Once a Warrior Always a Warrior

GPP Life proudly announces the February release of ONCE A WARRIOR—ALWAYS A WARRIOR: NAVIGATING THE TRANSITION FROM COMBAT TO HOME by Charles W. Hoge, M.D. / Colonel U.S. Army (Retired) (ISBN #978-0-7627-5442-7; $18.95; Paperback; February 23, 2010).

Returning home from war can be as difficult, if not more so, than time spent serving in a combat zone. With this practical reality in mind Colonel Charles Hoge provides a groundbreaking resource with essential new insights. This book is a must-read for anyone who has ever returned home from a war zone, as well as their loved ones, friends, coworkers, and health care providers. Here, in clear easily accessible language, Dr. Hoge presents the latest knowledge about combat stress, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury), other physiological reactions to war, and treatment options.

Recognizing that everyone changes during deployment, Dr. Hoge provides ways to help warriors and their family members better understand each other’s experience. His message about recognizing that combat survival skills are often viewed as “symptoms” back home will help anyone who wants to truly understand the experience of service members and veterans. Readers will learn how military service personnel can successfully navigate the transition from the war zone (i.e., LANDNAV for the home front)—no matter how many days, months, or years have passed. Once a Warrior—Always a Warrior explains how a warrior’s knowledge and skills are vital for living at peace in an insane world.

Charles W. Hoge, MD, Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) directed the premiere U.S. research program at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research from 2002 through 2009 on the mental health and neurological effects of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He deployed to Iraq (2004) to improve combat stress care. His articles on PTSD, mTBI, and stigma, published by The New England Journal of Medicine and The Journal of the American Medical Association, are the most frequently cited medical publications from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He continues to work as a staff psychiatrist treating service members, veterans, and family members. A national expert on war-related mental health issues and traumatic brain injury, Dr. Hoge has testified to Congress and has a track record of providing articulate, engaging interviews for national news organizations. He lives in the Washington, D.C.