Desperately need ya'lls advice!

[ardus]

I think the previous replies are a lot wiser than I can be, I just wanted to tell you about what I know about emotional trauma.

The last time I deployed to Afghanistan I lost one of my soldiers, he was one of my Team Leaders and I loved him like I love my brothers. He was shot in a firefight in a town called Palau, and he was MEDEVAC'd and we didn't know if he was going to make it for the next 2 days. Those 2 days were probably the hardest days of my life. I didn't sleep, I could barely eat, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't function, I was so devastated. When we finally got the word that he had died in the hospital in Germany, i cried for a couple of hours, then I fell asleep, emotionally and physically exhausted. The next day we went out on patrol, and we started to plan for his memorial. I don't think I really understood how much he meant to me until I wrote what I said at his memorial, but when I did, and I got it right, and it said what I wanted it to say, I started on the road to recovery. At his memorial I gave my speech and I cried and I hugged my brothers, and we moved on.

I guess what I am trying to say, is emotional trauma is devastating, but it passes, and you move on.
Richard