Once a Warrior--Always a Warrior: Navigating The Transition From Combat To Home--Including Combat Stress, Ptsd, And Mtbi

Very good book. Easy to read, understand, and relate to. I bought it to try understand what my roommate is going through as a combat vet with PTSD and TBI and this was a big help in understanding his reality and also preparing me for potential triggers and explanations for behavior that might normally be seen as overreacting. I got him this book too and he found it very helpful in not only understanding himself better, but it also gave him techniques to deal with some of the issues he wants to work on. There's a lot of great information in here and I found it interesting enough to read it in a weekend. I wish I had read this years ago when I dated combat vets and active military that had multiple deployments in combat zones - it would have spared all of us a lot of fights, frustration, and heartache. I also wish this book had been in existence years ago when my Grandfather was alive (WWII vet with severe PTSD); his life would have been so much different had the family known the reasons behind his behavior and how to react when he was triggered. Hope he'd be proud of me now.

Being a psychiatrist who writes frequently about PTSD myself, I was looking for a good book about PTSD to suggest for adults. This is the best overview I've found so far written for laypersons. The writing is clear without lots of scientific language. Dr Hoge covers the challenges of seeking help and what to expect from good treatment. Unfortunately there are a lot of incompetent therapists out there who don't handle PTSD well and I would have liked to see the author advise vets on how to spot those and what to do about them. Otherwise there was much good self-help advice.

This book is a must read for anyone who went to war or loves someone who went to war. Helped me understand my combat veteran husband on a deeper level. Helped him understand things he was experiencing and realize that he wasn't alone. This book helped us both a lot. We each have our own copy. I also highly recommend The Things They Carried.

As a former military spouse and now close friend to a military contractor with one tour in Iraq and now on his second tour to Afghanistan, all of them as a law enforcement advisor. I feel it is a most read for military spouses and civilian employees involved in those countries conflicts alike. It has helped me to understand better the where and why of his "strange" at times behavior, his nightmares, and my dodging of punches in occasions. This book has made me realize many of the things that are going on in his mind when he comes home are not the result of not loving me but the result of his assume guilt, and other things that happen not only to soldiers but also to the civilians directly involved with the training of the foreign troops in the hostile environment of those countries.

As a warrior, I believe this to be the best book on PTSD and covers everything one may need; it motivates one to make the first step towards healing.Many books on the struggles with PTSD just don’t cut it when it comes to understanding the culture of the Soldiers and seem to go into too much science. This book’s explanation of the struggles a warrior goes through may just motivate you to find the help to live a life you deserve and improve your relationships with the people you love most. I salute you COL Hoge and 1SG Schindler, for a meaningful book.

If you are a soldier or have a soldier in your family who is struggling with symptoms such as sleep problems, anxiety and irritability after deployment, you need to read this book. Retired COL Hoge has written a masterpiece when it comes to understanding PTSD and mTBI from the soldier's perspective. More importantly, he provides a road map for recovery as well. I use this book regularly in my work with soldiers and it helps break the stigma many of them have about being weak when they have not been able to overcome post-deployment issues themselves and the guilt they often carry. Anyone who wants to understand what soldiers experience and what PTSD is like for them will be glad they read this.

We are beyond reading this at our house. We usually have 2 or 3 copies at home and frequently give them to Soldiers around us we know could benefit from this one. Writing is well done and presented in a way that makes it easy to follow...or easy to skip around to the content you need. Very happy with this book. Thanks, Dr. Hogue!

This book has a lot of different information covering a lot of complex areas that we as combat veterans can use to better our lives when we have returned from a deployment. It also helps those who are closest to us to better relate to, and help work with us without having to walk on eggshells. There is also a part in this book that will help the veteran to deal with returning to their family which I think is totally awesome . I strongly recommend this book two any and all combat veterans, spouses, loved ones, Etc to help them get past the difficulty of a combat veteran returning home. Awesome book filled with lots of information.

This book is incredible for anyone who is caregiving for, or even who has, or knows anybody with PTSD. I love every bit of knowledge I'm getting out of this, and recommend it to anyone looking for tips. I've recommended it to my therapist (who works at the VA with Veterans who have PTSD, and caregivers of those with PTSD). She's in turn recommended it to her patients. This is the most important book anyone who wants more information on PTSD will EVER read. It hurts to read sometimes, because it feels like I'm reading something about my own life, or about my husband's life. I never feel like anyone will understand him, or us, and this book gives me so much hope. BUY this if you want ANY more info on PTSD. It will be your PTSD Bible.

This is an outstanding work. The whole idea of ptsd is fraught with myth and nonsense but with the vast numbers of returning veterans from Iraq first and now Afghanistan, most with multiple tours, there is an avalanche poised to fall in every country that contributes troops to that sorry exercise. This book is timely, because at the end of the day, in my experience as a Vietnam vet, the burden of coping with the trauma post deployment falls on the veteran. The author has had the experience and he understands the problems we face clearly. The book is a great guide and source of critical information. Networks of other vets and professional help all have to be part of the mix, but recovery or adaptation are an inside job. The book also offers insight and guidance to the other half of the equation those to whom the veteran returns. It should be handed out as part of the readjustment package provided to all returning veterans

Very good book. Easy to read, understand, and relate to. I bought it to try understand what my roommate is going through as a combat vet with PTSD and TBI and this was a big help in understanding his reality and also preparing me for potential triggers and explanations for behavior that might normally be seen as overreacting. I got him this book too and he found it very helpful in not only understanding himself better, but it also gave him techniques to deal with some of the issues he wants to work on. There's a lot of great information in here and I found it interesting enough to read it in a weekend. I wish I had read this years ago when I dated combat vets and active military that had multiple deployments in combat zones - it would have spared all of us a lot of fights, frustration, and heartache. I also wish this book had been in existence years ago when my Grandfather was alive (WWII vet with severe PTSD); his life would have been so much different had the family known the reasons behind his behavior and how to react when he was triggered. Hope he'd be proud of me now.

