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Originally Posted by Kerrie-Ann  ,
Often 'UN peacekeeping' is a contradiction in terms. Sure the media portrays it one way but, generally the environment that troops are initially deployed into is anything but peaceful. Its a fallacy that because you were not in a designated war zone as such that nothing traumatic happens. |
That's so true! It used to really bother me... people I knew who were not from the base and not army brats, made comments that my dad had it easy never being in a "real war".
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Rwanda particularly has a nasty reputation for military personnel returning with PTSD and we have a number of Aussie veteran's from that campaign with this illness. In fact there was a prominent Canadian leader, who wrote a book 'Dance With the Devil' or something like that, who acquired PTSD from Rwanda. I started to read the book but it was too much for me as PTSD is so close to home. As for topping Rwanda off with a deployment to Kosovo, its almost a dead cert that your Dad had PTSD.
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Do you mean General Dallaire? That's who my dad served under in Rwanda. I had a chance to hear him speak once but I couldn't stay for the whole talk, it was so awful. There was also a documentary about him and Rwanda, but again I couldn't get through it. I can't imagine reading a book by him, at least not yet. And I agree, I think my dad had PTSD. I think it more and more as I read more about it. I'm just sorry he didn't get help for it. Actually it makes me angry... he was on a stress leave, so you'd think the military docs would have done something to help him. Or maybe they were trying and I didn't know about it? I'm not sure.
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I am sorry for your trauma. Its a sad legacy that a man who was serving his country ends up with PTSD and leaves his child with that illness as well. I could never imagine myself how it must feel for you. I hope that within this community you can begin the process of healing. Take care of you.
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Thank you. I do hope it gets better! I'm glad to have found this site.