RETURNING FROM

THE WAR ZONE

Created by experts at the National Center for PTSD, 2006 

A Guide for Families of 

Military Members 

HOMECOMING

The days and weeks after a homecoming from war can be filled with excitement, relief, and 

many other feelings. This guide is for military family members, like you. This guide is also 

helpful for friends and returning veterans themselves. Following the veterans return from 

overseas duty, the entire family will go through a transition. This guide will help each of you 

understand readjustment during homecoming. 

Reintegration following homecoming involves taking time for the veteran, family and friends to 

become reacquainted. Talk and listen to one another to restore trust, support and closeness. 

There may be times when you and your returning veteran feel stress, uncertainty, concern, and 

distance from one another. It may feel as if the service member is still fighting a war, rather than 

truly being home. All of these emotions are a normal part of readjustment following deployment 

to a war zone. At first, these reactions may be difficult to deal with. Some service members have 

real difficulties and struggle during their transitions back home. Because many service members 

face redeployment back to overseas duty, it is especially important to address these difficulties 

during this time back home. Learning more can help your family cope. In this guide you will 

learn about: 

How expectations about homecoming may not be the same for service members and 

family members 

 Ways to talk and listen to one another in order to re-establish trust, closeness and 

openness 

Information about possible problems to watch out for 

How to offer and find assistance for your loved ones 

What help is available and what it involves 

A common expectation is that the family will be exactly the same as it was before the 

deployment. However, during deployment families naturally change. Children have grown and 

spouses have taken on new responsibilities. New friendships may have formed. War zone 

exposure is a life changing experience for those deployed. Understanding what you might 

expect will help with the transition back to civilian life. In this guide you will learn ways to 

cope better, and if problems arise, ways to find assistance.

A Guide for Military Families – Page 1 
THIS GUIDE CONTAINS: 

WHAT IS A COMBAT STRESS REACTION? 

EXPERIENCES IN THE WAR ZONE

EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HOMECOMING

EFFECTS ON FAMILY LIFE

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PTSD? 

HOW OFTEN IS PTSD DIAGNOSED IN VETERANS? 

WHAT CAUSES COMBAT STRESS REACTIONS OR PTSD? 

OTHER COMMON STRESS REACTIONS

ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN PROBLEM SOLVING

ENCOURAGING A VETERAN TO SEEK HELP

HOW TREATMENT WORKS

COMMON THERAPIES USED TO TREAT PTSD 

WHERE TO GO FOR HELP

A Guide for Military Families – Page 2 
WHAT IS A COMBAT STRESS REACTION? 

Understand that service members respond to experiences in a war zone in different ways. 

Some service members report feeling upset or “keyed up” even after they return home. Some 

may continue to think about events that occurred in combat, sometimes even acting as if back in 

a combat situation. These are common “combat stress reactions” (also called acute stress 

reactions) that can last for days or weeks and are a normal reaction to combat experiences. 

Below is a list of common reactions: 

Behavioral Reactions Physical Reactions Emotional Reactions 

Trouble concentrating Trouble sleeping, overly tired Feeling nervous, helpless, or 

fearful 

Jumpy & easily startled Stomach upset, trouble eating Sad, guilty, rejected or 

abandoned 

Being on guard, always alert Headaches and sweating Edginess, easily upset or 

when thinking of the war annoyed 

Bad dreams or flashbacks Lack of exercise, poor diet or Experiencing shock, being 

health care numb, unable to feel happy 

Avoiding people or places Rapid heartbeat or breathing Feeling hopeless about the 

related to the trauma future 

Work or school problems Too much drinking, smoking, Irritable or angry 

or drug use 

Loss of intimacy or feeling Other health problems Not trusting others, being over 

withdrawn, detached and becoming worse controlling, having lots of 

disconnected conflicts 

Most service members, who experience combat stress reactions like those listed above, will 

recover naturally over time. 

Others continue to struggle with memories of their combat experiences and their reactions. 

Research still does not tell us why some people struggle while others do not. BUT it is NOT 

because of any type of weakness. Combat stress reactions may create problems in 

relationships with partners, other family members, or friends; troubles at work; or troubles 

handling money. If the service member continues to experience these reactions and if it begins 

to cause problems for them or their family, it may become post-traumatic stress disorder or 

PTSD. Other operational stress injuries can also develop and are discussed later in this guide. 

