Dear FRONTLINE,

Your excellent program "The Soldier's Heart" made me wonder if more detailed psychological screening should be done before a recruit is even accepted into the Armed Forces. Many of the problems experienced by Iraqi War soldiers could be avoided if the recruitment process vigorously tested all those wishing to serve in order to identify those likely to suffer from PTSd and denying their request to join on that basis.

After all, this is an all volunteer force, unlike some previous wars. While counseling soldiers after their war time experiences is certainly worthwhile, increasing the initial screening efforts from Day One may prevent much needless suffering from ever happening in the first place. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Michael Nardolilli
Arlington, Virginia

Dear FRONTLINE,

For the fellow who said: "You can never understand what I've been through," and for others like him, we need to tell them: "You can never understand how much forgiveness, acceptance, and complete admiration there is in me for you."

So, just as they challenge us to stretch ourselves and feel things beyond our willing imaginations, maybe they will also stretch themselves to feel the depths of our acceptance, compassion, and real embrace of everything they are, were, or have become.

Kev Manning
Aptos Hills, Calif

Dear FRONTLINE,

After watching the show "A Soldier's Heart" I was angry. My husband returned from Iraq a different man. He was first having nightmares but rapidly progressed to "violent sleepwalking" episodes. As well as with fits of anger, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideations.

I do remember the questionaire he was made to fill out as shown in your show upon his return, in reality it is ridicilous to think these guys are actually going to say there is something wrong with them on the day of their return. My husband, a Marine for 8 years was told he would be home at least six times before he actually was home. The excitement of being home soon vanishes and that is when problems appear.

After being attacked by my husband a week after being home, (while we slept) I forced him to ask for help. Asking for help isn't easy, he was automatically branded "Crazy" and treated like a liability to be taken care of.

He has since then been discharged and he was never diagonesed with having PTSD rather he was discharged for a "Pre-existing condition". We still struggle with medical and metal conditions that appeared after his time in Iraq as well as with a strained marriage. All the love and patience of a wife cannot fix what has happened to him.

Maria
San Diego, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you so much for doing this show. My husband suffers from PTSD as well. I see the changes in him. I basically made him go get help from the Army. They sent him to some classes, gave him meds and now he is back, one year later, right in the same spot, in Iraq, he was before. He is still having problems, but the Army doesn't seem to care. My husband told me that about 80% of the men in his company are on meds for some sort of problem due to the Iraq war.

While I think what our men and women in uniform are doing, is brave and I respect and thank every single one of them, I don't really think that we should be there.

Hanford, California

Dear FRONTLINE,

I felt the pains of the soldiers tonight yet once again.

It brought back painful memories of the past. I cried and wept through out the story.

I would like to start an A.M. radio talk show and talk to my friends and comrades, about their pains and experiences. We need to stick together as soldiers and confront, fight and defeat the PTSD together. We need to back up each other in this fight, and we need to bring along our families and friends, those who have never seen combat, to understand where we are coming from,

B. Imani
San Francisco, California

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am truly disappointed in what PBS has aired this evening. You are exposing vulnerablities of individuals and our armed forces, and creating thoughts of disuasion for those who may be contemplating acting as the guardian angels for those of us here at home in the U.S.

I am far too old to be a part of the fight against the greatest evil our nation will ever face, but at the same time those serving are the bravest our country has ever produced. These young men are fighting a phantom enemy who will send their own children in as suicide bombers, blow up innocent women and children with road side bombs. We are facing an enemy who has no shame, and yet you PBS undermine the greatest battle faced by freedom and democracy in airing your frontline edition this evening falling slightly short of sedition.

chas P
los angeles, ca

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for the show.

I'm a practicing social worker who has treated people with PTSD, including some veterans. I know that no one fully recovers from PTSD. There will be triggers throughout life.

It is important that our young people know the real reasons for war and not take presidents' propoganda as truth. The first casualty of war is truth. We must monitor the military recruiters who mislead our high school students. And we must teach our children peaceful means to disagreements. I didn't teach my son to kill other mother's children and I don't want the government to do it, either.

Salem, Oregon

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am heartbroken to see how flawed the military's understanding of combat stress is.

I feel greatly for all men who think they are a coward if they want to talk about their feelings and traumatic experiences. Girls and women have always been so blessed because we can share our deepest secrets with each other. Men, in all sectors of our society, are not allowed that luxury.

We are too educated a country to treat returning veterans this way. What can I do to help?

Tracy Kennedy Flynn
San Francisco, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

My husband served in Iraq in 2003 and it saddens me to see that people who need help are too afraid to ask for it or unsure of where to get it. Mental health should be as important as physical health. It is shameful for people like Mr. Pogany to be charged as cowards when they are simply stating their lack of ability to properly carry out orders that could perhaps cost the lives of innocent military personnel

. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Lucey family who must be hurting so from the loss of their son. I see him as a selfless soul who should be commended for his service and did not deserve to die the way he did.

