Ilona Meagher has captured the essence of the growing epidemic related to PTSD symptoms and its victims and provides insights concerning future policy changes directed towards prevention and early treatment. This is a powerful read. I am an OIF veteran and have found hope in numbers and validation throughout this book. Also reference Meagher, I. (2007). The war list: OEF/OIF statistics at [...].

THE PTSD PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY RETURNING VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS IS REAL AND IN MANY INSTANCES UNRECOGNIZED. THE BOOK GOES INTO THE HISTORY OF PTSD, WHEN IT WAS NOT GIVEN A NAME PRIOR TO THE VIET NAM WAR EXPERIENCES, AND GIVES AN ACCURATE HISTORY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PROBLEM. THE BOOK IS A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE PROBLEM OR THINK THAT THEY DO, BUT DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR HELP.

This small book is no longer cutting edge but is an excellent read regardless. Ilona's research and concise writing was instumental in bringing the true scope of Post Tramatic Stress Disorder to light. The fact that we are doing positive things to help our returning soldiers today is at least in some measure due to this book. Plus, it is an easy read! Borrow it or buy it... but, read it. Warning, it will be hard not to care after reading this!

This is truly an amazing book. It is very helpful and it really gives you hope that people are starting to take note and take action to help these families.

I felt as if I was reading a "report" from the internet and not an informative book on PTSD. Too much political bias for me, could have done w/out that, very slick job. There were a few interesting and valid view points and facts, but the meat and potatoes of this book could have been written in 20 pages in bullet format. I don't care much for reading books that are a compilation of information from other books. I have read many of her sources books and found them far more helpful and valuable.

I am a strong supporter of our military and understand PTSD and it's affects all too well. I have lost two Soldiers to suicide upon return from Iraq. If I weren't already in the mix I am not so sure this book would "move" me to care, I was hopeful by the title and reviews that it would inspire others to do just that "care" more and get involved. At some points I felt like I was reading anti-war, anti-American rhetoric and not about PTSD. The bias in the media and our own politicians wanting this war to be failure has hurt our Troops more than anything. I do agree Rumsfeld was an idiot and screw up in her political expressions.

I found no inspiration in this book, other than to agree the DOD needs to start tracking suicides of our Veterans post deployment, some are hard to call like high speed car accidents late at night, intentional or accident? I do agree more of us need to put pressure on the VA and politicians to force the VA to function properly now and not later, but again nothing in this writing stirred any fire from within. Maybe if PTSD and war is new to you it might, I can only hope.

Enough already w/understanding and research of PTSD, we have enough information and it's time to start progressive, productive treatment and support. As the author points out PTSD has been around since the dawn of war. The VA has always been poorly managed and needs to be cleaned up, this is nothing new, we can't blame all of it on Iraq and the Stan influx or present administration, though they do need to step up. During peace time no one cared what the VA was doing and now our country is paying the price in more ways than one. I did agree that the miitary and gov have created some nice catch 22's for our guys returning so they don't have to spend the money to take care of our Soldiers and Marines.

So I painfully give this book one star, just was hoping for more.

PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door A must read. Although it is a bit analytical at times. I found that it expanded my references greatly

Those of us who diagnose PTSD are faced with daunting challenges in its treatment of many facets: therapy, support groups, community based resources, and medication management. Post Traumatic Stress becomes a disorder when that person is no longer able to function adequately. Friendships drift apart, marriages dissolve and increasing stress can overwhelm anyone whether it is the result of rape, natural or manmade disaster, or the horror of war. Knowing what PTSD is is half the battle in getting treatment.

Mental health professionals may hear from patients, "You weren't in combat; how would you know what PTSD is like?" Ilona Meagher has written an illuminating resource, gleaned from many hours of research and interviews with our military and veterans to bring Moving a Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America's Returning Troops to our attention. You will discover through the words of our warriors what PTSD is.

A 19th century poem by Will Allen Dromgoole called the "The Bridge Builder" describes an older man who had a journey to make on foot, through a river over a deep canyon. After crossing it, he stayed and built a bridge across the stream.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Let us build it through knowledge and support.

