, but wolves. The wolves were back. Though it might as well have being them—they were both a cruel and rapacious bunch.