Caricamento
Informazioni sul libro
Lethal Warriors: When the New Band of Brothers Came Home
Azioni libro
Inizia a leggereDescrizione
When the 506th Infantry Regiment—known since World War II as the Band of Brothers—returned to Colorado Springs after their first tour in Iraq, a series of brutal crimes swept through the city. The Band of Brothers had been deployed to the most violent places in Iraq, and some of the soldiers were suffering from what they had seen and done in combat. Without much time to recover, they were sent back to the front lines. After their second tour of duty, the battalion was renamed the Lethal Warriors, and, true to their name, the soldiers once again brought the violence home.
Lethal Warriors brings to life the chilling true stories of these veterans—from their enlistment and multiple tours of duty to their struggles with ptsd and their failure to reintegrate in society. With piercing insight and employing his relentless investigative skills, journalist David Philipps shines a light not only to this particular unit, but also to the painful reality of ptsd as it rages throughout the country.
By exploring the evolving the science and the stigma of war trauma throughout history—from "shell shock" to "battle fatigue" to "combat stress injuries"—Philipps shows that this problem has always existed and that, as the nature of warfare changes, it is only getting worse. In highlighting the inspiring stories of the resilient men and women in the armed forces who have the courage to confront the issue and offer a potential lifeline to the soldiers, Lethal Warriors challenges us to deal openly, honestly, and intelligently with the true costs of war.
Azioni libro
Inizia a leggereInformazioni sul libro
Lethal Warriors: When the New Band of Brothers Came Home
Descrizione
When the 506th Infantry Regiment—known since World War II as the Band of Brothers—returned to Colorado Springs after their first tour in Iraq, a series of brutal crimes swept through the city. The Band of Brothers had been deployed to the most violent places in Iraq, and some of the soldiers were suffering from what they had seen and done in combat. Without much time to recover, they were sent back to the front lines. After their second tour of duty, the battalion was renamed the Lethal Warriors, and, true to their name, the soldiers once again brought the violence home.
Lethal Warriors brings to life the chilling true stories of these veterans—from their enlistment and multiple tours of duty to their struggles with ptsd and their failure to reintegrate in society. With piercing insight and employing his relentless investigative skills, journalist David Philipps shines a light not only to this particular unit, but also to the painful reality of ptsd as it rages throughout the country.
By exploring the evolving the science and the stigma of war trauma throughout history—from "shell shock" to "battle fatigue" to "combat stress injuries"—Philipps shows that this problem has always existed and that, as the nature of warfare changes, it is only getting worse. In highlighting the inspiring stories of the resilient men and women in the armed forces who have the courage to confront the issue and offer a potential lifeline to the soldiers, Lethal Warriors challenges us to deal openly, honestly, and intelligently with the true costs of war.
Informazioni sull'autore
DP![]()
Recensioni
Lethal Warriors is a prime example of very high-quality journalism. The author, David Philipps, didn’t stop at a headline or two. He went deep, did thorough research, interviewed dozens of people, stepped back and took a look at the big picture, and then tied all the strings together to make a whole story. What we get in this book is an insightful understanding about the impact that war has on people, and in particular, the “combat stress injuries” and PTSD suffered by U.S. soldiers in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.Philipps follows a group of soldiers stationed together in South Korea. They call themselves the Band of Brothers after the WWII group of the same name. Unexpectedly, the Band is sent to Iraq. They are ordered to patrol a road in the Sunni Triangle that they rename Route Michigan. They are on patrol every day. Some days nothing happens on patrol. Other days, IEDs explode and kill one or more of them. They never know what will happen when they patrol. The stress is constant and increasing. Then things get even worse when they are ordered to Al Dora, a section of Baghdad where chaos and violence reign. The insurgent attacks on them are so frequent and so violent in Al Dora that several in the group begin to fall into deep depression and psychosis. Several suffer traumatic brain injuries. Most become, as the author puts it, “nihilistic and erratic.” Several begin to engage in acts of arbitrary, meaningless violence against the civilian population. They commit war crimes. The author describes some of these crimes. Truly awful.Then they are send home to Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rather than get help for their PTSD and combat stress injuries, the Army chooses to label them cowardly if they complain. They are “chaptered out,” meaning they are labeled as having a preexisting condition, that the war and PTSD isn’t the Army’s problem or responsibility. When they leave the Army, they are not eligible for benefits, including health and psychological care. The Band of Brothers transforms into Lethal Warriors. They engage in burglaries, random drive-by shootings, domestic violence, and murder. Some of them have flashbacks so complete that they think they are back in Iraq fighting insurgents when actually they are in Colorado Springs killing local residents. Most of the Lethal Warriors are now in prison or dead.The author pulls together all this data to show us what happened to these men. Even more frightening are indications that there are returned soldiers all over the U.S. who carry the same combat stress injuries within them. They are, in effect, ticking time bombs. They need help.Reading this book is necessary to understanding the true impact of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars on American soldiers. Highly recommended.