Being a psychiatrist who writes frequently about PTSD myself, I was looking for a good book about PTSD to suggest for adults. This is the best overview I've found so far written for laypersons. The writing is clear without lots of scientific language. Dr Hoge covers the challenges of seeking help and what to expect from good treatment. Unfortunately there are a lot of incompetent therapists out there who don't handle PTSD well and I would have liked to see the author advise vets on how to spot those and what to do about them. Otherwise there was much good self-help advice.

This book is a must read for anyone who went to war or loves someone who went to war. Helped me understand my combat veteran husband on a deeper level. Helped him understand things he was experiencing and realize that he wasn't alone. This book helped us both a lot. We each have our own copy. I also highly recommend The Things They Carried.

As a former military spouse and now close friend to a military contractor with one tour in Iraq and now on his second tour to Afghanistan, all of them as a law enforcement advisor. I feel it is a most read for military spouses and civilian employees involved in those countries conflicts alike. It has helped me to understand better the where and why of his "strange" at times behavior, his nightmares, and my dodging of punches in occasions. This book has made me realize many of the things that are going on in his mind when he comes home are not the result of not loving me but the result of his assume guilt, and other things that happen not only to soldiers but also to the civilians directly involved with the training of the foreign troops in the hostile environment of those countries.

As a warrior, I believe this to be the best book on PTSD and covers everything one may need; it motivates one to make the first step towards healing.Many books on the struggles with PTSD just don’t cut it when it comes to understanding the culture of the Soldiers and seem to go into too much science. This book’s explanation of the struggles a warrior goes through may just motivate you to find the help to live a life you deserve and improve your relationships with the people you love most. I salute you COL Hoge and 1SG Schindler, for a meaningful book.

If you are a soldier or have a soldier in your family who is struggling with symptoms such as sleep problems, anxiety and irritability after deployment, you need to read this book. Retired COL Hoge has written a masterpiece when it comes to understanding PTSD and mTBI from the soldier's perspective. More importantly, he provides a road map for recovery as well. I use this book regularly in my work with soldiers and it helps break the stigma many of them have about being weak when they have not been able to overcome post-deployment issues themselves and the guilt they often carry. Anyone who wants to understand what soldiers experience and what PTSD is like for them will be glad they read this.

We are beyond reading this at our house. We usually have 2 or 3 copies at home and frequently give them to Soldiers around us we know could benefit from this one. Writing is well done and presented in a way that makes it easy to follow...or easy to skip around to the content you need. Very happy with this book. Thanks, Dr. Hogue!

This book has a lot of different information covering a lot of complex areas that we as combat veterans can use to better our lives when we have returned from a deployment. It also helps those who are closest to us to better relate to, and help work with us without having to walk on eggshells. There is also a part in this book that will help the veteran to deal with returning to their family which I think is totally awesome . I strongly recommend this book two any and all combat veterans, spouses, loved ones, Etc to help them get past the difficulty of a combat veteran returning home. Awesome book filled with lots of information.

This book is incredible for anyone who is caregiving for, or even who has, or knows anybody with PTSD. I love every bit of knowledge I'm getting out of this, and recommend it to anyone looking for tips. I've recommended it to my therapist (who works at the VA with Veterans who have PTSD, and caregivers of those with PTSD). She's in turn recommended it to her patients. This is the most important book anyone who wants more information on PTSD will EVER read. It hurts to read sometimes, because it feels like I'm reading something about my own life, or about my husband's life. I never feel like anyone will understand him, or us, and this book gives me so much hope. BUY this if you want ANY more info on PTSD. It will be your PTSD Bible.

This is an outstanding work. The whole idea of ptsd is fraught with myth and nonsense but with the vast numbers of returning veterans from Iraq first and now Afghanistan, most with multiple tours, there is an avalanche poised to fall in every country that contributes troops to that sorry exercise. This book is timely, because at the end of the day, in my experience as a Vietnam vet, the burden of coping with the trauma post deployment falls on the veteran. The author has had the experience and he understands the problems we face clearly. The book is a great guide and source of critical information. Networks of other vets and professional help all have to be part of the mix, but recovery or adaptation are an inside job. The book also offers insight and guidance to the other half of the equation those to whom the veteran returns. It should be handed out as part of the readjustment package provided to all returning veterans

I teach classes on trauma and crisis, including intensives on PTSD. While this is not currently incorporated as a text in that class, it is good enough to be so utilized. The practicality is good, and the presentation is solid. For those struggling with post-traumatic issues (yes, I have some myself) this is a very good book to read and will help most people. Not trying to oversimplify a complex situation, one of the keys is always to remember that those returning are acting normally (to a certain extent) for a different environment. What keeps them alive downrange, causes problems back home. This book should help.

As a volunteer therapist for The Soldiers Project, I have recently begun working with warriors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. This book was invaluable in helping me to understand military culture, combat related PTSD and mTBI, and the struggles faced by these brave men and women as they navigate their journey home. It is also an excellent "handbook" for the soldiers themselves and can be used to assist them in this process whether they are in therapy or not. The section devoted to family members and their role in the healing process as well as information on how to cope with their own changing roles in the family and the life of the soldier is insightful and informative. This book pulls no punches. The approach is honest and straightforward; one that can be understood and appreciated by therapists, soldiers, families and all those whose lives have been touched by a warrior.