Those of us who diagnose PTSD are faced with daunting challenges in its treatment of many facets: therapy, support groups, community based resources, and medication management. Post Traumatic Stress becomes a disorder when that person is no longer able to function adequately. Friendships drift apart, marriages dissolve and increasing stress can overwhelm anyone whether it is the result of rape, natural or manmade disaster, or the horror of war. Knowing what PTSD is is half the battle in getting treatment.



Mental health professionals may hear from patients, "You weren't in combat; how would you know what PTSD is like?" Ilona Meagher has written an illuminating resource, gleaned from many hours of research and interviews with our military and veterans to bring Moving a Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America's Returning Troops to our attention. You will discover through the words of our warriors what PTSD is.



A 19th century poem by Will Allen Dromgoole called the "The Bridge Builder" describes an older man who had a journey to make on foot, through a river over a deep canyon. After crossing it, he stayed and built a bridge across the stream.



"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,

"You are wasting strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day;

You never again must pass this way;

You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide-

Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:

"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,

"There followeth after me today,

A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."



Let us build it through knowledge and support.

Those of us who diagnose PTSD are faced with daunting challenges in its treatment of many facets: therapy, support groups, community based resources, and medication management. Post Traumatic Stress becomes a disorder when that person is no longer able to function adequately. Friendships drift apart, marriages dissolve and increasing stress can overwhelm anyone whether it is the result of rape, natural or manmade disaster, or the horror of war. Knowing what PTSD is is half the battle in getting treatment.

Mental health professionals may hear from patients, "You weren't in combat; how would you know what PTSD is like?" Ilona Meagher has written an illuminating resource, gleaned from many hours of research and interviews with our military and veterans to bring Moving a Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America's Returning Troops to our attention. You will discover through the words of our warriors what PTSD is.

A 19th century poem by Will Allen Dromgoole called the "The Bridge Builder" describes an older man who had a journey to make on foot, through a river over a deep canyon. After crossing it, he stayed and built a bridge across the stream.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Let us build it through knowledge and support.

Soldiers and their families love Moving a Nation to Care. They look at this easy to read, easy to understand book as a WORKBOOK, a RESOURSE GUIDE, and, in some cases, a MIRROR to their own on-going experiences.

In early May of this year I gave two copies of Ilona Meagher's book to the top Sergeants of two locally-based military units which had recently returned from Iraq. I hoped that they would read the book, but knew they might not. Each of them read it. Their wives read it. It took them weeks to get through it. The material was helpful, the resources excellent, and the information relevent to their own problems and the problems the members of their unit were having. One wife was afaid that her marraige was skidding out of control. The book opened the door to conversations with her husband she never believed possible.

When I talked with one of those Sergeants and offered to get more copies for his unit if he wanted them, he lept at the chance. Through our local Elks Lodge we are furnishing 20 copies of the book to his unit.

Is this book any good? Ask a soldier who has read it. "Yep. It sure is."

This book should be read by all, especially, high school seniors who are being hounded by the recruitment "bullying" staff of the military.
If these young adults knew what was in the future for them if they joined the military, they would think twice. They would learn [...] the wars of today and what effects they have on the human psyche. Instead of just being exposed to the "glorified" commercials to join the military, this book should be required reading in all high schools.
Our kids deserve to have all the facts before they make one of the biggest decisions of their lives, and reading "Moving a Nation to Care" would be a great start.

Much has been learned about PTSD but there is much more that should be understood, especially as to Combat PTSD, for anyone who experiances a traumatic event can develope the lasting effects.
Many of us 'Nam Vets and those from that time have been helping our brothers who suffer from and trying to get more of the populations involved, for PTSD knows no borders.
Ilona has written a must have referance book for this generations Military personal, with fighting going in two theaters and multiple tours, and for the Public as well.
War brings on extreme trauma, not only for Military Personal but the Innocents as well. It changes ones being and inner soul, completely reversing what was taught from young age, It Changes Ones Being and Mind!
This generation must come together in better understanding to hopefully save the next generations!