2012

Combat veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) have had different experiences than combat veterans from previous military operations, having endured more deployment cycles and longer time in actual combat than their counterparts in previous conflicts. Veterans of OIF/OEF describe their war as being 365/360, meaning they are in combat 365 days a year and the enemy is 360 degrees around them. Survival in this type of combat environment requires one to suppress feelings, exercise hyper-vigilance in order to react automatically to a perceived threat, carry weapons at all times, and hone survival skills that are often based on aggressive behaviors. Ironically, these attributes, though an asset in combat, become detrimental to dealing with daily life upon a military member’s return home.