Returning From the Iraq War With PTSD - The Soldier’s Heart (full documentary) | FRONTLINE

I’m a former Marine that served in Desert Storm. I have absolutely forbidden my teenage son from military service.

And here we are 15 years later and nothing has changed.

"Denial is the enemy." No truer words. Get the assistance you need and deserve. Help is NOT, repeat, NOT, a sign of weakness. We don't do it alone in combat and we can't do it alone after.

My grandfather saw his brother blown to bits beside him in WWII. His mother blamed him directly for that. He was a dark a-hole of an alcoholic for most of the rest of his life. The impact of that war decades ago to just 1 person has spider-webbed out through my extended family. I now teach an 8 year old who wants desperately to be a soldier…and I kind of don’t know what to say.

My father was deployed during Vietnam-Cambodia war. When I was a kid, I often saw him sat alone, smoked a cigarette and played sad guitar songs. Even now I wonder what did he think at those moments.

PTSD doesn't have to be full blown events either. It can be little changes that quietly effects the individual for a lifetime. In the end we are never really the same as much as we try and continue what society deems a normal life. While celebrities and athletes are put on a pedestal wondering how many millions they will make playing a game or acting, the people who fought and saw horrible things are wondering how am I gonna make it through today.

PTSD is indicative of ones humanity. Experiencing those kinds of things SHOULD be devastating. It's nothing to be ashamed of.

My Grandpa was a Marine back in Korea, and I always looked up to him for what he did for our Country. I wanted to be like him, I almost joined the Marines right out of high school back in 1999, but my Grandpa told me that if I stayed home that he would cover all my college expenses. I never did join the Marines, instead I did two years at Pensacola Christian College and two years at Rogue Community College, and here I am 20 years later as a Paramedic in Medford, Oregon. My Grandpa saved my life, his actions kept me out of harm's way. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this bogus War.

When it comes to documentaries, there ain't nobody who can put their foot where Frontline foot's put. On another level.

That voice is legendary. I grew up with listening documentaries with the narrator voice

One of the BEST DAMN DOCUMENTARIES I have EVER seen since I came home in 2010!!!!

If Afghans or Iraqis, etc had made a film like this it’d be a completely different story.

My new must-see-tv are Frontline documentary's. Good old fashioned journalism.

I'm 70% disabled for PTSD. The C&P exam was painful but the help I am getting now was worth it.

Why would anyone think these brave men and women wouldn't have issues, seeing the things they've seen?. Soldier or not they are human beings,God bless all of them.

"Cowardice" should never be used against a soldier currently serving, especially one who has sought mental health help. Considering the backlash Andrew suffered, it seems pretty brave.

If soldiers are psychologically affected at this level by war, imagine civilians caught in It, losing loved ones (children, parents, siblings, etc),their jobs/businesses, their homes; specially weak civilians such as children, elderly, women,etc. In Iraq,Syria,etc; all those wartorn countries have millions of children that grew up with PTSD and they don't receive any help because their countries are just starting rebuilding everything from 0 after the war, with a health system in shambles. The politicians that started this wars are still alive living their lifes as if anything happened.

When the best documentary channel offers their content for free..... amazing

I deployed to Afghanistan in 2012-13 to the Panjwai District in Kandahar as an Infantry Line Medic. I got out of the Army in 2015 with mental problems I didn't understand. I didn't seek treatment until 2017 after 2 suicide attempts. My mother begged me to get help and I finally listened. The stigma of mental illness when you are on active duty is very real. You suck it up and carry on. Since seeking treatment and taking the proper meds I am so much better. I hope anyone with PTSD or these other mental problems seek help, it is worth it.

The part where they revealed Jeff's suicide caught me off guard somewhat. It made me cry. So sad to know there are so many other service members who have suffered the same fate. God Bless our troops.