Our son is a Marine. He's active-duty, but this book is really helpful for when/if he transitions to civilian life. There's lots of good advice, that I'm sure I'll want to re-read. Sometimes it got a bit long-winded, but it's good stuff. It's such a serious matter. I'm glad it's finally getting the attention it deserves. It's too bad that some people, or particular instances, downplay it's seriousness. If you know someone who's going through this phase (or anyone related to them), this book is worth reading.

First, to anyone who is starting treatment or someone who has been in treatment for a while now, there are no shortcuts, meds help (they aren't a cure), stay strong. I have been in a PTSD group on base for months and although it's helpful to be around others, and our Docs are very down to Earth this book really opened up a lot more insight into where I am at in my life. I have served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a medic. My wife just returned from a tour herself, and I will be "loaning" my copy to her Kindle. We've both seen our share of combat and both being medical we've seen the aftermath of the fighting, be it troops or civilians. It took me many years to begin to address the things that were going on.

As a Christian counselor and mother of a soldier, I highly recommend that ALL family members read this book to help understand your soldier's feelings. Dr. Hoge's book should be the front book on the new stand, at Barnes and Noble and here on Amazon. He helps us understand what our soldiers have been through, why they have nightmares and especially why they seem distant. For your family's sake and for all the soldiers deployed and those coming home, war IS a nightmare, please read and be prepared on how to help them heal and return to live stateside.

I thought this book was very well written. It was serious when it came to discussing the issues that warriors face when coming home but the author had a way of making it humorous at the same time. I found myself laughing quite a bit actually. As someone who has been previously diagnosed with depression and anxiety I found that a lot of what the author was saying was actually said to me during my therapy sessions as well. I found it to be a good refresher from my sessions. I really enjoyed the quotes and stories that he included from other vets. This book included helpful hints that can be used in any aspect of life.

You often purchase a stack of books when reviewing a topic, but this book has been standing up among the rest ever since it was delivered to my doorstep. It is simultaneously readable, academic, personal, scientific, interpersonal and practical. As a clinician, it is a perfect book to help me serve my clients well. It's also a perfect book to copy pages out of to give to my clients who are returning with major struggles surrounding re-entry, and have been left out of the conversations they should be privy to. Ultimately, it's a book I've purchased and given to my clients, who then see themselves triumphing over their symptoms as they see they are not alone, and they are not "crazy." My only regret is that this book is not required reading for any clinician, any soldier, and family member of a soldier, and any VA employee across the country. Were it required, our servicewomen and men would be in better care and in better health. Donald [...]

A great resource for every combat veteran, regardless of how long you've been back. I really appreciated the discussion of the permanent physiological changes to the brain and how the learned survival skills are a normal response for those in long sustained combat operations, as well as what we need to do to be more aware of the physiological factors that influence our responses. The author provides effective methods of how to manage it by dialing it up or down according to the situation and better cope with the very different world we came "home" to. We can't undo what's been done, but this book provides a better understanding of how to live a better life by managing it more effectively. This book is more clinical in nature than other books I have read, which really helps explain what's really going on and what helps and what methods of coping we gravitated to actually worsens the condition. A must read for love ones so they aren't left in the dark and what they can do to help rather than worsen the situation. Too bad this book wasn't available when we returned. Probably wouldn't have prevented an inevitable train wreck divorce, but it absolutely would have helped me immensely in better dealing with it and in my understanding of the heightened feelings of betrayal, as well as reduce the short term impact of it on my kids. I believe it would also have helped me in not feeling like a ghost walking in the land of the living for far too long. For those looking to go down the path of healing, to learn to live again, to be happy, to trust, to love again, this book is a invaluable resource. Good luck and God Bless those who served their country!

I have been wondering why, for years, that the folks who had the big brains could not figure out a way to turn a "con" into a "pro". This work hits the mark dead-center. We are warriors, we can't go back. So why not use the great life skills the military gave us to excel in life rather than make combat vets feel sub-standard. If you have the ability, purchase this work and refer back to it often. If you are short on cash, please make sure your local library has several copies of this work on its shelf!

I wish I'd found this book years ago. This truly is a must read and by far a different and more wholeistic approach to the subject.

This is a somewhat informative book, but I think for anyone with serious post-combat issues it is nothing more than a decent read. I would recommend you seek some professional help/counseling...you won't get that from reading a book(s). The book left me with a little more to be desired. Having said that, books are always subject to reader's opinions; this is mine.

Dr. Charles W. Hoge of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, advocates the challenge of the DSM-IV’s clinical definition of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). By using his testimonial surveys, and clinical trials done on military personnel obtained from before and after deployment from OEF, OIF, and OND, Colonel Hoge and his team will explain the stigmatism of soldiers, their beliefs in mental health care, and the lack of availability of mental health services on base, and homeland. This is a book will give you the valuable information you need in dealing with those suffering from mTBI (mild Traumatic Brain Injury), Combat Stress, PTSD, and the expectations of coming home from a fourth dimensional world overseas. The quotes of traumatic situations, individual stories and reactions to trauma and recovery throughout the book from soldiers, will endorse this book as a one of-a-kind true hero’s tears in print, making this a top choice for anyone in the mental health field.

Dr. Hoge is a recognized expert in the important area of research of combat PTSD. His book is a comprehensive review of the effective treatments for combat PTSD. He has writt en this book fundamentally as a handbood for Soldiers to "navigate" through the seas of despair in which they struggle to survive. I believe it is written in an understandable style, one that is in language Soldiers understand. It is richly referenced with a practical and useful division into sub-types of references, such as approved therapies, mild traumatic brain injury, and many others. It is fact, a nearly complete collection of most of all need know to improve one's life as a warrior with PTSD or a therapist preparing oneself to treat this most challenging of all behavioral health conditions today in the Age of Terrorism.

