Oh, I also wanted to add.
PTSD should not be used as an excuse for our "ourbursts".
Maybe it can be used to help explain them,
but it doesn't make what we did OK.

My son was the gunner in a humvee hit by an IED. He was partially outside of the humvee and was ejected approx 40 feet (several people say farther)from the vehicle. They believe he landed on his legs and then rolled and hit his head. His right knee was twisted and it ripped the PCL Tendon to the point it had to be removed and a new one put in. He will wear a knee brase for the rest of his life. His left ankle was broken in several places. He broke his jaw. The impact shattered the enamel on his back teeth and he is slowly losing the ones in the back on the left side. He had many, many cuts all over his body. A large scar under his chin and on the back of his head. He also has many scars up and down his legs both form the attack and from all the surgeries afterwards to clean the injury. (that took 3 surgeries) then some explority stuff, then finally the transplant. When they picked him up, they didn't expect him to live. He told me he came to and the first thing he did was check to see if he still had his legs. (he was only conscience an few seconds. The second time he came to, he checked to make sure he was still "a man"..... He spent just a little over 6 weeks in the hospital. and after he was able to stand again, they discovered he was 1 1/2 inch shorter. His injuries were not as bad as some, but they were pretty bad.

theres a lot there for him to deal with, im a bit tweaked out at the moment so pleases bear withme, but the thing that may help him is to talk to someone he can relate with, theres a chance he may talk to a vet, someone who he feels may understand, theres more of us than you can shake a stick at but there are few of those who can help unless he wants it, gulf2 may be too recent for him to even think about right now, he sounds like hes in a bad way at the moment but doesnt know what to do or how to do it, trying to hold onto something , something he feels was important but is gone while trying to deal with what happened, it may be he is needing to be ready, but i couldnt say, if you in illinois, there is a local chapter of vets, some may be willing to help, maybe leave a leaflet or something around, i dont know, if he wants to start to find a way he will have to first take a step forward, pushing only bogs you down, makes you feel pressured,
he is still the same person somewhere inside but when he comes back(in his mind) he wont be the same as before he left, he will take a long time to come back, but he will come back if he can overcome things in him, and that will be a long hard road, this board may be a good way forward but only if he wants to take a step forward, i dont know if any of this helps or makes sense at the moment, so please forgive if im off base at mo, 17 years and i still end up fragged at times but i came back, so can he given time and help he needs when he feels ready ,