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Soldiers Once: My Brother and the Lost Dreams of America's Veterans

By (author) Catherine Whitney

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This is the story of Vietnam veteran Jim Schuler and of countless other veterans who never recovered from the trauma of war and the stress of returning to a country that doesn't care. Bestselling author (as ghostwriter) Catherine Whitney, buried her brother, Vietnam veteran Jim Schuler, one day before 9/11, on September 10, 2001. He was fifty-three years old, living in a flop-house. It had been sixteen years since he had seen any of his family, and he was in one of his drunken rages then. He was one of countless veterans who never recovered from the trauma of war and the stress of returning from war to live in a country that doesn't care. Whitney tells her brother's story, and the story of his brother veterans, at the same time. Soldier's Once views the big picture through the personal story of Catherine's brother. The lost dreams of military veterans and our nation's relative indifference to their needs is often ignored, or only talked about in policy debates or bureaucratic reports. Catherine Whitney has put a very human face on the topic, portraying a personal drama that reflects a broader reality. It is both meditation and investigation. In searching for the truth about her brother's life, Catherine Whitney meets others like him; their stories become a part of his - a story that resonates with humanity and a clear relevance to present day policies and national concerns.