I purchased this for my husband who is a Marine. He is really enjoying reading it and has gotten a lot out of it. Great read for the combat vet in my view, wheather struggling or not. I am very glad I purchased this for him, and I might donate one to our local library so others will have the opportunity to read this. The selling point on it for me (aside from the online rave reviews) was that it was written by a Military service person, not just someone whom attained knowledge via tradational educational means.

I have been reading Hoge's journal articles for a number of years. This doctor and his team were the first to announce in 2003 that an unusually large proportion of U.S. troops were returning from the Iraq War with traumatic brain injury and/or PTSD. This book is part retrospective and part instruction manual for veterans and spouses on how to deal with TBI and PTSD.

This is an excellent summary of the difficulties service personnel face when coming home. Particular strengths include; 1, Framing the transition difficulties as a process of adapting from an extreme environment and unlearning previously adaptive strategies. This enables a soldier to maintain a sense of control and purpose when figuring out the transition. 2, Providing a useful summary of the problems the mental health system has with understanding and treating the difficulties soldiers can experience. 3, Providing mental health practitioners with some useful guidance on how they might frame the experience for service personnel they are working with. 4, Practical and easy-to-follow advice an managing both the treatment experience, and how to deal with the symptoms. Would recommend to any service person experiencing difficulties after coming home.

I read Dr. Hoge's book while struggling with PTSD from my lovely trip to Somalia in 1993. This book really put into terms that I could easily grasp all the things I was experiencing. It laid out a clear way of understanding my disorder and working my way out of it. I no longer felt ashamed, weak or like a failure, but instead felt like a person with regular problems associated with deployment. I have since recovered and now deliver treatment to other veterans. I integrated reading this book as part of my treatment modality and find that it allows us to have better, clearer conversations about what is going on with them as they recover. This book helps us educate the veteran, without pathologizing them. Thanks Dr. Hoge. Herb

There are a quite a bit of books out there on this topic, but this is by far the best. It's written by the leading expert in the field and a very easy read.

We keep extra copies of this book to share with other families who have a member of the family that has a Stress disorder. Whether it is caused by accumlative stress, PTSD, or Brain Trama it all effects the same nervious system. I used this book in my Senior Seminar with Psalm 32 to show how one can learn to live with a stress disorder. It was originally introduced to us through my son and the VA Hospital.

What I needed

Great book on PTSD for counselors! My client thinks it's too stats heavy and not smooth easy reading.

I originally bought this book for a college paper. Since then it has helped me deal with our oldest which was medically discharged with PTSD from the Army.

It is true , as the title says , Once a Warrior Always a Warrior . Military service changes you for the rest of your life IMO . It is a unique form of a University-one where you learn strengths and skills you never thought you had-like jumping out of airplane or finding your way through the jungle with a map and compass . Warriors , male and female , do not lose those strengths and confidence as life goes on . The military made me better as a civilian because I had more confidence in my ability to see things through . Also , they brought out teamwork and perseverance that I didn't know I had . But this is about COL Hoge's book . I met him at a Vets conference in Ft Lauderdale and he explained why he choose his title in spite of opposition from the Publisher . It's just true he said , and most importantly for the therapist caring for veterans , we will fall back on those old skills from active duty to help us pull through the most difficult times . Most Americans ,71 % say they have a disconnect with the military and its lifestyle > Col Hoge served in Irag and has first hand knowledge of what PTSD is all about . He is also an experienced psychiatrist who knows his patients . He gives several practical treatment guidelines that will benefit those who know little about military service but wish to serve those who have borne 13 years of constant battle . He says that the skills you learned in becoming a warrior will be a strength in helping you find your warrior find their way Home .

My husband was an Army Ranger in Korea. This book was recommended to him. He said it was a good book for any person in the military or returning. Any help for our Veterans is a very good thing.

This book should be required reading for returning service men from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It covers everything from combat readjustment to medications utilized to treat PTSD and Anxiety. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense should be issuing this book to all soldiers diagnosed with PTSD.

This book is great for ANYONE, even those who don't know someone in the military. It just helps to understand society and the real causes of a lot of our problems. We tend to forget about people who have suffered from other severe incidents and only focus on military personnel. This opens a whole other perspective for vitims and witnesses of violent crimes, accidents, abuse, etc.

My former boss in the military. Very well written by competent doctor.

This book is a MUST READ for all returning service personnel - current and past. As a 'partner' of a warrior, this book helped me understand why my partner deals with things the way that he does. It put my mind at ease and reinforced some concepts that I was finding difficult to understand. Once A Warrior guides the warrior through exercises and examples to help with PTSD symptoms as well as clearly explains mTBI. The writing style is exceptional - it is "real", has injections of humour and the language is such that warriors will be able to relate. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

All Nam Vets need to read this outstanding book that is best for talking about War PTSD. Well written And has great insight to this condition. Get a used condition for best price .

An absolute MUST READ for every combat vet, and their families! I've been struggling for 6 years...what I got out of this book could have possibly saved my career, my marriage, and years of emotional torture.

I really liked this book. It was if it had been written about my life after Nam! War is hell and messes with your head and body for your whole life! This book makes it a little easier because it helps you realize you're not alone in your experience with PTSD.

As a veteran this book hits the nail on the spot of what things are like in the minds of retuning vets of Iraq and Afghanistan and the complex matters that make war and the memories of war a living reoccurring hell.

It's a good book for understanding what's going on shortly after a deployment or post military seperation. If you have a grasp on your PTSD it's not going to tell you anymore than you already know.

Perhaps reading this book will ease the transition from active duty to civilian life for veterans. It will certainly offer advice and enlightenment for their families. Well-written and readable, I would also recommend it to the spouses and families of law enforcement officers.