EXPERIENCES IN THE WAR ZONE

During deployment, service members may have taken part in missions and operations that 

exposed them to very stressful or often life threatening experiences. It is important for families to 

understand what they have been through. Service members may have been shot at, seen the 

death or injury of American personnel or of civilian and enemy combatants, or even witnessed 

the death or injury of people they knew. IEDs (improvised explosive devices) are common; 

many convoys deal with piles of garbage blowing up just as they pass by. Many troops are on 

alert 24/7. Service members may have been injured as a result of bombings, blasts, weapons or 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 3 
accidents, maybe even surviving with very serious injuries. All of these experiences and others 

occurred in a hot, dry desert environment without the normal comforts of home. 

The military teaches service members skills that help them to survive and succeed in war. 

These same skills can cause problems at home. For example, secretiveness and control are 

very important in the war zone; however, communication and sharing the decision-making are 

necessary for good family relations. 

EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HOMECOMING

Families often want to hold barbecues and big welcome home parties for their loved one when 

they return. The service member often has mixed feelings about returning home because they 

now face a completely different day-to-day life than they have grown used to. Relaxing may be 

what they want, not a big party. Reworking “who does what”, who handles the money now, who 

takes the kids to school, who mows the lawn; these issues will need to be dealt with. Make sure 

that all family members talk to each other about what they want and expect, even before 

returning home. 

EFFECTS ON FAMILY LIFE

One challenge everyone faces is adjusting to changes in the family; both the person 

returning from war and the family left behind have changed. War experiences have changed the 

person who was deployed. Children have grown and developed new skills in school. Spouses or 

other family members may have taken on more responsibilities and control in the family. 

Everyone needs to work and get used to a new family pattern that works for all involved. Be 

aware that problems in relationships that were already there before deployment may return. 

Returning service members need to relearn 

how to feel safe, comfortable and trusting 

again with family members. This involves 

getting reacquainted and communicating with 

spouses, children, parents, friends, coworkers 

and others. 

The service member should not feel forced 

to talk about his or her combat experiences. They should be given opportunities to talk about 

the war and their reactions and feelings with people who will not be judgmental or negative. You 

should join in these discussions if you are invited to do so. Service members may be more 

comfortable talking with their buddies about their time at war. It may be helpful for the service 

member to speak with a counselor about his or her experiences, or about any concerns about 

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Frequent Combat Experiences Reported by Members of the U.S. Army, 2003 

 Afghanistan Iraq

Being attacked or ambushed 58% 89% 

Receiving incoming fire 84% 86% 

Being shot at 66% 93% 

Seeing dead bodies or remains 39% 95% 

Knowing someone seriously injured or killed 43% 86% 

Veterans: 

Remember that family members also need 

your understanding. While you were 

deployed they might have had to take on 

extra responsibilities, had to deal with 

problems without your help, or felt lonely. It 

also takes time for them to readjust.
sharing the details of war experiences with family members. Family and friends need to 

remember not to take signs of withdrawal personally and to remember to be patient. Recovery 

takes time. 

 

Sometimes the everyday stress of family life can feel overwhelming for the service member. 

He or she may become more irritated or react more strongly to common family issues. Anger 

and aggression are common combat stress reactions but these reactions may scare spouses 

and children, and even the service member. Continued angry outbursts or over-reacting to 

everyday situations might mean that you should get help. 

NOTE FOR VETERANS: 

Getting into arguments and fights with family

members and others, often for minor reasons, can

happen because of the angry or aggressive

feelings that are common after a trauma. In

addition to having more family conflict, those who

return home from a war zone often fee

disconnected or detached from others. Sometimes

this has to do with not feeling able to tell othe

family members about what happened, no

wanting to intrude on them by speaking about the

war, or just thinking that no one will be able to

understand. Sometimes this is related to having

difficulty in feeling or showing positive feelings.

Sometimes wanting to be alone or avoiding family

gatherings creates isolation from family and

friends. Yet the support of these people is

needed for a healthy recovery. Even though you

might feel like you want to withdraw, try to

reconnect with family and friends. 

Because the symptoms of PTSD change how you

feel and act, traumatic experiences that happened

to you can affect everyone else in the family.

