13 Moons Over Vietnam: 8th Moon ~ Strife
If love is a drug, then the separation from love can be an unbearable misery. Numbness, anger, recklessness, and self-loathing are typical emotions during this period. A person is vulnerable to erratic impulses, and their life may feel it's spinning out of control as they struggle to maintain mental and emotional stability.
The 8th Moon finds Ben torn between clinging to the joyful memories of his R & R love rendezvous and worrying about the six months remaining in his tour. Heartache demoralized his spirit and sparked erratic behavior. Ben believed it was necessary to emotionally separate his two worlds and concentrate on his physical safety. He resolved to set aside his longing for home and focus on his immediate environment.
Thirteen Moons over Vietnam is a thirteen-volume series describing a military policeman's moral and spiritual struggles during the Vietnam War. Although this is one soldier's story, these experiences reflect what veterans across generations have had to contend with during war.
Ben Thieu Long (pseudonym) was unprepared as a young soldier for the conditions of war and faltered in the face of powerful temptations. A devout individual, his responses to moral dilemmas shattered his confidence that he would sustain his commitment to his values.