Very Accurate and Helpful to returning troops & families

This is a must read for all service members exposed to combat and or traumatic situations. It will help individuals and families adjust to civilian life again. It should be required reading by the Department of Defense. Great Job

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With Gratitude

Many Thanks to the authors for their service in writing this much needed and welcomed book. As a person w/family deployed to Iraq as well being an avid supporter of our Troops I learned early on that our men and women were coming home only to realize that their deployment wasn't over even though they were stateside. No one returns from war w/out side effects. Their lives are changed and they are no longer the same person they were before deployment. All their dreams and fantasy of returning home and "everything is going to be all right" is quickly shattered. I highly recommend this book to all active duty military and their families. As a society we must dissolve the fear and stigma of reaching out for support post deployment as a sign of weakness, this book is a step in the right direction.
I find the family unit is the least educated in terms of compassion, understanding, and what to expect when their loved ones return...which leads to conflict, confusion, disappointment and misery. A suggestion would be for the spouses to sit and read the book together so that as pertaining issues come up in regards to their circumstances the window of opportunity for discussion and communication is opened. This book guides both the Soldier and loved ones on what to expect, feel, and resources where to get support as well as instructions on how to deal with common problems that all the Troops experience. It is easy to read and comprehend. Since discovering the book I have started including it in care packages before the re-deployment process starts. So often our Soldiers are not given the knowledge of what to expect when they return home, especially the Nat'l Guard and Reserves, and even if they are, they don't "get it" until they actually have been home for a few months...then it starts to sink in. Courage After Fire is a very useful tool in taking care of our Troops returning and their families. I can easily recommend the book to civilians that don't have deployed family in that it offers knowledge of what our Troops have given to us as a nation and what they continue to go through once home.

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Excellent resource

I am a librarian and mother of a soldier. My daughter is currently serving in Iraq and I read the book in preparation for the difficult times ahead. It is an excellent resource for families to understand what is going on and how to support the troops. The practical advice including breathing exercises and routines for daily living would be a help to a lot of people in stress related situations but for soldiers returning to an open life from a regimented one in a danger zone, they are a must for transition. My father was a WWII veteran and there have been other military relations, who would have been served well by this information, and I am just very glad that it is out there now for my daughter and her fellow service personnel.

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