Waking Up from War

War creates incalculable suffering—not only among those on the front lines, but also among those left behind. For every service member killed or injured on the battlefield, countless others are affected—particularly relatives and friends—often in isolation and silence. Even after a war has ended, its scars extend beyond individual soldiers and their families and cascade into communities, even affecting future generations. As a nation, we must therefore do everything we can to repair the injuries caused by war, whether physical, emotional, or moral, both for those who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and for ourselves. Waking Up from War demonstrates, through the words and stories of veterans, their families, and their care providers, how this healing can be accomplished, and explains why attempts to heal sometimes fail. It also argues that the elements that contribute to healing war trauma—community, safety, connection, dialogue, mutual respect, diversity, and compassion—can help us build a stronger nation. But this message comes with a warning—and a challenge—not just for caregivers, veterans service organizations, governmental departments, Congress, and the White House, but for all Americans: until we face the truth of war and its dreadful human costs, we will not provide the best care for our veterans. And only once we as a nation provide the top-quality care our veterans deserve, will we be able to begin to end our reliance on war and truly build a durable peace.