Family members react to the fact that their loved

one has gone through a trauma. At the same

time, trauma symptoms can make you difficult

to get along with or cause withdrawal. It can be

very hurtful and confusing for everyone in the

family when these changes occur. 

SEX DIFFERENCES

Men and women may have different 

ways of integrating back into the family. 

To cope with stress, men may isolate 

more and leave the home to be with 

friends or buddies. Women may need to 

talk about more of their experiences with 

their partners. Some male partners

experience resentment or

misunderstanding towards their

returning woman veteran, and are

reluctant to sympathize both with her 

accomplishments and difficulties during 

war. In a war zone, both women and

men often have camaraderie with their

buddies that may be difficult to recreate

in civilian life. 

KIDS

Men and women both may face

challenges coming home to their

children and kids can need time to

reconnect. Children may feel

resentment, abandonment, sorrow or

anger when a parent leaves. During

deployment, a child may have learned to

rely more on the parent who remained

at home. Homecoming may bring back

the child’s normal fears of separation.

It’s important for the veteran not to take

these reactions personally, but instead

to reassure the child. Communication

within the family, or in counseling, is very important in helping the family as a whole. 

PARENTS

Parents are also very important in the readjustment process yet they are often overlooked. Most 

of the information in this guide also applies to you. Even if your child is deployed from another 

state, every US state has Family Assistance Centers that assist ALL military family members in 

need. 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 3 
EFFECTS ON WORK FUNCTIONING

For some veterans, going back to work is hard because changes have happened at their job 

during deployment. He or she also might be getting their first civilian job and may have difficulty 

finding a job or a career to get started in. Following the excitement of deployment, he or she 

may find their old job boring. Combat stress reactions, such as feeling irritable or “on edge”, 

having trouble sleeping, or problems relating to people, make going back to work very difficult or 

even seem like an impossible undertaking. The veteran may also worry that an employer (or 

future employer) might not want to work with somebody who is dealing with symptoms of PTSD 

or other combat stress reactions. 

EFFECTS ON OTHER FUNCTIONING

Some other areas where problems can occur: Money issues can add to stress at work or home, 

and finances are often complicated by deployment; Veteran’s sleep is often disrupted and 

getting a full night of sleep is important to maintaining a healthy and happy life; Aggressive 

driving is common, and although adaptive in the war zone, causes problems at home. A 

veteran experiencing combat stress may also have trouble concentrating, which can affect 

many regular activities. 

Effects of PTSD on Relationships 

Vietnam veterans with PTSD are three to six times as likely to divorce than Vietnam 

veterans without PTSD. 

 

Veterans diagnosed with PTSD, compared to those without PTSD, are more likely to be 

violent with partners and children, with rates as high as 63% for some type of physical 

violence in the past year. 

Partners of Vietnam veterans with PTSD reported markedly reduced satisfaction in their 

lives and greater demoralization compared to partners of Vietnam veterans not 

diagnosed with PTSD. 

Problems with family relationships, relationships with other people or day-to-day life should not 

be overlooked. These difficulties can turn into marital separation and divorce, family violence, 

and caregiver burden. Communication is key to working through these problems. You may want 

to consider talking to a counselor for support and assistance. 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PTSD? 

You may have heard of PTSD, in relation to combat experiences or other intense or traumatic 

situations, but have questions about what it really means. Basically, the symptoms of PTSD 

include common reactions that immediately follow a traumatic event such as combat. If these 

reactions continue long after the combat or traumatic event has finished, it can become 

PTSD. PTSD varies widely in how severe it can be, from mild and short lasting to severe and 

chronic. These reactions can cause problems in getting along with family and friends, 

functioning on the job or at school, or adjusting to the transition back to civilian life. 

Remember, immediately following a traumatic experience, most people commonly experience 

symptoms. If these symptoms persist months after the event, they may indicate the veteran has 

PTSD. Three types of reactions or “symptoms” make up PTSD. 