This book is excellent! It has very valuable and detailed information for warriors, families, and clinicians who treat them. The book has very intriguing anecdotes from real warriors, in their own words, whom the author has treated. The warriors tell their own stories of combat, adjusting back to civilian life and the inherent struggles with that process. It was a very enlightening and enjoyable read.

This book was one of the better books we have read on PTSD. It is written from a military prospective and is understandable & relatable. I would recommend this book for anyone who is dealing from PTSD post deployment.

As a person who served many years in the service, I can appreciate this book . I've tried the VA for years to no avail !! This has given me a new insight a different look at myself . Pick it up men !!

I purchased this so that I could be a resource for my son returning from Afghanistan. I really like that the focus is about the transition from combat to home and there are applications for ALL returning soldiers. There is also info about PTSD and more serious transition issues - but the focus is on navigating the return - not on looking for red flag issues. I kept a copy and bought a second copy for my son.

This book helps makes sense of the relationship between military training and PTSD. It helps identify positive strengths from Service training that can help develop coping skills to maintain good quality of life and mental health after PTSD.

ONE OF THE BEST THAT TOTALLY COVERS THE TRANSATION. GREAT TO USE WITH A THERAPIST.

I use it to treat vets with PTSD. They love it too

Bought for my husband. He works with Veterans, and this book has been very helpful.

I purchased this book for a wounded warrior. Based on his feedback every military person returning from war should be issued this book.

This book helped me to understand everything that was going on with my husband. I now understand what is going on with him and how to help him.

This should be the first book Veterans read upon returning home, their spouse reads before the Veteran returns home, and any Clinician that is thinking about or already working with Veterans. Thank you Mr. Hoge for this wonderful book and telling it the way it is!

Great book!!! Helps me see that I am a bit more normal than I thought.

I suffer from PTSD. This book has given me working techniques to handle the emotions and physical reactions that come with an episode. Lifesaver.

Good

A great therapeutic and realistic book,

We used this in our Special Population class in grad school. VERY easy read and it keeps your attention!

helps understand the issues

Great read. My husband found this helpful!

As both a veteran and as mental health clinician, I cannot recommend this book enough. Dr. Hoge really gets it, and he communicate it in easy to understand terms. If you are somebody trying to understand why a loved one is different after war, look no further. This is the book you want.

Book is great! Service was even better!!!!!

It was posted very well , the book is like right off the shelf .Great reading Oe of the best book I ordered

a must-read for anyone supporting a soldier going through PTSD, and for any soldier looking for help for PTSD.

Great Product

Thank you Dr. Hoge for a fabulous book and for the work you are doing. This is a book that should be in the hands of not only returning veterans but those that have returned in the past. Informative, easy to read and follow, and a step by step guide for the veteran, everything is here to help the Veteran come home with dignity and respect. I highly recommend.

I am a psychologist and wanted a book to help me understand the subjective experience of combat PTSD. This book was able to do that. I would not hesitate to suggest this book to anyone with combat PTSD.

As a Vietnam Veteran with a rating of 100% with PTSD I found it to be a 'path' to understanding better the effect and affect of it. I encouraged my wife to read it also and found her with her jaw dropped several times, tears in her eyes, then saying to me, "Now I understand!".

Wow a great book to supplement your work with veterans! I save lots of money buying it here! That's always a plus when your a college student.

Excellent book for anyone dealing with PTSD or Anxiety and Panic issues, weather you were in the military or have a family member or friend dealing with any of these issues. Or someone wanting to understand more of what a person dealing with PTSD, Anxiety and Panic are going through and the coping skills that can help.

This book is written at a level for all to understand. The good doctor does a great job of making this real and meaniful to all who suffer from or live with someone suffering from PTSD. If you want to understand your illness better pick this up and read it multiple times. Dr. Hoge is also awesome with his support of the readers, he emailed back to a few question I had and even followed up a few weeks later to ensure I got his response. Buy and pick up as a present for your friends.

I work with PTSD everyday and highly recommend this work of art. Very easy to understand and brings the subject up-to-date. Thank you for writting it!

This is the first Doc or person that gets what it is like out there and what some of us go thru. This book helped me out alot.

Not only has this book helped me so much in understanding my solider but has helped me understand myself. Since reading this, our relationship is now so much stronger and I really feel equipped to be a partner for him and his issues. An absolute must read and have on hand if you or anyone is suffering.

Great for people who suffer from PST from serving in battle. You can load it onto your smart phone and listen a chapter at a time.

This is a clearly written book that covers all areas of what our veterans encounter upon returning home. It also gives insight and advice for loved ones.

Wonderful book that provided easy to understand information. As the wife of a veteran it can often times become overwhelming to understand what the warrior faces. This book was very helpful.

The author is correct. Once a warrior always a WARRIOR!!!

I have given these books to military vets that have trouble adjusting to civilian life

This book is the only one you need to read about warriors, combat stress and PTSD LTC Guy C. Lamunyon MSN (Ret) Combat Medic 101st Vietnam Army Psych Mental Health Nurse Retired VA Domiciliary Treatment Coordinator NOTE: I served in Vietnam with Michael Schindler

I'm a combat veteran who served in Iraq for just over a year from 2003-2004. I recommend this book to both veterans and their families/friends!

great book for someone with PTSD

Excellent book both for the practicing clinician and those suffering from PTSD whether it be combat related or due to other causes.

excellent book

As a military mental health tech, I came across this book by the contemporary authority on military deployments and their affects, and I instantly was assured that I made the right choice. Hoge continues to fascinate me with his ability to understand and explain service members' mental health concerns. I encourage anyone, civilian and service member alike, that is interested in the effects of military deployments to pick this book up and spread the word. Hoge is a tremendous author, researcher, and veteran. I am proud to be serving alongside him in an effort to help and serve those who serve the rest of us.

