The war within

A look at the increasing number of US soldiers struggling with the trauma of war.

Out of two million US soldiers who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, psychiatrists estimate that one in three may, at some point, develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

PTSD is a ticking time bomb with a decades-long fuse – a problem whose true magnitude is difficult to determine.

After years of denial, the US army is only now coming to terms with how to address this problem.

The war within: PTSD in the military addresses the US army’s HR dilemma and features the stories of those who have had to come to terms with the physical and psychological wounds suffered from fighting a war that is increasingly unpopular in their home country and around the world.

It is the story of five American soldiers stricken with PTSD. One is on trial for murder, two committed suicide, two others are still in the army, struggling to get treatment.

The war within: PTSD in the military first aired in February 2010.