Aftershock: The Blast That Shook Psycho Platoon (Kindle Single) [Kindle Edition]

T. Christian Miller (Author), Daniel Zwerdling (Author)

Book Description

Five soldiers injured in the same 2009 bomb blast are a case study in a new
epidemic among America's troops, who are grappling with a combination of
concussion and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Soldier's heart. Combat fatigue. PTSD. TBI. Its symptoms are various, and no one is a smoking gun. But thousands of soldiers are suffering the effects, which include nightmares, headaches, memory loss, and--in the case explored here--suicidal tendencies culminating in a 100-mile-per-hour, three-hour police chase and armed standoff. In early 2009, while relaxing at Camp Liberty outside of Baghdad, the soldier in question survived a rocket attack while playing the video game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a detail worth its weight in threadbare irony, considering the repercussions. T. Christian Miller (ProPublica) and Daniel Zwerdling (NPR) frame their story in a timely and thorough investigation of war's "invisible" wounds and the wider epidemic with which science and the armed forces are struggling in the midst of battle. --Jason Kirk

Product Details

• File Size: 109 KB
• Print Length: 30 pages
• Publisher: ProPublica (March 18, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004SUOY78
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,229 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
  • #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Pathologies
  • #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle Singles > The World Stage

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mind Blowing View of Traumatic Brain Injuries March 22, 2011

By Marcus Valdes

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Propublica's T. Christian Miller and NPR's Daniel Zwerdling have weaved a tale of horror that is happening today to many members of our military. This terror is known as a Traumatic Brain Injury, and this piece chronicles the lives of many of our esteemed members of the military that are having to deal with this. Engrossing, and free. You should read it.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating PTSD case studies March 22, 2011

By meik1

Format:Kindle Edition

This contains gripping accounts of well written case studies of PTSD in soldiers. I found the psychological aspects of war horrifying, yet hard to put down. This is a single I will revisit, since it really piqued my interest.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Anyone who has a family member in the military should read this March 25, 2011

By Annie B TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

As the mother of a soldier who has done 3 tours in Iraq, I was drawn to read this and afraid to at the same time. I am very glad I overcame my fear and read it. It is certainly time for some light to be shed on the issues of PTSD and TBI.

I found "Aftershock" to be an all-to-real portrayal of what our soldiers deal with in combat zones as well as what they must contend with when they come home. The details gave me not only a better understanding of what happens to soldiers in combat, but much, much more important, what the signs of PTSD and TBI are, especially in the long term. It also put into words what I know in my heart: You can't just bring soldiers back from war zones and drop them off with a pat on the back and expect everything to be fine. They need help readjusting to civilian life.

I was saddened by the individual stories, but heartened somewhat to to read that the military powers-that-be are trying to get a handle on the problem and to learn that there is some hope on the horizon. Too bad, the soldiers have to fight so hard to get the care they need.

For anyone who is interested in the less obvious but serious consequences modern warfare has on the brave men and women who put their lives in danger for us, I really recommend giving this article a read. If you have a family member or friend in the military, you should definitely read this.

More About the Author

T. Christian Miller is an award-winning investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times. In ten years as a professional journalist and foreign correspondent, Miller has covered four wars, a presidential campaign and reported from more than two dozen countries. He has won numerous accolades for his work in both the U.S. and abroad, including the Livingston Award for international reporting, one of the most competitive and prestigious reporting prizes in American journalism.

Miller was the only journalist in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to covering the Iraqi reconstruction. In nearly two years of following the money trail, Miller's groundbreaking work has been followed by the expulsion of a top Pentagon official, the cancellation of a major arms contract and the initiation of several investigations. Miller's recently published book, Blood Money: Wasted Billions, Lost Lives and Corporate Greed in Iraq (Little, Brown, Aug. 2006), has won widespread critical acclaim. The Washington Post called it one of the 'indispensable' books on Iraq.

Prior to coming to Washington, Miller was a foreign correspondent based in Bogot', Colombia where he covered that nation's guerrilla conflict and its connection to Washington's war on drugs. In 2000, Miller covered the presidential campaign of George W. Bush. Miller has appeared on radio and television, including NPR's All Things Considered and MSNBC.

Miller, 36, graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with highest honors. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and two young children.