Wounded Warrior Project Veteran and Author Addresses History of PTSD

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Civil War Soldiers Struggled with “Warrior’s Heart”

SANFORD, Mich. (Dec. 20, 2017) – Army veteran James Webb writes about the anguish warriors endure, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), when returning from war. His book (working title “Tom’s Revenge”) addresses the physical and mental health issues veterans faced in a post-American Civil War world.

“PTSD was known as Warrior’s Heart back in the 1870s,” James said. “After the war, many veterans from both the Union and Confederate armies had no homes to go back to, no help for their ailments and psychological scars, so they migrated west. Back then, veterans didn’t have a support system like Wounded Warrior Project, or even the Veterans Administration, to help them recover.”

Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) gives veterans tools and resources that smooth the transition back to the civilian world. It also shows them the power of connecting with people to help cope with the impact of physical and mental injuries.

“Writing this historic fiction book was therapeutic for treating my PTSD. Many veterans feel like their world is uncontrollable. As a writer, I control the world I create, and, unlike the real world, I know how the story progresses. Being in five different characters’ heads at one time has helped me cope immensely.

“Tom, the book’s hero, escapes the war-torn eastern states by settling in South Dakota,” James said. “But despite being far from the turmoil, it was public indifference and his own self-doubt that refused to let him recover. From one injured soldier to another, escaping PTSD’s grasp is all about step-by-step physical and psychological healing.”

Setting a daily writing routine over the last 18 months helped James complete his book and stay focused on the important things in life: his family and his own recovery. “I write every day,” James said, “and my wife and kids are very supportive. My wife is even helping me type and edit my final version for the publishers.

“Wounded Warrior Project is near and dear to my heart. They give modern-day veterans, their families, and friends hope for leading exceptional lives, despite the roadblocks thrown in our paths.”