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1. RE-EXPERIENCING. Sometimes after a service member has returned from combat, they may 

continue to think about things that happened in the war-zone. They may have nightmares about 

events they have witnessed or actual combat situations. At times, they may feel as though they 

are actually back in the war-zone. Others report that upsetting images of the war-zone can 

flash into their mind making it difficult to think or concentrate. Sometimes, these images are 

SYMPTOMS OF COMBAT STRESS REACTIONS AND PTSD 

1. RE-EXPERIENCING

Continuing to think about combat or feeling as if one is still in combat 

2. AVOIDANCE AND NUMBING OF EMOTION

Not wanting to discuss the traumatic event, feeling detached from others, feeling 

shut down emotionally 

3. AROUSAL

Having a hard time relaxing or feeling “on guard,” feeling jumpy, unable to sleep, 

unable to concentrate, excessive concerns about security, getting angry easily 

“triggered” by reminders, such as sights or sounds or smells that remind them of their combat 

experience. 

2. AVOIDING REMINDERS AND NUMBING OF EMOTIONS. It seems normal to not want to think about 

distressing thoughts and to avoid upsetting reminders. However, individuals with combat stress 

reactions or PTSD often go to great lengths to prevent recalling memories or discussing their 

past experiences. They may also avoid reminders of their experience. They may appear to 

withdraw emotionally or physically from family and friends and be numb and detached. They 

may resist or even become angry when asked to talk about their feelings or behaviors. They 

may use alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications to avoid thinking or feeling. This avoidance 

is a reaction to their combat experience and is not a sign that they are no longer committed to 

their family and relationships. 

3. AROUSAL. The service member may have difficulty letting their “guard down.” Sometimes 

service members describe feeling jumpy or easily startled. They may drive aggressively. They 

might closely examine people or places to look for signs of danger or attack. They may be 

overly protective of children and fear for the child’s safety. Feeling keyed up can also make it 

harder for them to sleep and concentrate and can cause irritability. 

Even if the person does not have PTSD, these symptoms can cause problems. Acting early can 

prevent symptoms from becoming worse and negatively influencing relationships, careers and 

the family’s well-being. 

HOW OFTEN IS PTSD DIAGNOSED IN VETERANS?

Among American Vietnam theater veterans, 31% of the men and 27% of the women have had 

PTSD in their lifetime. Preliminary findings suggest that PTSD will be present in at least 18% of 

those serving in Iraq and 11% of those serving in Afghanistan. PTSD has been observed in all 

veteran populations that have been studied, including World War II, Korean conflict, Vietnam, 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 5 
Persian Gulf, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans. It also has 

been found in United Nations peacekeeping forces deployed to other war zones around the 

world. PTSD is not only a problem for

veterans, however. It occurs both in Although most veterans do not develop PTSD, a 

sizeable minority will have PTSD for some

period of their life. Preliminary findings suggest 

rates of PTSD will be at least 18% for Iraq

veterans and 11% for Afghanistan veterans

(2005).

adults and children who have been

exposed to extremely stressful situations

(such as assault, rape, disasters or

serious accidents), men and women,

Western and non-Western cultural groups, 

and at all socioeconomic levels. A

national study of American civilians

conducted in 2005 estimated that 7% of people have had PTSD in their lifetime. 

WHAT CAUSES COMBAT STRESS REACTIONS OR PTSD? 

Mental health professionals do not know why some people have PTSD reactions to traumatic 

situations and other people don’t. We do know that it does NOT say anything about the strength 

or character of the person suffering. Again, there is no relationship between how strong a 

person is and these symptoms; many people who are brave or strong end up with PTSD 

symptoms after going through a traumatic experience. 

PTSD is not a result of something the person wants or has chosen. In fact, we know that most 

people would not choose to have PTSD. Life factors that are related to PTSD include: greater 

exposure to life threatening situations, prior trauma, and poor social support. Remember, these 

are reactions that people sometimes experience after life-threatening situations that can often 

be dealt with given help. 

OTHER COMMON REACTIONS

DEPRESSION. Depression can vary from person to person, but generally, depression involves 

feeling down or sad more days than not, and losing interest in hobbies or activities that used to 

be enjoyable or fun. The service member may feel low in energy and be overly tired. Depression 

also involves a feeling of hopelessness or despair, or the feeling that things are never going to 

get better. Depression may be especially likely when a person has had personal losses 

connected with their deployment such as the death of close friends. This sometimes leads a 

depressed person to think about hurting or killing him or herself. Because of this, it is important 

for your family member to get help for depression. If you notice that your loved one seems to be 

feeling down most of the time or less interested in things they used to enjoy. 

SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. War experiences and combat stress reactions, especially personal loss, 

can lead a depressed person to think about hurting or killing themselves. If you think your family 

member may be feeling suicidal, you should directly ask them. You will NOT be putting the idea 

in their head. If anyone you know has a plan to hurt themselves and the means to do it (e.g., I 

have a gun and will shoot myself), and cannot make a contract with you to stay safe, you should 

call 911 immediately. For more information, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 

1-800-273-TALK (8255) or www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

ANGER OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. Anger and irritability are symptoms of PTSD and often 

associated with fear or loss of control; someone who is physically tense tends to be angry as 

well. A typical example is over-reacting with anger to a slight provocation. Frustration over the 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 6 
inability to control PTSD symptoms (feeling that PTSD symptoms "run their life") can make a 

person angry. Thinking about things that happened at the time of trauma (the unfairness of the 

situation) can also lead to anger. 

Although anger is a natural and healthy emotion, it can be expressed in healthy or unhealthy 

ways. Intense feelings of anger and aggressive behavior can cause marital, relationship, and 

family problems, job problems, and loss of friendships. Because angry feelings keep people 

away, they also stop a person from having positive connections and getting help. Some service 

members may be especially over-protective of kids, or have angry reactions to normal child 

behaviors. These types of reactions may actually be the service member’s own fears about 

possible dangers the children could be exposed to. 

If anger or aggressive behavior is related to threatened or actual violence against members of 

the family or others, it is especially important to seek care from the police, or professional 

counselors (chaplains, behavioral health, primary care, nursing, family assistance program) to 

address the anger and combat stress reactions. 

ALCOHOL AND/OR DRUG ABUSE. “Self-medicating” by drinking or abusing drugs is a common 

way many cope with upsetting traumatic stress reactions. Usually this is related to other 

readjustment concerns, as a person tries to deal with the difficult thoughts, feelings, and 

memories related to their war zone experiences by using drugs or alcohol to numb themselves. 

When a person wants to avoid the memories or feelings related to combat, alcohol or drugs may 

seem to offer a quick solution, but they actually lead to more problems. If you or your family 

member begin to lose control of drinking or drug use, it is important to get appropriate care. 

SELF-BLAME, GUILT, AND SHAME. Sometimes service members, in trying to make sense of their 

war experiences, take too much responsibility for bad things that happened, for what they did or 

did not do or for surviving when others didn’t (sometimes referred to as survivor guilt). Guilt and 

self-blame are common for those who have been through difficult combat situations, as the 

individual tries to make meaning of what happened. Understand that the individual may even 

feel as if they have committed a moral or religious wrongdoing, even if they were following 

orders. 

ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN PROBLEM SOLVING

Adult family members can help the returning veteran by learning and understanding some of the 

stressors and emotions a veteran may experience after being away from home for a period of 

time, especially when he or she has served in a war zone. Family members’ most important role 

is to be genuine, loving, and supportive. You should be forward about expressing your own 

needs and expectations, rather than hiding them in an effort to protect the veteran. 

At the same time, adult family members need to be supportive and respectful of the veteran’s 

need for time to adjust. Spouses or partners need to be prepared for change, and be ready 

to get used to to sharing control of the family and important tasks and goals. It is important that 

partners and spouses show their trust in the service member’s role as parent and support joint 

decisions. 

 

Family members should be ready to learn and accept new skills or tools for coping used by the 

service member. For example, talking about likely “triggers” will allow both partners to 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 7 
understand what might cause an upsetting reaction. A positive attitude towards treatment 

and readjustment can go a long way to making homecoming an easier transition. 

It is also important to remember that all individuals in the family count. The spouse or partner 

at home should be prepared to seek counseling for themselves and children if needed. 

Oftentimes couples counseling can help make the needs of individual family members clearer. 

Parents and extended family also need to be taken into consideration. 

ENCOURAGING A VETERAN TO SEEK HELP

Family members are often the first to notice problems in a veteran’s readjustment. You also 

need to watch for any negative impact on children and teens. While a veteran needs some 

practical time to readjust, problems that continue over months may be on the way to becoming 

negative habits and family patterns. If the veteran is using harmful strategies to cope with 

stress, such as drinking, drugs, withdrawal and isolation, or showing strong emotions that seem 

wrong in front of the family, consider encouraging the veteran to seek assistance. Try to 

communicate your concerns to the veteran with understanding and not blame. 

