Traumatic grief. Traumatic grief refers to the experience of the sudden loss of a significant and close attachment. Having a close buddy, identification with soldiers in the unit, and experiencing multiple losses were the strongest predictors of grief symptoms in the above sample of Vietnam Veterans.n the early stages of grief, symptoms may be experienced as intense, but this is normal for the first days, weeks, and months. Soldiers surviving a traumatic loss in the war zone will be more likely to mask intense feelings of sadness, pain, vulnerability, anxiety, anger, and guilt.