Why are those devastated by war or other military experiences called
mentally ill? The standard treatment of therapy and drugs can actually
be harmful, and huge numbers of suffering veterans from earlier eras
demonstrate its inadequacy.
Most of us are both war-illiterate and military-illiterate. Caplan
proposes that we welcome veterans back into our communities and listen
to their experiences, one-on-one. Beginning a long overdue national
discussion about the realities of war and the military will help us
bridge the dangerous chasms between veterans and nonveterans.