Exploring PTSD and Masculinity in the 'Bringing the War Home' Episode

This essay provides an analysis of the Four Corners documentary episode titled 'Bringing the War Home,' which focuses on the experiences of Australian veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The essay examines the prevalence of PTSD among soldiers returning from war, highlighting the mental health challenges they face, including flashbacks and difficulties adjusting to civilian life. It explores the discourse of masculinity within this context, contrasting the soldiers' perceived dominance on the battlefield with their vulnerability and emotional struggles post-war. The essay also discusses the impact of PTSD on veterans' daily lives, relationships, and mental well-being, referencing specific cases and interviews from the documentary. It further touches upon the role of the Defence Force and the Department of Veterans' Affairs in supporting veterans' mental health. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for greater recognition and support for veterans dealing with the invisible wounds of war.

The Four Corners Episode -
Bringing the War Home

Table of Contents
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
“As soldiers, they combatted the war enemies with guns and other weapons; now as civilians,
they battle with the scourge of PTSD in their lives.”..................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

Four Corners has been recognised as a well renowned investigation journal or general
knowledge documentary television programme. This is the most lengthy serial of its type among
all the programs broadcast across the confines of Australia (Clarke and Knake, 2014). This is
broadcast upon ABC within HDTV and the first premier of this show went live on 19 Aug, 1961.
This program cherished its 50th anniversary during the year 2011. Robert Raymond as well as his
successor Allan Ashbolt had the major contribution in setting the on-going tone of the respective
programme. This is acknowledged to be one of the only 5 shows within the confines of Australia
that have been incorporated within the Logie Hall of Fame. The present project is based upon an
essay written on the Episode “Bringing the War Home” of this Australian Programme through
the development of thesis statement.
MAIN BODY
“As soldiers, they combatted the war enemies with guns and other weapons; now as civilians,
they battle with the scourge of PTSD in their lives.”
41 soldiers were reported to be deceased within Afghanistan while more than a hundred
were ascertained to be physically wounded. In addition to all of these, more than thousands of
veterans are suffering with a silent enemy in their life named as PTSD. This is a mental health
situation which is triggered by the experience or witnessing of an adverse or intense moment.
The individuals which fight for the country undergo a drastic trauma when they come back from
the battle field as the flashbacks of events still play in their minds. In this regard, the discourse of
masculinity noticed is that they consider themselves to be dominant and superior when they are
at the battle field and thus regard that fighting with women is a matter of cowardliness (Carlson
and et. al., 2017). This is why when they shoot a bullet, the only thing that comes into the mind
of male soldiers is the apprehension that they might have shot a woman or a child in substitute of
enemy soldiers. This is an evident discourse of masculinity found in the episode. Further, the
whole episode revolves around the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is found to be
prevalent in almost all of the soldiers who have battled at the war field. It is acknowledged to be
a psychiatric disorder which is faced by people when they experience such a drastic event that
leaves a prolonged impact upon the mindsets and lives of individuals. Such events hereby are
being witness to the wars or participating in it as soldiers. Most of the persons which undergo
traumatic events face temporary difficulties while doing adjustment and coping with normal

course of activities as the flashback of events gone through in the past terrify the veterans
prevailing within the confines of Australia. The episode shows that there are a large number of
individuals who have even given interviews regarding their experiences in life after going
through the trauma of war for even once. The results of this mental health disorder is seen in the
episode to be lasting for a period of more than 5 years (Salleh, 2017). As an outcome, the major
consequence is that the day to day functioning and working of civilians get largely affected by
the traumatic event (Spear, 2018). The episode even shows that a large number of individuals
belonging to Australia who have been a part of the war taken place in Afghanistan are getting
PTSD treated as they are now unable to work as per their daily routine like in past times. Yet
another discourse of masculinity is seen when the individuals who are severely affected by this
deadly disorder are interviewed about their experiences post the development of PTSD. Hereby,
the emotional side of males is witnessed which is contrary to the ever dominating and
chauvinistic nature of males in daily course of life.
When cameras are allowed to get access into the gruelling therapy sessions of men for the
treatment of PTSD, a new discourse of men is witnessed who are ever ready to trade off their
lives in return of their love for the nation and their quest for protecting it from the enemies. One
of the individuals who is interviewed in detailed manner in the episode is acknowledged to be
Lee who is although not an old man but has witnessed a dozen life-times in the war zone within
the confines of Afghanistan (Holden, 2016). He has undergone the horrific experience of
witnessing the deadly state of people who are killed in the war zone. The trauma that he has gone
through as a result of the war sent him in to a terrible downward spiral causing him massive
difficulties in sustaining a normal course of life. He describes that the lives of individuals
affected by this mental disorder becomes so pathetic that they just want it to be shut down and
never get turned on. It transcends them into a situation whereby their lives go through all sorts of
challenges such as anger, relationship breakdown, depression etc. and the most strong
repercussion is seen in the form of homelessness. Lee is seen to be undergoing a gauntlet of
intense therapy in order to intend to cure his mental health disorder, if even to a certain extent.
Such sessions engage him to relieve his war experience in a detailed manner. Across the whole
nation, there are not just hundreds but approximately thousands of people who are still
undergoing this disorder and fighting with by keeping their strong discourse of masculinity in
front of their vulnerability. Such people are dealing with some form of mental illness, brought on

by their provision of services for the protection of country. While many individuals have the
means as well as the resources to get their treatment done, there are still many veterans who left
to fend for themselves (Rasler and Thompson, 2015). The reporter even overhears the rationale
behind the Defence Force not getting engaged in diagnosis of their illness. He further listens
regarding the manner in which the armed services whereby they once and are still serving so
integrally, do not always follow through with help once soldiers have left the ranks. Also, it is
witnessed that how the bureaucratic procedures of the Department of Veterans' Affairs can move
some individuals to a state of despair (Koestler, 2017). The government still does not even have
a fair idea regarding the quantum of individuals who are affected by the clutch of this deadly
mental health disorder. This is further going to continue till the time the Army realises or accepts
the fact that this is real and it is what actually takes place. In fact this is just regarded to be the tip
of the iceberg and the real as well as full story is yet to be discovered by the political and legal
officials.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Clarke, R. A. and Knake, R. K., 2014. Cyber war. Tantor Media, Incorporated.
Carlson, B. L., and et. al., 2017. Trauma, shared recognition and indigenous resistance on social
media. Australasian Journal of Information Systems. 21.
Spear, A. H., 2018. Black Chicago: The making of a Negro ghetto. 1890-1920. University of
Chicago Press.
Holden, A., 2016. Environment and tourism. Routledge.
Rasler, K. A. and Thompson, W. R., 2015. The great powers and global struggle. 1490-1990.
University Press of Kentucky.
Koestler, A., 2017. The sleepwalkers: A history of man's changing vision of the universe.
Penguin UK.
Salleh, A., 2017. Ecofeminism as politics: Nature, Marx and the postmodern. Zed Books Ltd.