As of May 31, 2011, more than 1,400,000 men and women were enlisted in the United States Armed Forces (U.S. Department of Defense). More than a million brave soldiers who left their homes to preserve the American way of life. Every day this figure increases. Even though some of these soldiers return home and appear unharmed, “in war there are no soldiers unharmed” (Narosky). Dehumanization, depression, terror, alienation, exhaustion, loss of faith, and feelings of betrayal (among a horde of other problems) afflict veterans every day of their service and every day after they return. at home. The trauma of war creates a psychological scar so deep that no soldier can truly be called "unscathed" - a fact that civilization can neither deny nor avoid. According to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, a combination of waning inner strength and physical exhaustion, horror, hatred, aggression, fear, and the burden of having to kill other men results in the creation of a " psychiatric victim.” Having to cross a war zone, where everyday events like crossing the street can become a life or death situation, places soldiers under considerable stress until they break down and veterans have often admitted feeling “discouraged”, “demoralized”, “exhausted”. ", "disheartened" and "anxious" after the war. Before PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) was recognized as an illness, soldiers were called crazy when the shock of war became too intense. If the trauma was severe enough, the soldier was released. In extreme cases, they were sent to institutions. There are even several cases of soldiers who, having been removed from combat but not reaccustomed to civilian life, resorted to self-mutilation because it was the only way they knew...... middle of paper ..... .009. Print. “How deployment stress affects families.” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. US Department of Veterans Affairs, October 31, 2013. Web. November 10, 2013. “Mental Health Effects of Service in Afghanistan and Iraq.” » U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. US Department of Veterans Affairs, October 31, 2013. Web. November 11, 2013 “Military sexual trauma”. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. US Department of Veterans Affairs, October 31, 2013. Web. November 10, 2013. Narosky, J. Quote. Sherman, Michelle D. and Marshall A. Glenn. “Opportunities for School Psychologists Working with Children from Military Families.” » Communiqué 39.5 (2011): n. page. National Association of School Psychologists. National Association of School Psychologists. Internet. November 15, 2013 Thompson, Kathleen. “Mental Stress in the Union Army.” Emerging civil war. Emerging Civil War, August 15, 2013. Web. November 12. 2013.