Over the years, the psychological affects of war has gone by many names, battle fatigue, shell shock, and finally Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It’s often viewed as an excuse to get out of battle by fellow soldiers and superiors. Those who claim to have it are shamed and made to perform menial tasks as punishment. Many end up not claiming it and try to deal with it on their own. The result can be disastrous. Iraq created a perfect storm of stress. Soldiers often never saw the enemy, but still could be killed remotely through IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device). The constant uncertainty and no way to work out the stress and aggression take a toll. The overexposure of this unique type of battle can lead to higher levels of PTSD. Phillips examines these factors in his book Lethal Warriors.Phillips does a skillful job at identifying the problems many soldiers face after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. He not only probes the his life, but the feeling of going into battle. Even those who suffered from PTSD had the strong desire to return to be with their brothers in battle. Furthermore, many didn’t have very much to come back to after going to war. He takes the murder of a soldier in the unit, Kevin Shields, and then works his way backward to find out what happened. He reveals a startling account of war crimes, neglect, and a perfect storm of events that led soldiers returning to Fort Carson from Iraq to a crime spree. He examines military techniques, how soldiers are trained to kill, and how the brains natural aversion to killing is eroded. The training combined with self-managed PTSD (usually drugs and alcohol) result in soldiers using lethal force in any altercation, even minor ones. It goes from using it against Iraqi militants, to their wives, girlfriends, fellow soldiers, and eventually random strangers. It is startling to see soldiers going through hell, not receiving help, and seeing them take out that aggression on innocent civilians. In Fort Carson, there is a 300 percent increase in theft, rape, and murder in the small time period the brigade returns from Iraq. It’s the Epicon report conducted by General Mark Graham that reveals the reasons behind all of this. That this battalion was exposed to more intense battle more often that resulted in an increase in PTSD. Those claiming it were ostracized. Many make the military their career and claiming PTSD would be career suicide; instead of getting help that would turn to substance abuse and violent behavior to take out their aggression. The report details how the military needs to take steps to help the soldiers de-stress and make it easier to get help. Phillips gets intimately involved in everyone’s life, weaving a narrative in such a compelling manor that it reads like fiction. Even though there are horrific crimes, he gives each person their humanity. One can only feel sorrow for everyone involved, that with just some help, the events could have been avoided.
