Robert Dockray became a medic in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Robert trained to be a medic by copying out of a medical book. His job, a field medic, would be compared to present day first responders (Dockray Int). His job did not frighten him; it was a privilege to be a part of the medical team because it kept him off the front line. In World War II, medicines like penicillin and antibiotics were in short supply, so Robert had to rely on home remedies that he learned from his mother and working with cattle. Robert was a part of an emergency crew during a typhoon in Okanawa (Reid Int). During the typhoon, Robert had to climb up a palm tree, and was stuck for several days due to water covering the island. Even though Robert went through trials, he did not have any problems like depression, confinement issues, or sea sickness that other men suffered from on the Navy ships, even if he ate green bologna for a meal on the ship. (Dockray Int).
Robert was stationed in a psych ward located in Chicago, Illinois and the training he received was not nearly enough for what he faced. Dockray worked with the first stages of…show more content… “Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was the term used after 1980 to explain the effect of war on soldiers and was later used outside the military to describe the impact of a traumatic event on an individual.” (“War’s Long-term Effects” par 5). Men suffered long term effect from fighting on the battle field and also when they got home they were not able to leave the war behind. Soldiers endured physical and mental illnesses. For example, shell-shock was a mental illness some soldiers suffered (par 2). World War II changed the way that the world viewed psychological people because the war messed up tons of individuals (“Mental Health” 3). Mental health crises caused by World War II are what updated society to be able to care for those who suffered psychologically
