War means the tragic loss of life for many, including the men and women who serve in the U.S. military.

However, recent findings reveal that since 9-11-01, far more soldiers have died from suicide than from combat.

In November of last year, CBS concluded a five-month, national investigation into veteran suicide. What they discovered exposes another shocking cost of war. CBS reports that in 2005, 120 veterans took their own lives each and every week -- or 17 a day.

Author Penny Coleman's husband was a Vietnam War veteran who committed suicide. In her book, "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide and the Lessons of War," she says that official versions of military history downplay and distort veteran suicides and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. In the first part of today's show, Coleman's commentary is read by Blase Bonpane, who is host of World in Focus, a program aired at KPFK in Los Angeles.

In the second half of the show we hear from American soldiers who have returned from combat. They describe in their own words the stresses and emotional conflicts created by war. Their testimonials are brought to us by "The War Comes Home" -- a project of KPFA Radio in Berkeley.