Lethal Warriors: When the New Band of Brothers Came Home.David PhilippsPalgrave/MacMillan2010Soldiers returning home from war have always had it rough. When I did my psychiatry rotation in medical school, I was assigned to the Veteran’s Administration(VA) hospital. The psychiatric ward took up almost one entire floor of the main building, and was divided into two wings. One was for patients suffering from PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, while the other treated just about every other psychiatric malady. With the typical cynicism which comes with being a medical student, we referred to the floors more by their nicknames than by their proper titles. The section which dealt with a variety of psychopathology was called either the ‘Smorgasbord’ or the ‘Salad Bar,’ while the PTSD wing was more commonly called the ‘FTVA’ wing. I shall leave it to the reader to decipher the meaning of the letters preceding Veteran’s Administration. I was assigned to the Smorgasbord, and so had very little contact with the patients - most of them Vietnam Veterans - that filled the other wing of the hospital. Over the past twenty-three years, the military and the VA have continued to struggle with those who have experienced the horror of war. Judging from David Philipps’ book, Lethal Warriors: When the New Band of Brothers Came Home, it appears as if the challenge is even greater today. This book left me wondering if the ‘War is Hell’ which General Sherman spoke about has gotten worse, or perhaps the American soldier is entering combat unprepared for the tremendous moral, spiritual, and psychological upheaval which comes with it.Philipps reports on the events that followed the return of an Army unit to their home base in Colorado Springs, Colorado from combat in Iraq. Within a short time, the rate of violent crimes in the city increased, with most of them involving soldiers who had just returned from some of the most dangerous areas in Iraq. Philipps interviewed soldiers who were in prison, as well as their family and friends, commanding officers, and a few of the people who were treating soldiers with PTSD. He describes the plight of young men who went off to serve our country, and how the traumatic experience of serving in Iraq had changed so many of them for the worse. He also relates how the medical and psychological support for them was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of personnel who exhibited signs of PTSD. In addition, he poignantly describes how the military culture made it difficult for soldiers to seek help from the medical community.This book was very sobering to read, from the recollection of encounters with an elusive enemy in Iraq to the descent of various characters in the book into depression and violence. There was also a lot of strong language as well. I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering a military career, as it shows how ordinary men could be affected by the stress of combat. I spoke to some folks I know who had been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and they all agreed that no one leaves there without being changed in some way. All of them talked of survivor’s guilt, and the strange desire to return despite knowing the danger.I think this book will increase awareness for the need for more mental health care in the military, the Veteran’s Administration hospitals, and in the private sector. Some of the changes made by General Graham while he was in command at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs sounded great, but programs like that may be eliminated by those who follow him. There were two things about the book which I found troubling. One is that very few medical personnel were included in the narrative. Throughout the book, physician or psychologist encounters were described as brief, usually after waiting a long time for an appointment. Invariably, the soldiers were prescribed medications as a first means of treatment, with little counseling added to the therapy. It was disturbing to read that a lot of the soldiers were taking prescription drugs while out on patrol. I think that it is possible that the military medical community did not want to discuss this issue, and so their perspective was not included in the book. Perhaps, like my initial encounter with PTSD in medical school, it is still considered a difficult area for discussion. The other thing which I found quite remarkable is that Philipps seems to totally ignore the importance of faith - any faith - in the life of these men. He did not comment on the religious background of any of the soldiers; I would think that he would have at least mentioned if they had no faith at all. This is an important issue for this book, because the type of fighting in Iraq after President Bush’s infamous ‘Mission Accomplished’ declaration was not clearly defined. The enemy blended in with the people, and made identifying friend from foe difficult. The soldiers even comment that it was often safer to shoot first in an encounter, which sometimes resulted in the death of innocent civilians. Fighting under conditions which forced the soldier to make morally unpleasant decisions must have caused some amount of spiritual anguish among even the most hardened men, and yet this aspect is ignored by the author. I can think of several explanations for this. One is that serving in Iraq limited our freedom of Religion; I recall that when I was in the Air Force we were told that certain religious items were not permitted in the Middle East. Another is that there is a shortage of chaplains in the military; for some of these soldiers in remote locations, a visit from the Padre is a rare event. But far more important is the way our government is gradually downplaying the importance of religion in our society as a whole. In 2009, the military published a study (An Epidemiologic Investigation of Homicides at Fort Carson, Colorado: Summary of Findings) trying to determine factors which influenced the sudden increase of homicides at Fort Carson. I looked over the report - all 126 pages of it - and found no mention of faith, or religion, or God in it anywhere. The only reference to religion is the inclusion of a Chaplain in the epidemiology team. Perhaps the faith of the soldiers was not investigated because, like other variables in psychology, it is difficult to quantify or analyze statistically. Whatever the case, no discussion of religion, or God in both the Army’s report and Philipp’s book was very disappointing.It seems to me that the de-emphasis of faith in our society and in the military in particular is to blame for a lot of the troubles which followed the return of these soldiers to the United States. War has always been Hell, but the way that man faced it certainly has changed. During the Civil War, mothers would make sure to include a Bible in their son’s belongings. One of the books we have in our library is the ‘Catholic Prayer Book for the Marine Corps’ originally published during World War II. Even in my own time, in the late 1980’s, faith was seen as important in the military. I recall a Sergeant telling me about ‘GI Parties’ which were held on Sunday mornings for those who were not going to services. A GI party consisted of thoroughly cleaning the inside and outside of the barracks. It didn’t take long for those who wanted to sleep in on Sunday to ‘get religion,’ as it was called. I don’t know about the current situation in the military, but if David Philipps’ book is any indication, religion, faith, and God have been pushed aside. The events described in Lethal Warriors suggest what happens when the ‘Army of One’ has no One to fall back on.I would recommend this book to only mature readers because of content and language. I think it would be a good read for anyone considering serving in the military because it depicts the reality of war. The subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is something every man contemplating the military should think about before making such a serious commitment.
