"In the early 1970s, Penny Coleman married Daniel O'Donnell, a young Vietnam veteran. It soon became clear to her that Daniel was deeply troubled. As their relationship began to unravel, Daniel tried to kill himself.

Tragically, he was ultimately successful. Daniel was suffering from what we now call posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."

"Coleman then embarked on what became an extensive research project into combat-related PTSD and its relationship to veteran suicides.

In Flashback, Coleman examines this tragic phenomenon and the ways in which American military government institutions both contributed to the veteran's trauma and failed to respond appropriately."

"Interspersed between the chapters, Coleman includes narratives from other women - mothers, daughters, and wives - who lost loves one to PTSD-related suicide following the war in Vietnam.

Each recorded experience gives a human face to the reality of living with a PTSD vet and the challenges of surviving his suicide."--Jacket.