American Airman

What would you sacrifice for your country?This memoir is a must-read for every American.An inspiring and gripping memoir from an American veteran grappling with PTSD, physical and emotional traumas, the veteran healthcare system, and the pressures and misconceptions that veterans face from their families and society as a whole.Although probably vastly underreported to the Veterans Administration, 23 veterans take their own lives every single day in the United States.A retired Airman and wounded veteran of the United States Air Force, Jonathon Benjamin was told that he would never walk again after a catastrophic car crash overseas left him with a severe traumatic brain injury and lingering deficits that took more than 5 years to overcome.Still, against all the odds, Benjamin received a degree from George Washington University at the age of 24, under the GI Bill. It is luck, fate, discipline, and tenacity that kept him from giving up many times, even when he saw other veterans fall victim to their own demons and felt like he did not belong in this world - including an instance that would have made him part of the statistic.This veteran's story is illuminating and heartbreaking, but it should not shock the public. The veteran suicide epidemic continues to rage in the United States. This narrative focuses a hot lens on the difficulties that veterans must face when they re-enter the real world, especially when support is unavailable and civilians can't begin to understand their plight.