“Lethal Warriors: When the New Band of Brothers Came Home”, by David Phillips, is a sobering account of the impact of combat stress on some returning veterans. The book follows the descent into crime, violence and senseless murder by several soldiers of the 506th Infantry Regiment, the storied “Band of Brothers”, stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, CO. The regiment saw multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and Mr. Phillips has done a thorough examination of facts and contributing factors surrounding these soldiers. Lethal Warriors is a cautionary tale of just how bad things can and did go wrong.The events related in Lethal Warriors are not typical of the vast majority of returning veterans who quietly assimilate back into society. Reading the book, however, raised questions for me which I think society must address: How can we – society and the military – best help veterans reintegrate into civil life? What lessons can we learn from this war and past wars to put in place effective safety nets to identify and treat at-risk service men and women suffering from PTSD? Given that the military must train soldiers to be effective in combat, should commensurate training be required for re-entry into civilian society? The cost of war is far more than the money spent on combat operations. Rather, the true cost is paid by the veterans who fought and by their families and communities who watched loved ones deploy, return, and deploy again. The cost is paid by those who will never return and by those who return wounded. The cost is paid by society which must rightly provide care and support long, long after the fighting has ended. Congress and the American people must ensure now and in the future that we budget for this true cost of war to ensure the military and Veterans Affairs receive adequate resources to address the physical and psychic wounds sustained by our soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen. It must be noted that the book tells the story a few soldiers whose heinous acts resulted in their incarceration and it is in no way typical of the experiences of the vast majority of our servicemen and women who have served and re-integrated with honor. Sadly, though, ”Lethal Warriors” is a true account of what some soldiers did and as disturbingly sad as the story is, it must be told. My hope is we will consider this story as part of the true cost before we enter into any future war.
An eye-opening investigation into the results of combat on soldiers who, for the most part, are inadequately trained for the mental stress of operating in a war zone. Moreover, the book details the lack of support given to many of these veterans, who, when returned home, are met with military bureaucracy that would rather claim that these problems were innate before these soldiers were deployed. Philipps follows the path of a handful of soldiers with PTSD - but after awhile, it becomes harder and harder to differentiate between them. I found that to be the only drawback to the book, the difficulty by the end in remembering the difference between the soldiers. Probably this isn't surprising as the army's way is to eliminate individuality but I found by the final few chapters, I was relying more and more on the index in order to jog my memory of who was who. I don't know how to remedy this - the book needs to have a variety of soldiers who experienced the same consequences of action in Iraq so as not to be written off as a statistical outlier, but maybe more background on the soldiers, or perhaps dividing the stories into separate chapters rather than intertwining them would have been easier of my poor short-term memory.