Great insight and advice for both soldiers and families. It can truly shed some light on issues you may not have even recognized yet. I know it did for me.

One of the best books out there. Easy to read and very practical - I recommend it to all my clients who have combat PTSD.

I'm a clinician working with combat Veterans. The material is good. It offers a lot of practical recommendations. This is more for the soldier than the therapist.

We need a planned method in re-educating military from war to civilian settings. Informative and I will use in in my counseling practice.

This is the most amazing, helpful, understandable, and caring book I have ever read about military personnel who have lived under the duress of war. I laughed. I cried. It gave me hope for all returning soldiers and those who love them that there is a path out of turmoil and in to a loving life beyond war. Than you, Dr. Hoge

This should be required reading for every combat veteran, and their family. i lost a leg in Vietnam, and work with vets for a living. Have read many books over the years, this comes closest the mark. Perhaps because the author is both a medical professional, and as important a veteran. It's not that PTSD does not exist in the civilian world as well, but civilian professions tend to feel it's the same, and it's not.

Excellent read. Great insight into the veteran mindset. The writer was very knowledgeable on all the topics of this book. Very helpful.

Both these books show exactly what these "warriors" go through and how they can be helped. Both were good reads!

Very insightful. I order it because our son-in-law has PTSD and I wanted to understand it. I am hoping I can get him and our daughter to read it.

Fast shipping, wife's already read it.

School book

book

Very dry, sometimes hard to get through

Good book

Hoge makes great effort to define and describe why PTSD is nothing to feel ashamed of. It is simply a normal reaction to abnormal events. It is a normal physiological reaction to extreme physical stresses. Defined in this way, anyone can admit they have it without any embarrassment. Dr. Hoge is a veteran himself. His word choices are different from mine. He calls combat sufferers of PTSD, "warriors." Not my first choice for "people," but I see why he does it this way. The warrior is still a warrior because he has a new challenge ahead, once he returns home. Recovery from PTSD is like a new deployment. Now the territory is one's own physiology and behavior. Now the "action" is doing exercises to calm one's fight/flight reactions. I am not complaining, it is just his writing style that I have to work around in order to absorb his very useful information. I can see the benefit for some who will find the book more useful to them because of this style. I bought this book because someone close to me is suffering, and now I understand him better. But I learned a lot about myself too, about my own reactions to the traumatic stresses I have experienced. About brain injury TBI he appears to believe it doesnt really exist, apart from expectations. After finishing the book i feel it offers much needed assistance and better understanding of PTSD, but not for TBI.

This is a soldier's book. Written by a military psychiatrist whose published articles in scientific and medical journals has been on the cutting edge of military traumatic disability research, Once a Warrior dispenses with doctor-talk and is directed to the grunt at the front who is trying to come home - in every sense of the word. Using a format that consists of both didactic, plain-talk instruction and a set of self-help exercises, this book addresses what have been called the "signature injuries" of the Iraq and Afghanistan theater wars, posttraumaric stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), specifically focusing on so-called mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which usually does not result in dramatic symptoms and impairments like loss of vision, impaired speech, or immobility, but which can produce a wide range of more subtle, yet significantly disabling physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. These include dizziness, sleep loss, fatigue, sensory hypersensitivity, impaired concentration and memory, irritability, impulsivity, and depression. In fact, many of the symptoms of mTBI overlap with those of PTSD, often confounding accurate differential diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning. Early chapters describe the challenges of transitioning from a red-alert war-zone mentality to the vagaries of civilian work and family life. Subsequent chapters provide practical strategies for dealing with tension and stress, improving sleep, avoiding overuse of alcohol and drugs, modulating anxiety levels, managing anger, dealing with irrational guilt and justifiable grief, and using meditation, mindfulness, and narrative approaches to lower stress. A separate chapter helps the veteran develop a sense of resiliency to deal with the range of annoying jerks who can often make the service member feel like he or she is about to blow up or implode. An important chapter guides the military service veteran through the mental health care system. Recognizing the stigma that is often associated with seeking help for anything "psychological," this chapter describes the types of mental health professionals who provide care, the different settings where treatment may be offered, and the variety of medications and psychotherapeutic modalities that may be utilized. A separate section of this chapter is directed at mental health practitioners themselves in terms of advising them how to provide the kind of services best suited to military personnel. A subsequent chapter focuses on accepting, living, and coping with major losses that occur as the result of military service, including grief, survivor guilt, and many of the unanswerable questions of war. The final chapter offers advice for military families in working with their service member to strengthen family bonds and aid in readjustment to civilian life. Although specifically intended for military service members themselves, and despite a clear, crisp, and user-friendly writing style, this book may still be just a little too long and complex to hold the attention of many ordinary troops. But every counselor and therapist who works with military personnel should definitely have this in their library. In fact, one productive use of this manual might be for the clinician to access the information about PTSD and mTBI in order to explain it to his/her patient, then adapt some of the book's exercises to that particular patient in that particular treatment setting. Overall, Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior is a book that will help clinician and patient work together productively. - Laurence Miller, International Journal of Emergency Mental Health

I am currently in school for therapy with a focus track on military personnel, and while this book is geared more toward the individual than the therapist it is a great book to read as a refresher. If you are the person looking for help and answers, though, this book is very easy to follow and understand and I highly recommend getting this.

