The older generation, including myself, was trained in the military. When we needed to go to the doctor because we were injured, we didn't go. We would shut up and keep working, or we would get sent home.
When people did training, they were taught the culture of silence. They were told that these things weren't talked about. During their career, people could suffer from certain problems, but they wouldn't talk about them, because they had been trained that way.
However, in the last years of the war in Afghanistan, when someone came back with a serious injury or when there were casualties, we took the time to talk to the whole group, to debrief them and discuss what had happened in order to ease the stress.
However, the old guard doesn't talk about these things, because they act like there isn't a problem. When the culture of silence is ingrained, it's very difficult to open up to someone and talk afterwards. It's not easy, and that's why some people have lost their bearings and aren't aware of the problems they have.
When you start talking to veterans, trust is established gradually and they open up more and more. This is how I can determine whether they are suffering from post-traumatic symptoms and try to help them. Some will not want to help themselves, and in some cases, it can take years before I can help them.
While I was still in the armed forces, a good friend of mine was retired and living in my basement. He was suffering from severe post-traumatic symptoms and didn't want to talk about it. He was afraid his parents would find out.