I have read few books that have been both completely infuriating and impossible to put down at the same time. It dumbfounds me that this book was not nominated for a Pulitzer. I feel that anyone that really wants a complete picture of the cost of the war in Iraq—beyond the much noted casualty and monetary statistics—has to read this book.The story behind Lethal Worries by David Phillips is pretty simple. Men have, and most likely continue to, return from war with serious mental issues (in most cases Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) which results, in some cases, in them committing horrific crimes both in combat zones and back in the United States.The author tells the story of these young men of the Band of Brothers stationed out of Fort Carson Colorado, who were trained to kill and sent into some of the worst combat zones in Iraq. There they were subjected to a daily dose of concussions from IED, butchery (often perpetrated by their comrades), and death of both friends and enemies. Then there were expected to return to the “real” world and function normally.When a mass murder occurs in the United States the reaction is often to send in a team of psychiatrists to help the survivors, family, and witnesses of the crime deal with their emotions.The United States Army took another approach.Soldiers that had issues dealing with the issues of daily carnage that they were exposed to were often called “pussy,” told to “suck it up,” belittled by their superiors, viewed as malingers, and feared that their military career would be ruined if they sought help.For those that did seek help, the Army had a quick fix--prescriptions of antidepressant and sleeping pills. With their prescriptions in hand, the soldiers were sent back to the frontline. Those soldiers that were unable to deal with their issues were kick out of the Army were they would no longer be a concern of their superiors.The result of the Army’s avoidance of the issue of PSTD, has been a string of murders, and other horrific crimes committed by ex-soldiers and soldiers in the United States waiting their discharge.The author ends on a somewhat positive note. Due to the work of General Mark Graham, the Army is dealing with the reality of PTSD.
I have decided I need to start this review by saying upfront that I have never supported the involvement of Americans and Canadian military in the war in Iraq. I am proudly Canadian, and while I do not support the war, I do support our men and women who have taken part in the war. I believe these people join the military to support their country and that is why I support them. And I feel the same about the American military personnel. That being said, I will also say that I was in two minds about reading and reviewing this book. I didn't particularly want to read about the war in Iraq, but I did want to see what the author had to say about PTSD. My papa was a boy in Finland in World War II. He and his family hid in the hills when the German army came through, and then again a few long years later, when the Russians came through chasing the remaining Germans back. He only spoke of it infrequently and usually only after something had caused him to be reminded of that time, some sound, some sight or some smell that would cause him to think back. I still get tears in my eyes thinking about the things he saw as a young boy, things he could do nothing about. Even writing this short amount brings to mind the look he would have on his face. That is actually why I decided to read this book, his look. I know that he suffered mental trauma because of what he went through, and I know that to deal with it, he drank. I believe that he suffered from PTSD and that is why i decided to read this.David Philipps takes us on a journey through the lives of several young men who volunteered to serve their country and served in the American Army. They served their country, were given several weeks, sometimes months of training in weaponry, tactics, fighting, shooting and physical endurance and then were returned to their own country broken, sad, struggling to cope in the aftermath of all they had witnessed and been involved in. With most receiving little to no help with their mental issues (I hate how that sounds, but I'm not sure how else to word it), they were sent home to their families and friends different people than when they had started in the military. Some coped well and returned to mainstream living with little or no discernible changes. Others suffered from insomnia, nightmares and other troubles that they were helped with and then returned to living with some help and were able to barely cope. Still others returned, denying to themselves and others, that they were suffering from any problems and then couldn't cope. They received no help and ended up in jail, charged with various crimes including murder, rape and assault. And still, these people who had served their country, were denied help. PTSD has been known by a variety of names including combat fatigue, and has existed as long as man has warred. It is a difficult disease to diagnose and treat, made harder by the stigma attached to mental illness and the don't ask, don't tell approach that is still seen today.The author does not excuse what these men did, but he does try to help explain the WHY. And also what the government, the military and the people themselves need to do to change the system and to get help for people suffering from PTSD. This book is not for the faint of heart, it goes through all the harrowing details of what these young men went through while they were serving in the army and the crimes they did when they returned home. It goes a long way to showing how PTSD changes lives and what can be done to combat PTSD in our military and in civilians as well.A very well researched, well written book. It gives an objective look at the trauma war causes to our troops and what can be done to help them heal from their experiences. The copy I have has an updated foreword written in January 2012. It has a quote by journalist Tom Ricks that to me sums up the Iraqi War...'The Vietnam Memorial is a gash in the ground, like a grave, I think ideally, the Iraqi War memorial probably would ideally be a dead end.'I received my copy of Lethal Warriors through LibraryThing and my review was unsolicited.