Why is this book great 1. Page 146. There is a specific scale which clearly defines control issues or extended use of controls in a person's life to help stabilize PTSD. These control factors can bring a sense of stability to a person but turn off other people. Because of these control issues, I have people turn against me. That hurts me and probably them-which is why they turned against me. 2. Page 175. Brings home FULLY why people do not get help. Anyone who wants to work with those of us who have these PTSD conditions needs to understand this. Not just read the page-have this page burned in our memory. Xerox this page and carry it in your pocket. 3. Page 275. The V's at the end of the book are the solution to get us somewhat stable from the PTSD mess left in our heads. These V's can build good action plans. These V's should be the foundation of everyone's encounter notes! This book also teaches all the therapies and treatments out there. The book doesn't really make judgements. This book just lays out the options. The same could be said for navigating the system. Most people do not understand how navigate the system. Most people do not know-they are about to enter a system. They just want help. They are about to get that help by entering a system. Navigating the system is almost never taught or recognized. If I had enough money I would buy this book and drop it by air drop all across America. The down side The author doesn't seem to recognize the importance of the amount of veteran's returning with characteristics of Axis II. Axis II symptoms are in large numbers of current returning veterans. Repeated deployments? I do not know. There is: I want you-I hate you. I am here-I am gone. Lack of impulse control can lead to some possible violent reactions. Still, the book is the most complete and comprehensive book that I have seen on what will be the greatest mental health plague, ever. Also, Prazosin is discussed. Which I found encouraging. An often overlooked and under utilized medicine. The book is comfortable to hold. This book is the right size to carry around and keep referencing. I only hope that people see the distinct value of this book as comprehensive book in a small package. This book will go a long way to bring stability to those of us who have PTSD. People who want to work with us can keep one book and get to work. I only hope that Colonel Hoge gets wider recognition than he has gotten so far. Through this book, Colonel Hoge might have a hand held reference to the after effects of these current wars which will begin to come home in the next five to ten years. BUY THIS BOOK. I bought two. Kept one and gave one away. Consider doing the same. Moe Armstrong Founder of Vet to Vet

Since I have yet to take delivery of this book, this might not pass the "review" sniff test. But would it be such a big thing if we were to include a few weeks of re-programming at mustering out? We put a lot of energy into teaching our warriors to kill on command and then we put them in combat positions which weed out those who didn't fully grasp the training. Would it not make sense to give our sons and daughters training in how to be civilians again? At present, the government is suggesting that returning vets should lose their Second Amendment rights because they fought on behalf of this nation. Surely a few weeks at their mustering out of undoing the mental damage caused by the programming they received when entering the military and reinforcement they received in battle zones is not to much to offer our children. I have decided to write to the entire membership of Congress and the Senate essentially what I have written above. Perhaps you could be moved to at least write those representing your own state.

I have a family member with PTSD and physical impairments due to a past war. I thought I'd try to read up on what warriors go through to see if I could help him in any way. It was depressing to me, and I never did get through the book.

I took a class related to counseling Military Families. This book is written to assist counselors and military families alike. It has a great deal of information about topics that don't easily occur to people outside of the military culture, facing repeated deployments and dealing with all that comes with their commitment. God Bless the Military.

This is a good, clinical book about PTSD told from the perspective of a military doctor who certainly has seen not only his fair share of combat, but also those suffering the after effects of it. However, I think it may be too clinical for the average reader just looking to learn more about PTSD and how to help either themselves or a loved one who is dealing with it. One of the best parts of this book was the resources section in the back that listed numerous places to go for help in dealing with PTSD. I do recommend this book as one piece of the puzzle when it comes to learning about PTSD.

I attended "Return form the War Zone: Reintegrating Soldiers, Sharing Experiences", a panel which included Col. Hoge at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven where I was very moved by the veterans personal descriptions of their struggles as they resumed civilian life and bought "Once a Warrior...". The introduction gives a useful summary of the culture shock warriors can expect when they return to civilian life. Warriors have trained to react appropriately to the stress of war, but often not had the luxury of reprogramming themselves to return home. I was particularly struck by the suggestions in the table of contents that read like the table of contents in a mindfulness text. I teach yoga in a Veteran's Community Care facility to help my students breathe, relax, focus, and observe their emotions and experiences without judgment, all therapeutic activities listed by Col Hoge. Many of my students are older, having taken years to realize that they could benefit from help. I hope more families read "Once a Warrior..." and begin to process their experiences through telling their stories and practicing mindfulness before problems arise or become more serious.

In the Civil War, it was "soldier's heart". In WW I, it was "shell shock". In WW II, it was "battle fatigue". Now it is PTSD. People who haven't been through combat pooh pooh this residual trauma. This book has useful exercises, for dealing with trauma, PTSD and TBI. Battle is like little else in life. Even police officers don't understand battle. Coping strategies for battle rarely work, in peacetime. Italian shock troops of WW I were self-medicating, until Mussolini came along, and offered them a way to work out their trauma. Not all soldiers want to go back, though. Some Vietnam vets never did re-adjust to civilian life. We need to offer something better, beyond addiction, and this is a good path.

I'm the wife of a 100% disabled Iraq vet with PTSD. This is the first book that really made sense to me and didn't get boring with medical jargon. He speaks in military terms, and it's not as awkward as I've found with other books written by civilians. I was given a copy of this book by our Vet Center, but I have not had time to sit down and read it. I recently downloaded the audio book version on audibles.com and listened to it during a long road trip. It was such a blessing! I was afraid I would start to drift while listening, but it kept my attention the entire time. My husband has a hard time sitting down and reading long books due to his decreased concentration, but is able to listen to audio books without tiring. Lots of great information that confirmed what we experience, as well as new advice and techniques we are going to try. If you are short on time or just retain information better listening, I highly recommend the audio book version. You can devote an hour or two at a time while you drive, do chores, or work out and get through it in no time. Just have a pin and paper handy in case you want to take notes! Or you can do what I did-- have the copy of the actual book at your side and find and highlight the points that you want to remember. Best PTSD book I've read so far!

