Waking Up from War

Voices and stories of veterans, their families, and their care providers, reveal what is necessary for postwar healing This book argues that the elements that contribute to healing war traumaincluding safety, connection, community, dialogue, mutual respect, diversity, and compassioncan help build a stronger nation. But this message comes with a warning and a challenge not just for caregivers, veterans service organizations, governmental departments, Congress, and the White House, but for all Americans. War creates incalculable sufferingnot only among those on the front lines, but also among those left behind. For every soldier killed or injured on the battlefield, countless others are affectedparticularly relatives and friendsoften in isolation and silence. As a nation, the U.S. must do everything it can to repair the injuries caused by war, whether physical, emotional, or moral, both for those who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and for the country itself. Only after the nation provides the top-quality care our veterans have earned will we be able to begin to end our reliance on war and truly build a durable peace.