Getting your loved one to seek help is not always as easy as you may hope. A study of soldiers 

returning from Iraq found that only 40% of those that were having mental health problems said 

they were interested in receiving help. Many returnees hesitate to receive mental health 

treatment for fear that it will hurt their image or even ruin their military careers. Family members’ 

most important job may be to encourage the veteran to seek counseling and treatment, for 

everyone’s’ benefit. Effective treatments exist and early treatment can prevent worse problems 

from happening. Encouraging the veteran to seek help is a benefit for all concerned. 

HOW TREATMENT WORKS

Combat stress reactions usually go away over time. But, if they don’t, a person might develop 

PTSD. The good news is that there are effective treatments for PTSD and the other problems 

mentioned above. Counseling for combat stress reactions or PTSD is really very practical and 

involves common sense steps. 

 

The person in treatment has regular conversations with a trained professional. 

They are helped to think about their current situation and how they want to change it. 

They learn more about PTSD and how it is affecting them and those around them. 

In addition they may speak with other service members who served in combat operations, to 

give and receive support. 

Many veterans receive treatment for PTSD in Veterans Affairs (VA) PTSD treatment programs 

and Readjustment Counseling Service Vet Centers. In the usual type of outpatient treatment the 

veteran comes into a clinic for individual appointments and maybe group sessions. For the 

most severe cases of PTSD, residential treatment, where the veteran lives in the treatment 

program for several weeks, is often recommended. 

Treatment usually focuses on the following activities: 

• Assessment. Treatment typically begins with a discussion with a counselor about 

problems the service member has faced since returning. 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 8 
 Setting goals. The vet and counselor decide on goals to improve their life and what 

changes are needed to help achieve those things. 

 Learning about PTSD. Through talking with the counselor and classes with other 

service members or vets, the person will learn about combat stress reactions and PTSD 

and how it affects them and their loved ones. 

 Learning coping skills or “tools.” There are a lot of skills that can help in recovery, 

including skills for lowering physical tension, skills for communicating better with family 

and friends, and skills for handling anger and conflict. Treatment involves learning new 

ways of dealing with the things that make the person frightened, depressed, angry, or 

sad. 

 Looking at yourself. Treatment often involves the person in treatment learning to notice 

what he or she is thinking and feeling, how they act with other people, and what 

situations or thoughts trigger distressing emotions. 

In addition, the service member or veteran may be offered additional treatment options: 

 Medications. Treatment may involve talking with a psychiatrist or primary care doctor 

about possible medication. Medications can relieve anxiety, depression, irritability, and 

the nightmares or sleeplessness that often comes with PTSD. They can also make it 

easier to participate in other counseling activities. 

Telling the trauma story. Discussing traumatic combat situations and sharing feelings 

can be painful. There may be a concern that this pain may overwhelm the veteran with 

sadness, pain, grief, or anger. But talking about traumatic experiences can be very 

helpful for recovery if the person is able to talk to someone they learn to trust. It can 

make the service member take a fresh look at their experiences and their opinions about 

them. Often, this kind of therapeutic talking takes place over many meetings, and 

gradually veterans find that the memories become more controllable, and less painful or 

frightening. 

Treatment may last a few weeks or months or for several years. Usually, contact with a 

counselor is more frequent at first, and gradually becomes less often as the service member 

learns different strategies for dealing with thoughts, feelings, memories, and relationships. 

COMMON THERAPIES USED TO TREAT PTSD 

COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT) has been shown to be the most effective treatment for 

PTSD. CBT involves working with cognitions, or thoughts, to change emotions, thoughts, and 

behaviors. There are several types of CBT: 

•

•

•

 Exposure therapy uses careful, repeated, detailed imagining of the trauma (exposure) in 

a safe, controlled environment, to help the person face and gain control of the fear and 

distress that was overwhelming in the trauma. 

 Cognitive Restructuring is an approach in which veterans identify and examine upsetting 

thoughts about their trauma, challenge those thoughts, and replace them with more 

balanced and accurate ones. 

 EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) involves elements from both 

treatments above; having people move their eyes back and forth while re-imagining the 

source of their trauma. Although research suggests that the eye movements are not 

necessary, EMDR is an effective treatment. 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 9 
• Stress Inoculation Training reduces symptoms through anxiety reduction techniques, 

teaching coping skills, and correcting inaccurate thoughts related to the trauma. 

