Bob Woodruff - his story, and ABC Primetime special, wasn’t just about him.

After watching ABC’s Primetime hour about Bob Woodruff, I realized that this story was not just about Bob Woodruff and the horrible thing that happened to him on that day in Iraq.

I watched the program, taping it at the same time. When it was over, I watched it again. I plan to watch it again today. For the benefit of anyone who didn’t see the report, it was quite different than I had anticipated. Although the first half hour was dedicated to documenting the IED explosion that injured him and his cameraman, and the subsequent miracle about his *ongoing* recovery...the story goes much deeper than that. The story is about something called T.B.I., Traumatic Brain Injury, specifically in our returning soldiers from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other combat areas who are experiencing the effects of this.

Most of the program concerned our troops who have experienced this kind of injury. Although T.B.I. is a relatively common injury in civilian life resulting from falls, traffic accidents, and assaults...the focus of the Bob Woodruff story is about combat-related head injuries. And herein lies what viewers should take away from that Primetime report called Bob Woodruff: To Irag and Back.

The medical treatment that soldiers receive now, compared to World War II, Korea, or even Vietnam is so much more advanced. These advancements have enabled a higher percentage of wounded soldiers to survive their injuries and return home. But, it has also made the medical community more aware of the issues surrounding T.B.I. Many traumatic brain injuries that used to be fatal are now survivable...but then what? Woodruff’s story centers on American soldiers and their challenges after surviving these injuries.

The personal feelings and emotions I felt during and after the program are mixed. On one end, I felt inspired. On the other end, I felt guilty. And this strange feeling of guilt is something I have carried with me since I returned from duty in the armed forces in 1973...that included a tour in Vietnam. Why guilt? Maybe it was because I came back uninjured, physically whole. Even though I also returned with three combat air medals and an array of other Vietnam era awards, perhaps I didn’t sacrifice enough...perhaps I should be more grateful. I don’t know. I was so fortunate to get through all of that unscathed. And as I watched that Bob Woodruff program last night, seeing a few of the brain-injured and physically (and mentally) maimed soldiers...it lead me to tears. It’s difficult to explain to anyone who hasn’t been personally touched by the trauma of war and combat. Most of my tears were for the plight of these forgotten victims of this military-industrial conflict going on, again, half a world away.

The general public does not want to see this part of what’s going on over there. To most of us, it’s just numbers. But to the soldiers themselves and their families, it is a daily challenge. A challenge to get out of bed (if they are able)...a challenge to feed themselves...a challenge to speak...a challenge to simply go on.

One of the soldiers interviewed last night said it all. This young man was shot in the head, and survived his injuries. And when Woodruff asked him about his feelings now, he said very confidently with a slight smile on his face, “It sucks!”

If you missed the program last night, you can watch it again on line at ABC.com. There have been other documentaries of late about the war in Iraq including one on HBO about the trauma centers there. It’s not for the faint of heart or squeamish. But it is something everyone should see.