Do you think the experience of warfare is timeless, or do King and Ben have markedly different reactions?

Do you think the experience of being involved in war is timeless, or do you think that King and Ben had markedly different reactions to their respective times in the field?

I think it is timeless .... and so senseless. It does make a person grow up faster than they would in a peacetime situation, but not sure the increased growth rate is worth the opportunity for lasting trauma.

War is war. It is fierce and it is ugly. I don't believe anyone walks away unscathed and if they say they are, they are fooling themselves. King and Ben both suffered very much the same, but being different individuals their reactions would take different paths.

Any one going into the war will come back a changed person. How they deal with the experience is unique to them. Its horrible , when will it stop.

War is going to have a lasting effect on anyone who has been through one. How they deal with it once they are home depends upon different factors. An individual's personality is a major factor. Then the support of their loved ones when they return home is another factor. Also their commanding officer's attitude is another factor.

I agree with bettyt. The effects of participating in combat are profound for each military man or woman. However, recovery from the experience is determined by numerous factors including experiences in combat, length of time on the battlefield, pre-deployment preparation, and supports that are in place once the soldier is back home,. Just as with other instances of grief recovery, no two people will experience exactly the same thing nor will they experience recovery in the same time frame. Two amazing books in helping those of us who haven't gone to war grab important insights are the novel, Matterhorn, and the non-fiction Why We Go To War, both by Karl Marlantes. He makes the point that we may prepare young people "to be warriors," but we do not prepare them for the psychic pain that prevails once they actually experience the horrors of combat. I highly recommend both volumes.

Thank you,maribethr, for your suggestions on other readings.

Yes, warfare's experiences are timeless. Any one who has been in a war zone comes home with a whole different outlook on life. I think King's temperament was more volatile (with no apologies) than Ben's. I hope with proper medical help Ben can adjust and control his demons.