Centering on the lives of eight military men stationed at Fort Carson and the crimes they committed after returning from, or prior to, multiple deployments to and crimes committed/witnessed in Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan, David Phillips takes a journalist approach in attempting to explore the role of PTSD. Phillips repeatedly parallels training received and duty completed with the nature and way the crimes were committed. The lives of the men also seem to run a strong parallel before and after duty. With a lack of structure and direction in their lives, the men are rebuilt and found useful in their military fighting duties. When the men return home, they are left with the same unfulfilled life, but now have an increased sense of lack of worth due to their war skills and hierarchy not translating into civilian life. Phillips impresses the reasons for the crimes to be due to PTSD and its lack of assessment and treatment by the military and DoD. However, the book left me with the impression that the majority of the crimes exampled were committed due to combining the increased lack of self-worth, the lack of direction and training for re-entry into civilian life, and a military culture that defeats psychological support for those potentially suffering from psychological trauma and stress of deployment.Phillips blames the government and military significantly throughout the book for the failings of the service men, while minimizing personal responsibility. Ultimately, this book seems to be about who is responsible for what peppered with PTSD facts and not about "uncovering the tragic reality of PTSD."
This book ex[;ores teh effects of Post Traumatic Stree Syndrome (PTSD) on the troops who have been serviing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The author uses eight infrantrymen based out of Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs to illustrate what is happening to the army as a whole.This "Band of Brothers" who later call themselves "The Lethal Warriors" are first deployed to Korea, but soon are redeployed to Iraq where they experience horriic acts of violence on a daily basis. Upon returning home after their first tour, they ignore and/or deny any psychological problems that developed during their time in the war zone. Most hold it together to return for a second tour in Iraq, but then things quickly fall apart - both in the level of violence they inflict on Iraqis and the havoc they wreck on the civilian population once they return home.With he exception of General Mark Graham, who apparently initiated some much needed reforms at Ft. Carson, this book is an indictment of almost everyone at every stage in the chain of military command. From the recruiters who let in questionable recuits in order to achieve their enlistment quotas, to training sargents who constantly putthe image of the stoical warrior up as role model for neww recruits, to the DoD who underfund VA hospitals, and all teh adminstrtors and medical personnel who take the quick fix of dispening psychotropic drugs to those suffering from {TSD rather than trying to proie the therapy they require.I found this book both horrifying and anger producing. Horrifying for what our military is going through in multipe deployments to a war zone where it is a wonder anyone comes out the other side sane. And anger producing because of the sunshine patriots in and out of office who like to profess suport for the troops but who neither want to pay for the wars, or deal with the human wreckage who are returning home from their battles.Let's hope that this boo,k and others like it, will be wake-up call for change in teh way we treat our troops.
David Philipps examines the problems of PTSD, and the toll that it can take not just on soldiers returning to civilian life but also on the society they return to, by focusing on the disturbing stories of several infantrymen in one particular army battalion based in Colorado Springs. These guys saw some of the worst combat in Iraq, experiences that, as Philipps describes them, leave you wondering how anybody could have come out of them sane. Many of them participated in actions that anybody else would call war crimes, but which they learned to call "no big deal." And when they returned to the States, they had an anomalously high rate of violent crimes, including a number of horrifically senseless murders of both fellow soldiers and civilians.Philipps talks in some depth about the combat, the crimes, and the toll that PTSD and related problems can take on the human psyche. He also discusses the distressing fact that the Army, while theoretically aware of and concerned about these issues, often did little or nothing to treat these people's problems, partly due to a lack of resources and partly due to a culture that discourages soldiers from reporting psychological problems and often punishes symptoms rather than treating them. (Although, as he reports in the final chapters, this is something that they are now at least to some extent attempting to fix.)The one thing I was a little disappointed by was a lack of any real discussion about treatments for PTSD. I would have liked at least a little bit of a look at what kind of therapies have been used and how much evidence there is about whether they work or not. Maybe that's a bit beyond the scope of this book, but it does seem to me to be an important missing piece of the equation. That aside, though, it's very good. If "good" is quite the right word... It's a difficult, often very painful read. But whether you drive a car plastered with "Support Our Troops" bumper stickers or passionately believe they never should have been sent out to fight in the first place, it is, I think, far too easy to turn your head away and ignore the consequences when they come back. But reading this, it's impossible not feel that this is everybody's problem.
