Sharon Evans, Big Sky Publishing – Marketing & Communications, www.bigskypublishing.com.au
… the crushing disappointment of returning to a country that despised them
Not all soldiers were lost on the battlefield, some struggled and fought their demons long after the Vietnam war was over, not all won …
“Dave’s determination that ordinary Australians from all walks of life should understand the trauma of PTSD is not only the mark of true courage, it is a crucial step in our understanding of what is a national issue. We need more Dave Morgan’s and we need to listen to them and care for them — that right at the very least they have well and truly earned.” – Denny Neave, army brat, Vietnam veteran’s son, publisher
My Vietnam War, Scarred Forever by Dave Morgan (Big Sky Publishing, RRP $ 24.99) is a coming of age story about a self confessed ordinary bloke in a war that was anything but ordinary. When author Dave Morgan returned from Vietnam he was changed forever. He turned 21 in Vietnam and he has lived with the legacy of this war for every year since then: not all soldiers were lost on the battlefield, some struggled and fought their demons long after the war was over – not all won.
As a young Signaller in Vietnam, Dave learnt to ‘survive to fight’ in an environment that varied from the mundane to terrifying. This is his war, drawn from letters home, his secret diary entries, and the addition of seven powerful short stories from his fellow soldiers. Dave captures the danger these young men experienced in Vietnam, the mateship bonded under fire, and the crushing disappointment of returning to a nation where they were either ignored or vilified. They responded the only way they could: they suppressed the memories and stayed silent.
The poignant reality is that many veterans felt they were alone, isolated, they struggled for decades before realising their nightmares where shared by others – for some it would be too late – suicide, alcoholism and cancer is a sad companion for many of our veterans.
My Vietnam War is Dave’s story, but it is one that could be shared by almost 60,000 Australian soldiers. His wish is that current serving soldiers are not left to flounder with their mental war wounds as he and his veteran mates have been. The post-war battlefield might be far from the war zone but the suffering and deaths post war are equally as sad and far reaching for the veterans, their families and friends.
Royalties from My Vietnam War will be donated to Soldier On, an organisation helping wounded warriors.
My Vietnam War is Dave Morgan’s second book. His first book Ice Journey (Big Sky Publishing) captured Dave’s time on the ice where he finally came to grips with his PTSD. Dave lives on the Sunshine Coast, QLD with his wife and continues to seek help for his PTSD.
Dave has moved forward from simply telling his own tale and now actively seeks to share his knowledge of the effects of PTSD with speaking events or veterans young and old and with schools, community groups and the medical profession. He is quietly embarking on an education program that has national potential.
About the Author
Dave Morgan is the real deal – he sincerely wants people to understand PTSD and the potential impact on not just Veterans of wars but also the soldiers current and from recent campaigns who could be dealing with this horrible mental disease. In July 2014 Dave completed an 8 session research study program on PTSD with the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation (GMRF), a world first, where researchers studied what triggered his PTSD and his reactions – triggering his fear and nightmares and compounding his own mental pain – in the search for understanding.
Dave is a wonderful bloke who isn’t afraid to say his PTSD made him ‘a bit of a mongrel’ to be around.. but we look at him now and see a hero, and his story really does break your heart for all those Vietnam vets left to feel like they did something wrong.
