Ben Shaw- Combat Journalist and Friend

I want to inform all of you, that you will have the honor of reading the writing of my friend Ben Shaw. I have asked him to be a guest here on Words For Warriors. Why would I do that? Who is Ben? Well Ben is the guy who spent time in Iraq as Marine Infantry in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. He went back to Iraq in 2009 as a Combat Journalist and only recently returned from a stint with his pen and camera from Afghanistan. It was his following post, which I think should be standard reading for friends and family of loved ones coming home, that I thought he would add a dimension to this blog that I could never fathom. When he does write, please give him a warm welcome and tell him what you think.

The First Week Home

If you are just coming out of a combat zone (specifically from combat arms), you are about to encounter a wave of emotions, thoughts and dreams for which we are all unprepared.  Some of them will make perfect sense considering the environment you just left, but most will bother you. A few may even scare you.  While virtually none of the generalizations listed below help overcome these sensations, perhaps knowing about them in advance will help eliminate confusion or the feeling that you’ve lost control.  At the very least, take some comfort knowing that you’re not the only one who has encountered this.  Millions before you have, and future generations will as well. The first few days are definitely the most chaotic. Read More....