I had a very difficult time reading this. My husband serves and his first 2 tours to Iraq left him very reserved and distant. I hope to god that he hasn't experienced anything in this book, but I'm almost certain he has. I'm greatful for this book to spread to word about what our troops do for us even when we don't hear about it.
A book that breaks your heart and makes you angry at the same time. Young soldiers being taught to kill in Iraq and Afkanistian come home to little support from their government. Misunderstanding from the families and a sense of isolation and alienation with their families. No wonder they kill, that's what they've been taught.
WOW! WOW! Did I say Wow! This is probably the most amazing book I have read in the past year, I do not know why it is not on the best seller list. This is not the book I was expecting to read, but am I glad it was written. I started reading the book a month before my son was to return from Afghanistan. This was his third deployment in 5 years, two in Iraq and this one to Afghanistan. It really gave me a lot to think about and to watch in my child (well he really is not a child, but always will be to his mother). I think it should be required reading for any family who has a soldier deployed so you will know about PTSD, even if the military does not want to admit it. My son is EOD, explosive ordnance disposal, and he sees a lot of action like the soldiers in this book. I had to put the book down about 1/2 the way though and just rest from reading it. It is very intense, but intensely good. After my son returned home, healthy mentally I might add, I finished reading. I thank our soldiers for what they do, but our government must do something for them in return. I am recommending that my son read this book and every family who has a soldier in their lives. Thank you David Philipps for stepping up and writing this book. READ IT, READ IT
Politicians can debate the merits of war but in the end it comes down to a professional duty performed by the troops they send to fight these battles. The loss of life and mortally wounded often overshadow the mental toll combat puts on a solider. David Philipps looks at the 506th Infantry (Band of Brothers) from Fort Carson, Colorado and chronicles their path of wanting to serve their country to self destruction. How can such a storied brigade have many of their current ranks end up sociopaths? Serving multiple tours in Iraq fighting battles against an unknown assailant and the constant threat of IED's can break the most hardened warrior. The long term exposure to stressful situations led to alcohol/drug abuse and perpetuated a mentality that killing was no big deal in Iraq or at home. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has affected soldiers in every war since ancient times and yet it's looked upon as a weakness by current soldiers and some military brass. Soldiers would lie or keep their mouths shut on exit interviews in order to keep red flags from going up to seek treatment. The stigma of treatment was a badge very few were willing to wear. The daily grind of Iraq became their normal and upon returning home many were disillusioned and didn't know how to fit into society often begging for redeployment. The lack of understanding about PTSD within the ranks and society left very few outlets to treat psychological casualties. The army would often force out "trouble" soldiers instead of medically retiring them to wash their hands of the situation. In the book there was a comparison drawn between PTSD and IED's; they lie masked and you can't see it until it hits.Soldiers look to return home in one piece physically while many aren't so lucky mentally. You can take the soldier out of war but sometimes you can't take the war out of the soldier. PTSD is not a fly-by-night problem. If left untreated the problem not only consumes the soldier but can cause great harm to the community. The tragic consequences of war require us to help alleviate the burden of mental trauma by providing our soldiers with the care they deserve. Lethal Warriors was a gut wrenching look into the lasting effects war has on the psyche and what the military and society need to do to ease our soldiers transition back to normalcy.
