Throughout Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They Carried, the experiences and tragedies witnessed by combat soldiers deployed during the Vietnam War are retold. The novel places great emphasis on the items and equipment that each soldier carried while in theater. O'Brien uses their gear as an extended metaphor to express the great mental and physical toll put on the body as a result of combat. The heavy weight of the equipment is symbolic of the sights, sounds and smells of death and destruction. Each ounce equates to the horrid memories that come from witnessing the brutal nature of conflict. As the ounces turn into pounds, the increased strain wreaks havoc on the mind. This can be seen in Lieutenant Cross, who eventually broke down due to the great weight on his shoulders. Similarly to the young lieutenant, the servicemen who returned from war felt the long-lasting effects of combat. Unbeknownst to them at the time, they were suffering from a condition known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. 

Additional reading from the Journal of Health and Social Behavior provides a basis of understanding the type of conditions that our veterans faced while they were deployed in Vietnam. The guerilla warfare utilized by the Vietnamese was vastly different from the traditional "front" style of combat that existed during the previous decades. The nonexistent frontlines and fluidity of the enemy kept soldiers on edge; they never knew exactly where the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army was until it was too late. As a result, American servicemen never truly felt secure. "By daylight they took sniper fire, [and] at night they were mortared" (Carolina Reader, 310). Even if the soldiers were on a military installation or in a "friendly" village, they always seemed to be within the crosshairs of the opposing enemy. Because of this, combat troops experienced mental and emotional fatigue like no other generation before. O'Brien gives clarity to the anxiety felt by each soldier when he describes the wave of emotion that goes through a veteran's mind during an intense engagement with the enemy:

There were times of panic, when they squealed or wanted to squeal but couldn't, when they twitched and made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said Dear Jesus and flopped around on the earth and fired their weapons blindly and cringed and sobbed and begged for the noise to stop and went wild and made stupid promises to themselves and to God and to their mothers and fathers, hoping not to die. 

Witnessing fellow comrades and civilians perish under horrible circumstances took its toll on our soldiers as they continued to live through those very moments of turmoil. In the novel, O'Brien tells the reader that "they all carried ghost" in reference to the memories of the soldiers who were killed in the line of duty. After our veterans returned home, cursory events triggered a replay of combat engagements, bringing the "ghosts" back to life. Veterans who survived the war were forced to relive the images of Bouncing Betties, Toe Poppers, and midnight ambushes. Consequently, service members were suffering from insomnia and frequent nightmares as they attempted to adjust back to life as a civilian. These flashbacks continued to drive veterans towards the breaking point, bringing a host of other damaging medical conditions. 

Many veterans couldn't bear the pain and suffering that resulted from PTSD, forcing countless veterans in a state of severe depression. Just as O'Brien wrote, a service member's "imagination was a killer." The stress proved too much for some; service members chose suicide as their coping mechanism for PTSD. Others turned to drugs and alcohol as a means of comfort as they distanced themselves from their friends and families. By smoking and drinking, veterans became more susceptible to underlying health conditions. Statistical research has shown a significant correlation between smoking and drinking and diseases such as coronary artery disease and various cancers. 

Is it possible to prevent veterans from falling onto a path of self-destruction, and if so, what would be the best means of helping a veteran maintain a healthy mental and physical life? The answer lies with veterans helping fellow veterans. A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (Daniels, James, and Mccallion) found that group therapy sessions among veterans show a significant increase in overall morale and mental health. But why is this true? The commonalities between each veteran create a brotherhood that is stronger than any other bond on the planet. The culmination of an open environment and compassion creates a community that allows for self-growth. Fostering a community that shares similar backgrounds and ideals creates a basis for growth and recovery. 

The Things They Carried sheds to light this connection when Kiowa senses Lieutenant Cross's deep hurt following the night that Ted Lavender was shot and killed. Because civilians don't understand life inside the military, they cannot be the sole contributor that brings a veteran back to his feet. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a growing problem in the veteran community that should be addressed. As Americans, it is imperative for us to have a partial understanding of the struggles and pain that each veteran faces throughout their daily life. We must welcome veterans with open arms and not shun them from society without the support and care that they need. Without this understanding, it will be impossible to protect the defenders of our freedom.

