Sebastian Junger: Why Veterans Miss War + Its Consequences

News reporter and best-selling author Sebastian Junger has seen war up close, and he knows the impact that battlefield trauma has on soldiers. 50% of veterans have filed for disability claims,; 40% are dealing with PTSD and 10% are on active combat duty.

But he suggests there's another major cause of pain for veterans when they come home: American society is in chaos with the experience of leaving the tribal closeness of the military and returning to an alienating and bitterly divided modern society. "Sometimes, we ask ourselves if we can save the vets," Junger says. "I think the real question is if we can save ourselves." (This talk comes from the PBS special "TED Talks: War & Peace," which premieres Monday, May 30 at 9 p.m. EST.)

Published on May 23, 2014

Civilians don't miss war. But soldiers often do. Journalist Sebastian Junger shares his experience embedded with American soldiers at Restrepo, an outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley that saw heavy combat. Giving a look at the "altered state of mind" that comes with war, he shows how combat gives soldiers an intense experience of connection. In the end, could it actually be "the opposite of war" that soldiers miss?

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Link to the entire transcript >> https://www.ted.com/talks/sebastian_junger_why_veterans_miss_war/transcript?language=en