German News clip about Veterans in the US

[Wirths]

http://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/video/...119~player.html

German spoken Text with transkription:

The few moments in which Aaron really relaxed he spends with his dog.

Harvey is his constant companion. Aaron trusts him and only him.

His dog senses immediately when Aaron gets restless again - when the thought of the war in Afghanistan overcome the 26-year-old again.

Everything also changed for his wife Stefanie since he returned from the frontline.

In the past, they often had friends at home, today Aaron can not bear other people.

He is always dependent on Stefanie's help. Not only because of his serious head injury. Even otherwise, she tells me, he finds himself barely able to handle his old life.

I still have the feeling that I do not belong here. I should be at the front, because I'm needed. I do not trust the peace.

Everytime it was so quiet - usually something bad happens, something really bad.

No one had prepared Stefanie for what comes.

We only got a date when our men are back, I thought he would be the same person that left a year before.

We are in Clarksville in the state tennessee, here is one of the largest US military bases - Headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division.

They goes up front to the front, where war is especially dirty. Many come back and cant leave the images behind.

I love you Daddy, his little daughter wrote him on the nameplate.

It is the first time in years that Chris Fields could accompany Emmily to school.

After withdrawal from Afghanistan, he is back with his family aswell as many other fathers.

Now that the war ended, the war at the homefront begins for them.

Images of Chris in the war, a US film crew had accompanied him in the combat zone.

As an officer he was responsible for 800 soldiers - a father figure for many of the young fighters.

Chris showed his feelings rarely, he was the rolemodel even in times he could not bear it.

He takes us into the forest, only when he is alone he talks frankly. About the images that dont let go of him, about the atrocities committed by his troops and about his many flashbacks.

He talks about his thoughts of the fallen comrades. Chris who was trimmed to always be strong suddenly thought of suicide.

I made allegations becouse what i was causing to my wife and my children, I wondered how can it be that i - an officer of the world's most powerful army cannot control myself?

Do you see? The dog feels that I become emotionall he wants to calm me down.

Once more we visit Aaron. Stefanie holds the medication closed in a safe. Aaron had broken into a closet before in order to get the pills.

Anti-depressants, painkillers pills against anxiety states. Aaron swallows mountains of medications a day.

Nurse, Wife, last Familiar person - Stefanie subordinates her whole life to Aaron.

Because she loves him and because she finds it unpatriotic to let him down. In the end he had risked his life for his country.

Always around is Harvey the dog and Aaron weapons. Even now he controls if they are loaded correctly. They often fights over this. Stefanie is afraid.

Once ago, during his Flashbacks her husband almost shot her.

I came around the corner into the kitchen, it was dark and he aimed at me. He thought i was someone else, he did not recognize me.

I said stop it's me but. Otherwise I would have been shot in my own home.

This does not happen every day but it does happen and it scares me.

Who will help the families of these ticking time bombs?

22 Ex-soldiers kill themselves - every day.

Because they have to wait too long to see physicians, because hardly anyone is there to help, because the fight on the home front wears them down.

What appears here as a cheerful guys' night is a private therapy session. Chris fields meets regularly with his mates from the time in Afghanistan.

He encourages them to seek help, tells of his problems.

Where would we be without him? Probably lost in alcohol. He has always given us security. In the field and here at home.

I respect him more than my own mother or my own father. During the Operations he has done so much more than I ever dared me to dream.

We all have an incredible amount of respect for this man.

The house of Chris Fields is open to all that search for advice and security. The public sector enteties are hopelessly overwhelmed with the onslaught of the returning soldiers.

Then they start talking instead of being to petrified to speak. Tey speak of the bombs, the screaming and the fear of death.

Everytime someone threatens to drift chris fatherly sets his arm around him.

They all know the feeling. Holy crap - that could have been it.

The country that send millions of young people to the frontline was unprepared to take them back again.

It is simple to start wars - it is hard to quit them.

[J. Hill]

sad but true. I see it too often at the VA myself. I see the torment in their eyes. I hear some of their stories. I listen because the Doctors don't always. I give support and advice because the VA doesn't always. I care because I am a VETERAN.

[Melnyk 1st MRB]

Damn right. Veterans should continue to help each other in life. These bonds will help them push through the bore of civilian life. Th y should stick to their comrades, since it's one of the few things that helps them cope with post war trauma. Hoorah!

[J. Hill]

Veterans have to look out for each other. Our Government is doing such a poor job of it.