Vietnam War | My Senior Trip: The Price of Freedom & Democracy
Overall, the Vietnam War had a devastating and long-lasting impact on the countries and people involved. The effects of the war are still being felt today, more than four decades after the end of the conflict. In addition to the human and economic costs, the Vietnam War had a profound psychological impact on the veterans who fought. Many veterans of the war had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues as a result of their experiences. PTSD is a condition that develops after someone has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event and can lead to symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of anxiety, guilt, and depression.
The Traumatizing Effects of the Vietnam War
Penned by former Marine John Reeg, My Senior Trip is a Vietnam War novel that brings to light one of the tragic historical events that left behind its consequences even after years of its occurrence. One cannot just conceive of the intensity of experiences that take place. During times of war, soldiers are exposed to intense and prolonged stress, as well as physical and emotional trauma. The constant danger of combat leads to physical injuries, such as amputations and traumatic brain injuries. Soldiers are also exposed to chemical and biological weapons, which leave long-term health effects.
After the physical war is over, the war within begins. The mental and emotional effects of war are severe. It’s when a veteran begins to notice behavioral changes in oneself. During war times, soldiers face traumatic events, such as the death of fellow soldiers or civilians, and experience symptoms of PTSD as a result. Soldiers also experience mental health conditions, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
My Senior Trip: Another Side to the Vietnam War
There are recounts of the Vietnam War that span lifetimes. There are countless stories of battle plans and strategies and how one battle was won and another lost. My Senior Trip is less about the physical and more about the emotional aspects that come with going to serve your country. This story is based on actual accounts of a young kid who quickly became a man as a member of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and six months later was deployed to Vietnam.
This novel is about Howard Carson, a boy who grew up in a small Indiana town. It was 1968, and after graduating from high school, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He wasn't interested in college, not then. His job for the past year had been selling shoes. He had no skills to speak of, so he decided to join the Armed Forces as a Marine.
My Senior Trip takes readers through the day-to-day experiences of a living hell. Howard would have never expected to see his newly made friends shot or blown to pieces, with their blood splattered across his own body. But he had to grow up pretty fast when he found himself carrying a wounded Marine to the helicopter while under heavy fire, being on patrol during the monsoons, being in the company of leeches, tigers, mosquitoes, and snakes, and stumbling across booby traps and guerilla warfare set up by a relentless and determined enemy. This is a story about what Howard and others had to do and how they dealt with the fear, the anger, and the pain.
When the early 70s rolled around, Howard had finished his military service and started college, which had an entirely new set of struggles. Anti-war advocates screamed at, spit on, pushed, and hit him for being in the military and serving his country.
This story is about a different time and a different America—a different story of war.
About the Author: John Reeg
John D. Reeg is a United States Marine and Vietnam veteran who served with the Marines' most elite fighting force, 3rd Force Reconnaissance, in 1969. He started college in 1972, where he studied Physical Education and Health and graduated from Oklahoma State. John taught PE and coached gymnastics for over 30 years and currently owns and operates a senior fitness program in Dallas, TX.
