Battle Fatigue

Like I have said many times before, I feel very blessed in my current living situation. I have my own room with internet access, air conditioning, flushing toilets (eventhough they won't hold toilet paper), and now a cell phone. In some ways I feel like I am staying in the Iraqi Club Med. This becomes especially poignant to me when I am interviewing the soldiers who are coming for treatment of battle fatigue. They are dirty and their uniforms are often torn or worn out. They look haggard from the long days, and all the stress. Many of these soldiers work 36 hour days, getting anywhere from 4-8 hours of sleep during that time. They usually don't have bathrooms or regular access to showers. I would think they would really relax and enjoy their time at our unit, but instead many feel guilty for how they are living at the "Iraqi Club Med" compared to their comrades back in the field.

Some of the soldiers want desperately for their tour of duty to be finished and are scared for their lives, but are not interested in being placed on light duty or being sent home. Honestly, I would definitely grant this to alot of these guys but they won't take the offer. When I see them they are completely emotionally drained, physically exhausted and haunted by both nightmares, and flashbacks. Many have become very angry and distrustful of their command. It seems like alot to ask of these young soldiers to stay for year long deployments constantly going out on extremely dangerous missions. After a unit suffers alot of casualties, the remaining soldiers all seem to live with some level of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Battle Fatigue. Of course it is the youngest and lowest ranking enlisted that make the least amount of money and are placed in the most danger. Hazardous duty pay for all soldiers in Iraq is 225 dollars a month. Something to think about.....