The Invisible Front

Praise

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book

An Amazon Best Book of the Year

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award Finalist

Winner of the 2015 Christopher Award

“Harrowing, a courageous effort…This vital book is a stirring call for action to better aid American soldiers who struggle alone with depression—and civilians who suffer from our most stigmatized disease as well.” –New York Times Book Review

“Yochi Dreazen recounts the family’s story with great humanity. The Grahams’ compassion and wisdom as they turned their sorrow into a mission of suicide prevention moved me to tears… [Dreazen] writes wonderfully.” –Washington Post

“In his superb new book, The Invisible Front, Yochi Dreazen paints a deeply disturbing portrait of the overstretched United States Army, downsizing in Afghanistan while deploying against the latest threats of the Islamic State and Ebola.” –Washington Times

“[An] enthralling and enraging report about the Army’s traditional stigma about mental illness.” —Military Times

“A journalistic tale that shines a revealing—and a disturbing—light on the ongoing emotional legacy of America’s two most recent wars.”—Publishers Weekly

“What a moving book about a remarkable family’s heartbreak and courage. The Invisible Front blends compassion and hard-nosed reporting to tell an important story in need of all of the visibility it can get.”—David Finkel, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of The Good Soldiers and Thank You For Your Service

“This book begins fast and accelerates, telling an astonishing tale of contemporary America. When you read this book, you will likely come away feeling that General Graham and his wife Carol are American heroes—different types than we normally are told about, but true heroes still.” —Thomas E. Ricks, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of Fiasco and The Generals

“Yochi Dreazen has always been a first-rate reporter, and now with The Invisible Front he has delivered a compelling narrative which will haunt and inspire you. This is a treasure.” —James Andrew Miller, author of Live From New York

“Yochi Dreazen has poignantly crafted one American family’s story that is too sad to be true. Despite the horror of their twin losses, Major General Mark Graham, and his wife Carol have gallantly turned their grief into action. The White House, Congress, Department of Defense, VA, Statehouses, along with your average American family must read this book. The Invisible Front will play a seminal role as we chart moving forward on mental health services for our military, veterans and all Americans.”— John Madigan, Vice President of Public Policy, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

“A compelling story of devoted service to our country and the tragic revelation of military stigma regarding the modern-day suicide crisis. With twenty-two veterans dying by suicide every day, General Mark Graham refused to turn a blind eye and met this challenge head on. He and his wife Carol lost two sons within months of each other, one to suicide and one in combat. Military author Yochi Dreazen documents this family’s journey from tragedy to triumph, and the battle to get the military to address this crisis. A must-read for anyone ready to expose the issue of PTSD and mental illness in the military and throughout our nation told through the lives of 2013 Lifetime Achievement Winners, General Mark and Carol Graham.” — Linda Rosenberg, MSW; President and CEO, National Council for Behavioral Health

“Major General Mark Graham took the oath of military service, to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,’ but what he and the Graham family did not know was that they would trudge headlong into battle against another enemy, that of interpersonal anguishsuicide. Turning family tragedy into assistance to countless others, Mark and Carol Graham’s story of anguish, doubt, anger, and perseverance reverberates amongst those who have encountered or struggled with mental anguish. Despite encountering war zones, leading recovery efforts in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the unrecognizable U.S. city of New Orleans, or leading battalions of our nation’s military forces, the Grahams’ toughest battle is still being waged–changing the national dialogue about suicide. This mission, though daunting, is being fought by a true ‘warrior’ and empathic family and it’s a call to arms for all of us.” — Dr. William Schmitz, Jr., President of the American Association of Suicidology

“Powerful, moving and a life changer! The Invisible Front by Yochi Dreazen delivers the story of General Mark and Carol Graham who lost both of their sons while in the US Army. Dreazen documents the determination of the Grahams as they wage a personal war against suicide in the military. This is a tale of daily heroism as the Grahams fight to save the lives of the soldiers who have served us.” — Kevin Hines, best-selling author of Cracked…Not Broken, International Speaker & Suicide Prevention Advocate, 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner from the National Council for Behavioral Health

“We are all touched by mental illness, tragedy, or grief during our lives, either personally or through our family members or friends. Yet, the tendency is to bear these sorrows as if we are alone. By courageously sharing their story, Major General (Ret) Mark, Carol, and Melanie Graham Quinn invite us to join together in removing pervasive barriers of stigma, guilt, and shame that lead to isolation at the very moments we most need each other’s support.” — Charles Hoge, M.D., Colonel (Ret), U.S. Army, author of Once a Warrior—Always a Warrior: Navigating the Transition from Combat to Home