There is a lot of hurt out there. For some it is mostly a result of their time in the military. For others it is mostly a result of their time as a private security contractor. For still others it is both.

The stories, often encapsulated in a nutshell view for Hollywood movies sheds but a vista into what it is like to live and work in war zones, combat zones, and hostile and austere conditions.

While the focus is almost always on the military men and women in uniform there is a back-side, or a B-side or, as some call it, the mirror reflection. That side, or reflection, is the private security contractor who frequently experiences the same or similar sights, sounds, smells, and events but typically with less support and fewer resources.

The real tragedy is when these private security contractors return home to a nation publicly professing their support for the men and women in uniform but deriding the same Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine for their service in their civilian role, referring to them as mercenaries, guns for hire, and cold-blooded killers whose only motivation is money.

These men and women often cannot tell anyone about their experiences anymore than they could when they were in uniform. Why? Aside from their often rock-solid NDAs, considerations for OPSEC and PERSEC, they often carry deep emotional scars that most people cannot identify with. So, similar to their military brethren, they suffer in silence.

What can be done to help the men and women of the private security contracting world? The same things we do to help our uniformed brethren: listen to them, lend a sympathetic hand, love them, console them, help them out, help them up -- be there for them.

In the meantime, if you are curious to know the true stories of war and contracting from the perspective of the private security contractor, tune in to OCONUS: The Contractor's Life -- a podcast series that explores the real-life experiences of the private security contractor from the perspective of the private security contractor.