Maricela Mendivil
Pasadena, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I feel that those who "crack up" after murdering other human beings in acts of war are the only truly sane people left in the military. The fact that despite all the military training, they maintain the basic human revulsion for killing other member of their species is testament to their innate, and enduring humanity in the face of blatamt barbarism, regardless of the supposed political justifications for it.

As General Sherman, a man who saw and knew the horrors of war, once said, "War is at best barbarism. It's glory is all moonshine. War is hell." If this is true, we can be sure that no one enters hell and returns to the human race inscathed.

Why do we continue to revert to such self-destructive impulses to "solve" expediently what our reasoning minds could resolve without bloodshed?

south pasadena, ca

Dear FRONTLINE,

This documentary reveals only a small part of the pain of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. The families are suffering and feeling guilt, as if they could have "done something" to heal their wounded warriors.

As a widow of a WW II combat soldier who then served in the Active Reserves for more than 23 years and who suffered from WW II "battle fatigue," our family then faced PTSD in our son, an Army Green Beret Ranger who served in Vietnam.

PTSD infuses and changes the entire family; consequently, all family members should have counseling and support groups available to help them deal with this illness.

Our families who have suffered losses through suicide, murder, alcoholism, drug addiction and sociopathic behavior directly related to combat military service also suffered through too many years when both our military establishment and government were reluctatant to recognize the validity of PTSD as an illness requiring treatment.

Congratulations to the soldier who is fighting to save his good name from being maligned by the military. He was brave to volunteer to serve his country and is now bravely standing up to protect his name, his patriotism, military service, and his comrades who may find themselves in a position similar to his now or in the future.

This documentary is excellent.

Grace Cooper
Lawrence, Kansas

Dear FRONTLINE,

As a veteran of Desert Storm/Shield, I can remember experiencing moments of fear and loneliness throughout that 100-hour war. Many a times did I wish it was all a nightmare and hoped that I would wake up soon. Knowing that this was not going to happen, I kept it all in and didn't discuss any of the feelings I was having with anyone. Luckily for me, that war did not last long and we did not face what these young men are currently up against today.

I am sure that there were many other fellow military men and women who felt the same, but because they did not want to be perceived as being cowards or wimps, they kept silent. Now is the time to address this issue and begin telling our young men and women in uniform that those feelings are natural. Let's begin giving our commanders and troops training to deal with these issues. I for one did not kill anyone during that conflict. But the one time I came close to doing it, my weapon jammed. By the time I cleared the jam, the old man I was aiming at with my tank's sights had taken out his white flag and saved himself and in doing so saved me. I often think of this event and having almost killed him affects me deeply. Can you imagine what our brothers and sisters who have taken other people's lives are going through today? Let's get them the help they deserve!

Hermilo Hernandez
Chicago, IL

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for your story on returning soldiers.

Take this to the next step. Do what you can to educate the public and the veteran on the overwhelming burden placed on the veteran by the Department of Veterans Affairs to get fair compensation for PTSD claims. I have been trying to get this done for years. The process is far to time- consuming, full of denials, appeals, and frustration. I know the V.A. is not going to help you with this type of investigation, but it needs to be done. Talk to the vets themselves. Every one of them has a story.

John Peterson
Des Moines, Iowa

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you Frontline for another outstanding presentation. I do not want to minimize in any way the PTSD of any of those who have served in combat at any time or war. However, being a peacetime soldier, (the Berlin Crisis) I think that a lot of the problems that soldiers suffer are from the training they receive before they ever get to combat. Basic and advanced training especially for those who would be in an MOS that might end up in the battle, stresses taking away a persons individuality ("an army of one" BS) and bringing out that person's base animal instincts. After serving 31 months in Germany in the early 60's with only one phone call home in that time for which I paid $105 for 13 minutes (while only making $120 per month,) I came home with a lot of the same problems these guys are suffering in the interviews, heavy drinking, a lot of depression, driving like I had a death wish and very irresponsible behavior.

Lanny Stricherz
Sisseton, SD

Dear FRONTLINE,

I don't want to discount the accounts of what these men went through. Most of the factors that appear to influence these individuals, in my opinion, are not directly related to their experience in combat. I was with the 1st Marine Division as a combat photographer on the frontline. I probably saw, and documented, some of the same stuff in the initial push to Baghdad. As a matter of fact, I've seen some of my footage from Iraq, ON a PBS show called 'Innovation, Hi-Tech War'. These Marines appear to have pre-existing conditions, or pre-conceived notion, that were only perpetuated by their experiences in war.

Daniel Schrubb
Amarillo, Texas