An outstanding approach to the analysis of the challenges facing our military veterans , especially those who have been called upon to make multiple deployments to some of the toughest fighting our military has ever faced. Highly recommended

Did not read app because it was for an ex bf

I rate "Once a Warrior" 5 Stars. This is an excellent book on dealing with PTSD. I is a wonderful source of information for patients with PTSD, their family members and psychiatrists who treat PTSD. It is very well organized and easy to understand. I give this book a 5 Star Excellent rating. By Gregg L. Friedman MD, Psychiatrist.

Awesome book for veterans and non-veterans. Really shares a light on everything.

I am a nurse and have never witnessed a war. The closest that I ever came to 'witnessing' a war was through movies like "Saving Private Ryan", "Platoon", and reading the late Daniel Perlman's first-hand reports from the war-zone. Dr. Charles Hoge has poignantly portrayed travails of the soldiers and has very succinctly depicted their trials and tribulations in the war-front and at home as well. Treating soldiers from wars as recent as in Afghanistan and Iraq to the soldiers from Korean war, I can relate to and validate their sentiments based on their daily narrations. Ret. Col Charles Hoge has afforded us all a vivid insight into the grim reality of the strife with a psychological perspective. Dr. Hoge should be up for a Pulitzer award at the least.

Doc Hoge has done an excellent job in addressing issues for those of us with 'boots on ground'. It's hard to eloquently describe the feeling of being 'spun up' for months on end. You wake up, report for duty, get a daily brief, get chow and exercise when you can, do your duty with brothers (& sisters), and try to get some sleep with mortars or helos overhead. When you get home, nothing. No structure, no brothers, no brief. You feel aimless and lost. Doc is spot on with 'Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior'. I hope books like this make it to the hands that matter, the ones that are or were down-range and we pray are coming home. Thank you again, Doc. "If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success. Take time to sharpen your axe." - Solomon

Great story, very engaging.

I HIGHLY recommend this book! This book has helped many people who have PTSD. Veterans have recommended it to me. I recommend it to those who have served, & to their loved ones. There is a chapter to help loved ones understand why their soldier is suffering, and how to help.

I'm a veteran, a spouse of a combat vet, and a (mental health) provider. I found this book to be great introspectively and also for those providers who are not very familiar with the military. My husband said this book should be mandatory for transitioning service members.

Very helpful book written in a straightforward manner.

Still reading it, but this book is very helpful in my work with vets.

I've read other books about our experiences and, while insightful, all they did was tell me "You're not alone, others are going through this as well." I always thought "Well, that's great, but what do we DO about it and HOW do we cope?" I especially appreciated, as an old light infantry guy, his LANDNAV analogy! Finally, a "map"...

What a powerful book! This book has all the information that you could need for PTSD and ways to handle it. Very well written and so much information.

This is a hard one to read. It sometimes gets uncomfortably close to spots that have been layered over with a very thin veneer of "reality" as seen by persons who have never been there.

As a retired army officer, the author tries to explain away PTSD as though it were but a figment of the serviceman mind and is fully treatable. In this context one assumes he or she will be cured of this malady. Over 40 years ago I served in Vietnam. I struggle with memories, smells, and nights that are living a reality. PTSD symptoms do not disappear they remain an integral part of ones day to day life. Arrogant officers, such as Mr. Hoge, caused more young men to die needlessly because they wanted to put medals on their chests and rank on their collars. Did this man spend a month or more living on the front line in direct contact with the enemy? I do not believe that he ever did. We need medical types to face reality and get their ass in the grass, not behind a desk writing nonsensical drivel.

PTSD personified

Superb and written by expert who puts his research information in form that layperson can understand. Highly recommend

very interesting, very helpful, informative, well presented, should be recommended to vets in general if only for generic reference, excellent

The man who saw through the emperor's new clothes explains why the apparent epidemic in mild brain injury in recent military conflict wasn't quite that

wow vues in the us and canada really do not concur. canada is always behind in the way of accepting whatever comes from us veterans doctors or researchers. i attempted to use some of the materiel published by distinguished universities in the usa and dva refused to recognize those studies. maybe this book should be compulsery reading to those of our doctors who must deal with veterans who have ptsd so that the scuicide rate can be lowered through understanding the differences explained in this book. in my time, if you had problems after a mission you shut up for fear of being dumped by the army. today when you try to advocate your rights, you seem to be treated the same way by dva. excellent work doctor and i quote this book to veterans advocacy here in canada

Great book, highly recommended to helping you understand PTSD.

as a 14 year veteran my wife loved this book ... she understand better what i go through on a daily basis fighting PTSD

A must read for every veteran of any conflict, their family, and any civilian worth their salt.

This book was very helpful in understanding that military marriages are different than civilian marriages due to the prolonged stress effect. The allostatic reaction in military personnel must be accounted for when treating soldiers and their spouses.

A must to read if you were a warrior

Friend enjoyed it

Great read and got here very fast...

Helps if you're trying to understand what makes a big strong guy who's seen it all and done it all, panic when standing in a dull old supermarket checkout queue. All the contacts information are American of course. The message is to support the soldiers you love as they leave the services, especially after a long career, because that is a very critical time in trying to transition to civi life. Our British system seem unable to cope or know what to do with ex soldiers apart from pay them ESA and Housing Benefit and leave them hiding indoors quietly becoming alcoholic.

Very insightful book and easy to read. As a military S/O this book helped me understand what my veteran is going through. Some of the practical exercises also helped me better control my own anxiety about the relationship that was triggered by my veteran's actions and reactions.

A must read for anyone coming off a stressful deployment.