This Emotional Life

PBS's 'This Emotional Life': Remembering the Psychological Impact of War, and Doing Something About It

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On September 11, 2001, our nation went to war -- first in Afghanistan and later in Iraq. Nearly nine years later the war rages on and the men, women and families in our military community continue to experience the consequences of this war.

Although we have all seen the news reports and read the articles explaining the human cost of war, as a country we seem to still struggle to grasp the enormity of the situation for the men, women and families who serve. There is no doubt that Americans want to support our men and women in uniform. We are clearly proud of their service and appreciate their sacrifice. But far too many of us lack the knowledge and understanding necessary to truly assist in the reintegration of our returning troops into their -- and our -- communities.

How can we understand this disconnect? What makes it so difficult for us as a nation to recognize and respond to the reality of war for those who serve? And, most importantly, what can we and our leaders do to effectively and comprehensively care for our military personnel and their families? Continued