MEDICATION can reduce PTSD symptoms as well as the anxiety, depression, and sleeplessness 

often experienced with PTSD. Several kinds of medication have been tested and shown to 

cause improvement in symptoms, and some others have shown promise. Medication can help 

relieve distressing symptoms and make it possible for you to participate in other types of talk 

therapy that have been shown to be effective. 

WHERE TO GO FOR HELP

Service members and their families may receive treatment for war zone related problems from a 

number of qualified sources. These include chaplain services, mental or behavioral health 

services located with hospitals or clinics, primary care physicians or nursing, and family 

assistance programs. Many veterans, including National Guard and Reserve members, and 

active duty service members will receive treatment for PTSD at the Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) and Readjustment Counseling Service Vet Centers. Most treatment is performed 

in an outpatient treatment setting in which the service member continues to live at home and 

attends individual appointments and groups. 

VA SERVICES

Make sure all service members enroll, even if there is no plan to use VA services. Once service 

members have returned from deployment, they are eligible to receive cost-free health care and 

readjustment services through the VA for any conditions related to combat service for two years 

following active duty. After two years, services are still available for a co-pay based on income. 

If a person served in the National Guard or Reserves and was deployed to a war zone, they are 

eligible for the same benefits. They must enroll to be eligible for these services. Fill out an 

application online at: www1.va.gov/health_benefits/

VA HEALTH CENTERS. VA health care centers are located across the country, and range from 

small, local clinics to large hospitals. At these facilities, service members can receive help for 

any problem, both physical and mental health problems. Many VA facilities have experts in 

PTSD and related problems your family member can talk with. 

VET CENTERS. Another great place for getting help after returning home, Vet Centers are 

located throughout the country and are focused on helping veterans readjust to life after 

deployment and providing outreach. Many of the counselors are veterans themselves. They 

offer readjustment and mental health counseling, providing vets and their families with 

resources to handle post-deployment issues. 

To access care at a VA or Vet Center, your family member will need to establish their status as 

a combat veteran by showing the Enrollment Coordinator at his or her local facility one of the 

following pieces of evidence: 

•

•

 A DD-214 indicating service in a designated combat theater of operations; or 

Proof of receipt of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Armed

Forces Expeditionary Medal; Kosovo Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism

Expeditionary Medal (does not include Global War on Terrorism Service Medal); or

Southwest Asia Campaign Medal; or 

A Guide for Military Families – Page 10 
Proof of receipt of Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay (commonly referred to as

“combat pay”) after November 11, 1998; or 

• Proof of exemption of Federal tax status for Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay after 

November 11, 1998. 

To find out more information about benefits, or to locate the VA nearest you, call 1-877-VETS or 

go to www.vba.va.gov/EFIF, Vet Center, 1-800-827-1000 or www.va.gov/rcs. 

VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS (VSOS) 

Another great resource for individuals returning from a war zone is Veteran Service 

Organizations (VSOs). These organizations specialize in providing resources and assistance to 

military servicemen and women following deployment, and help bring individuals with similar 

experiences together. They also provide help with paperwork for benefits. These groups are 

often organized by branch of service, religion, ethnicity, war zone theater, purpose, and many 

other categories. Large organizations, such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign 

Wars (VFW) are focused on the needs of veterans in general. To find out more or become 

involved with one of these organizations, check out www.va.gov/vso. 

IN CLOSING

We hope you have found this guide helpful. Learning about what to expect when a loved one 

returns from a war zone, and about combat stress reactions and PTSD is an important first step 

to being able to recognize when help is needed. We want to emphasize that most combat 

related reactions are not permanent. In many cases, they will go away on their own. With early 

proper treatment, problems that impact your family and relationships may be minimized. When 

problems do continue, effective treatments are available. In most cases cognitive behavioral 

therapy (with or without medication) can either eliminate or at least improve stress reactions and 

functional problems, and help stop family disruption. Remember, combat stress reactions are 

like any other physical injury from war. There is a range of how severe these invisible injuries 

are, just like there is a range of how severe physical injuries are. If problems do persist, 

treatment may help everyone lead a happier, more well-adjusted life. 

For more information about stress-related disorders and resources for veterans and 

their families, see 

www.ncptsd.va.gov

A Guide for Military Families – Page 11