Toll on Body and Soul - Combat Fatigue in Iraq

[RamboLiberal]

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/World/iraq030904_stress.html

When two soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry were injured in an ambush outside the Iraqi town of Bilad on the night of Aug. 18, it was more than just a statistic in the daily casualty tally. For the troops involved, the battle took a toll on body and mind.

"Once you get some blood on your hands, trying to take care of your own guys, that penetrates right to your heart," said Lt. Col. Nate Sassaman, the battalion's commander. "It's just something we're having to deal with."

"It's kind of hard because we've had four guys hurt in convoy attacks now," said Spc. Jason Testa, who was also involved in the Aug. 18 attack. "When you get back, we're all kind of shaken up."

Combat stress is a fact of war, but U.S. troops in Iraq are facing a conflict more intense than any since the Vietnam War. With no front line, soldiers feel vulnerable to attack anywhere, anytime.