This is an early reviewer review. David Phillips, a feature writer for the Colorado Springs Gazette has written a book which should be read by all Americans. Soldiers are coming back from Iraq (and I assume Afghanistan), totally unprepared to re-enter civilian life. And, to make this whole thing clearer, they were totally unprepared to fight the war they found themselves in. A war in which they could not tell friend from enemy. A war in which the opposition does not wear uniforms. A war in which IEDs kills more soldiers than bullets or bombs. These men had nothing to shoot at after an IED killed or wounded their comrades in arms. So why are we surprised when they come home, not knowing if the man on the street next to them is a friend or foe? Why are we surprised that they all buy guns when they come back, to protect themselves from unknown and invisible enemies?Get this book and read it. It is important to do so. Unfortunately PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is named a "disorder", not a disease. This is as much an illness as cancer. We cannot hide it, nor from it. It does exist.I only wish the editor had been more heavy handed. A cut of 10% would have made this book more readable and more popular. But that is no excuse for not reading this book. Thank You David Phillips for educating us on this important issue
I got this book as an early reviewer. While at times some of the stories and information are graphic and harrowing, it is something that I am glad I read. It really cuts a clear picture of the stress soldiers go through and explains a few of the cases where soldiers have snapped after coming home and committing murder and other crimes. The author does a great job of staying impartial and providing the facts around each soldier's situation. He also does a nice job of showing how PTSD can affect any soldier, even those with good upbringings and how their personality before the war may not play a part in how they deal psychologically with combat stress.Lastly, Phillips does a nice job explaining how out of tune the military is with PTSD and how it really is a problem that needs addressed immediately. As a part of some of the soldiers generation, it is scary to think that some of these guys are wandering around drugged up and trigger happy because they cannot get the care they need. This book was worth the read to gain additional insight into the care soldiers receive for PTSD when coming back from the war. It also shows the grim realities of war that the soldiers deal with on a day to day basis. It is a must read for anyone who has an interest in these areas.
Lethal Warriors was an amazingly powerful story. It offers insight into a growing problem in the military, PTSD. Philipps, follows the stories of Iraqi war veterans and their struggles with physical and mental traumas of war. The author tells the story with details that help build relationships with the soldiers. My own experience with trauma in the military and PTSD drew me into the story. Philipps, showed the lack of understanding of PTSD in the military and the need for more understanding of the affects of mental and physical trauma.This is a must read! Anyone with a friend or family member that experienced military trauma should read this book.
When the soldiers of the 506th Infantry Regiment, known since World War II as "The Band of Brothers" came home from Iraq to Colorado Springs, CO, the incidence of murder, armed robbery, rape, spouse abuse, suicide and other violent crimes shot up. These men had serious cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and this disorder was either ignored or downplayed by the US Army. There was no treatment or follow-up to cases of alchohol or drug abuse, and even the psychiatric staff at the hospitals were ordered not to treat this disorder.As a result, when several cases of murder and other violence all came from the same company, no one wanted to admit the problems, and civilian advocates for the veterans were ignored both by the US Army and the local mayor.Innocent civilains in the town had to die before the problems were recognised and addressed. An excellent book that explores a problem, the problem's history, and proposes valid solutions.This book should be read by all civilians who are concerned with the medical treatment of veterans, and ignored by the military's high command.
Lethal Warriors is a fascinating book. The author does a great job of bringing this tale of service in Iraq and murder to life. It shows the lack of training, debriefing and the poor mental health services our troops are receiving. Upon finishing this book, I felt pity. Pity for the victims and pity for our soldiers who committed these crimes. In each case, these crimes could have been avoided if the soldier in question received the helped he needed. I also have a new respect for our troops. It gives a vivid and detailed account of service in Iraq. I highly recommend this book.
An insightful look into the lives of Iraq War veterans. Philipps does his best to provide an unbiased, journalistic report of the effects, causes, and public perception of PTSD. Overall this is a very stirring book, revealing the side of the war people don't hear about in the news and worthwhile read for anyone interested in the true cost of the wars in the Middle East.On, the smaller side, Philipps could have used a better editor: there are obvious spelling mistakes, often of interviewees' names and a general repetition of phrases (such as "playing video games like Halo and Call of Duty," which showed up countless times) that could have been fixed with an in-depth and thorough revision.
Very important book. Looking forward to reading it.