Frontline segment on PTSD

[Beth Benoit]

Tonight's Frontline (pbs) program about PTSD, called "The Soldier's Heart" was very well done.  I know that PBS repeats programs, so if you missed it tonight, check your local PBS station to find out when it will be reshown, and set up your VCR. Beth Benoit University System of New Hampshire   FRONTLINE http://www.pbs.org/frontline/ - This Week: "The Soldier's Heart" (60 min.),   Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2005 at 9.00 pm (wgbh/channel 2) on PBS - Inside FRONTLINE: A few thoughts on bravery... - Live Discussion: Chat with producer Raney Aronson this Wed. at 11 am   ET ------------------------------- + This week Picking just the right title for a FRONTLINE can sometimes be a tough process, but in the case of this week's program, everyone immediately knew it had to be called "The Soldier's Heart." History teaches that what seems modern often has very old roots. "Soldier's Heart" is the name used during the Civil War for what became "shell shock" in World War I, "battle fatigue" in World War II, and "post-traumatic stress syndrome" in Vietnam. The fear of death, the trauma of killing, the effect of seeing corpses ­ all can take an emotional toll. For some who return home, free from physical injury, the war is not over. Producer Raney Aronson spoke with some of these young men in the course of making this film. One was Brandon Teppo: .... "I met Brandon on a Marine base in San Diego where he is a marksmanship trainer. He was Marine infantry in Iraq during the first months of the war. In a preliminary meeting, he told us his war stories, and about killing - saying, 'It's the kind of thing about your job you got to do, you know basically we're there to take out any bad guys.' Then we met him again on the rifle range. Dressed in full military gear he was barking orders, standing over the younger Marines and showing them how to shoot accurately. I hadn't interviewed him on camera yet and I knew my time was running out so I decided to ask if we could do a quick on-camera interview right then and there. To my surprise he said yes. Suddenly it was eerily quiet as everyone stopped and waited for us. I sat with Brandon and started to ask him questions about coming home ... and as he began to talk of how hard it was to adjust, how he started to drink more, and how more than anything he wishes he had gotten into therapy sooner (could have saved his marriage he said),I started to really rethink my own ideas on bravery - from an idea of a warrior being brave in combat, to a man who is facing demons after fighting in a war - and sharing those feelings with me, in a very public way and in a military environment where discussing one's feelings is almost a taboo." .... We hope you will join us for "The Soldier's Heart" Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2005 at 9.00 pm (wgbh/channel 2) on PBS and after watching, explore our web site which offers interviews with top experts about the psychological cost of war on the combat veteran, web-exclusive streamed video of soldiers talking about this issue, including Brandon Teppo, as well as the opportunity to express your opinion about the program, at http://www.pbs.org/frontline/shows/heart/ Louis Wiley Executive Editor This program will be rebroadcast at the following time(s): Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005 at 2.00 am (wgbh/channel 2) Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005 at 2.00 am (wgbx/channel 44) Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005 at 4.00 am (wgbx/channel 44) Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005 at 5.00 am (wgbh/channel 2) Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005 at 2.00 pm (wgbx/channel 44) Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005 at 10.00 pm (wgbx/channel 44) Thursday, Mar. 3, 2005 at 3.00 am (wgbh/channel 2) Thursday, Mar. 3, 2005 at 5.00 pm (wgbx/channel 44) Friday, Mar. 4, 2005 at 4.00 pm (wgbx/channel 44) -------------------------- + Live Online Discussion on Washingtonpost.com ... Producer Raney Aronson will be online this Wednesday, March 2nd at 11am ET, to discuss "The Soldier's Heart." For details, see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50926-2005Feb24.html ---------------------------- To purchase a VHS or DVD copy of current or past FRONTLINE programs, click on http://www.ShopPBS.com/ ---------------------------- Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers. ---------------------------- FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of the WGBH Educational Foundation. ---------------------------- We're always happy to hear from our viewers. If you have a question or comment about a FRONTLINE program, about our website, or about this bulletin, you can write to us directly by going to: http://www.pbs.org/frontline/contact/ ---------------------------- FRONTLINE 125 western avenue, boston, ma. 02134 http://www.pbs.org/frontline/ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: archive@jab.org To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]