I was reading this today and remembered this thread.
"As a group, Special Operations veterans are prone to a kind of “moral injury” in which actions in the heat of battle can weigh on their consciousness for years or even decades, said
Jonathan Shay, a clinical psychiatrist and author who studies combat-related stress. The effects are amplified by a loneliness that comes from leaving the extraordinarily close-knit world of a SEAL team.
“SEAL teams are very cohesive: They are highly trained and then cross-trained in each other’s specialties,” he said. “Leaving that intensely connected small group is a big deal for many of these men.”
Even those who appear outwardly to adjust to civilian life often battle hidden problems, experts say. Divorce is common among retired operators, and a sizeable percentage of veterans end up seeking escape, sometimes through alcohol abuse or drugs.....
The allure of Hollywood employment contrasts sharply with the difficult slog many veterans face after leaving the adrenaline-soaked world of Special Operations, according to veterans and mental health experts who specialize in treating them.
Some veterans struggle financially, faced with steep pay cuts and limited job prospects after leaving active-duty service. Many bear psychological and sometimes physical wounds that require years of treatment and therapy, experts say.
“There is a hole there,” said Taylor, the Virginia state representative who served as a SEAL for eight years. “You’ve been doing this for 20 years, and now you have to replace your income and do something that is going to be fulfilling to you. That’s hard.”
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bin-laden-shooter’s-story-highlights-private-battles-as-ex-seals-adjust-to-civilian-life/ar-BBet49z?ocid=DELLDHPClick to expand...
