Is The Military Neglecting PTSD Troops?

Veterans' Advocates Say Ignoring Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Is A Military-Wide Problem

(CBS)  Army Spc. Shawn Saunders was proud of his first two tours in Iraq. But midway through his third tour - he snapped.

"If I hear loud noises, I get, I'm real, real jumpy,” Saunders told CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier. “I get paranoid."

"Distraught, lost, confused..." is how Saunders’ father characterizes his behavior.

His parents say his breaking point was watching his best friend die while guarding a checkpoint.

"He kept saying, it should have been me, it should have been me," said his mother, Pam Wilson.

Texas medic Taylor Burke took Saunders’ turn, and the car blew up.

"When he passed, it was like a part of me that's left me, and I haven't been the same since," Saunders said.

During home leave from Iraq, Shawn talked of suicide.

At Fort Hood, his home base, he asked for help. Instead of treatment, he says he got bureaucracy.

"I was basically just trying to find out what was wrong with me, because I was thinking about hurting myself, thinking about hurting other people," he said.

His dad took action, flying him to a New York veteran’s hospital. Doctors there diagnosed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The Army disagreed. Military police arrested him at the hospital, jailed him and kicked him out.

Veterans advocates say it’s a military-wide problem, where symptoms of PTSD - from substance-abuse to rage to suicidal depression - are misdiagnosed or blamed on the troops themselves.

These critics point to a 40 percent spike: 22,500 troops who’ve been expelled since 2003, for personality disorder. The military claims these are psychological problems the troops had before joining, that surfaced from combat.

Another 5,500 were expelled for “misconduct” like drug abuse - up to 20 percent. It’s an expedient way to replace an ailing soldier quickly.

Discharging for a personality disorder takes days, and costs the military nothing. A PTSD discharge can take up to nine months, and treatment can last a lifetime - in severe cases, costing up to $2 million each.

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From Kimberly Dozier's Notebook: The War Over PTSD.
For resources on veterans mental health, click here.

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The soldiers’ record, obtained by CBS News, show the man was first diagnosed with PTSD. But his commander said he “did not see anything really bad,” and ordered the diagnosis changed, to “personality disorder.” The soldier was immediately discharged, with no medical benefits.

Shawn Saunders is now fighting to get his PTSD recognized.

Dozier asked him: “You’ve got a lot of stuff to go through to get back to normal life, huh?”

“I’m gonna try,” Saunders said.

[momwants2help]

My son was ignored after asking for help from the Navy and eventually began drug use to cope. In time of course, addiction became evident and he was dismissed from the service. The Navy rehab was a joke and after his discharge I paid for a four month rehab program which hopefully will give him his life back. This backrupted me but was worth every penny. However, this never should have happened. I would like to join an organization that fights for the rights of our loved ones for mental health issues to ensure that others never have to go thru what our family has experienced. Anyone out there know a group that is professional in nature and is serious about changing the care for those that risk their lives for our country?

[grammawhamma]

Michelle: thank you for your well wishes. My husband died almost 5 years ago from cancer caused by Agent Orange. He thought he survived the vietnam war only to be killed by it years later. My husband''s PTSD would have worsened by seeing the news daily about Iraq.

Merry Christmas to everyone....and God bless our troops and their families!!

[michellem99-2009]

Gramma, I am a layperson. It is real therefore the vets need the care. Hope yer husband gets the care he needs and yer boy..Happy Holidays.

[grammawhamma]

chris_d3: It is very interesting how you can diagnose this man from your computer chair. PTSD is very real...my husband was a vietnam vet who had it. My son is currently serving in Iraq. He was there only two months when he already told me that he probably will need some form of counseling when he gets home.

God bless our troops and their families.

[michellem99-2009]

Dear StepDad/Mum of Vet.
Put the blame on Bush. He sends them in harms way. He need to get off that asre of his. Give the Veterans Affairs hospitals and the like, money to help these boys and girls in combat who need the help. My Dad raised his paws years ago to serve. My room mate of 24 years is a vet. The VAMCs need money to care for them. It is more than time to step up to the plate in this matter. They earnt it. I was raised to thank our vets. From a young age I knew as a blind child what the vets are. I to this day thank them. I will thank troops too. Miss Dozier she oaught to be made a vet. It appalling they give. all and they come home to ungratefulness. We have homeless vets. This nation is greedy. Chraity starts here.My vet room mate helped me get my computer. Barbara Ann age 53.

[pammywilson]

to : chris_d3

Thanks for your misguided opinion on the young man in the story Army Spc. Shawn Saunders from Ossining, NY.
But please try to remember you did not examine this young man. You just watched a short interview with a news reporter.
The Veterans Administration Hospital in Montross, NY did the examination.
And for the record he has been diagnosed with PTSD and your stating that you think he is suffering from guilt is just a statment of an individual who does not understand how serious this condition is.
It is people like you who confuse the public with your opinions while ignoring the facts.
You sympathise with Texas 468 but refuse to even accept the fact that this young man suffers from PTSD.
You owe him and all of the soldiers who have been diagnosed and those still out there suffering and dying so you can sit home and post comments about soilders having a guilty consciences an serious apology!

No chris_d3, this man is not suffering from a guilty conscience but you should be, for making that statetment.

posted by Stepfather of: Army Spc. Shawn Saunders

[chris_d3]

I think the 2 main reasons the military is neglecting PTSD sufferers are: money--just like someone else said earlier, they don''t want to spend the money, especially if it''s on people that won''t ever be serving (their agenda) again. And the other reason, which I think is even higher on their priority list, is because if they did admit that all these soldiers were stricken with PTSD due to their military experences, those statistics would be recorded and the numbers would be totalled up and then everyone would be see how bad it really is. This is not something you can just take a pill for and get over. PTSD is all-encompassing, it screws up every aspect of your life, for the rest of your life. And once the public is aware of how bad it is, then they''d have a helluva time trying to recruit new soldiers. They have to keep up the good PR scam so they can keep a constant supply of fresh recruits that they can talk into fighting to the death for them.

[chris_d3]

To Texas468,

I''m so sorry your husband is going through this. PTSD affects every aspect of your life. I can definitely empathize with you. Thank God you two have each other. Imagine what it would be like going through it alone.

[chris_d3]

Although I believe PTSD needs to be taken more seriously by the military, I don''t believe the man in this story has PTSD. It sounds like what he''s suffering from is guilt. He says he watched his friend die and he said it should have been him(self). That, along with the other things he''s said, point to a guilty conscience.

[aheadofcrowd]

Psychiatrists admit that they cannot cure PTSD. So why are taxpayer dollars and insurance companies funding these quacks then? As a result of psychiatry''''''''s inability to help those with PTSD, they instead "treat" PTSD with addictive and damaging drugs. Realize that most of the homeless on the street are previous war veterans who went through psychiatric "treatment" and "care."

HTTP://WWW.CCHR.ORG

HTTP://WWW.SSRISTORIES.COM

[coolprophet]

MORE TROOPS AND VETERANS SUPPORT RON PAUL
On Veteran''s Day, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul today addressed a crowd of over 5,000 enthusiastic veterans and supporters in Philadelphia. The Veteran''s Day weekend rally took place at Independence Mall. Thousands of veterans and their friends and families heard country music superstar Rockie Lynne open the event for the Texas congressman. John Holland, the founder of a leading advocacy organization for troops, veterans, and POW/MIAs, delivered an enthusiastic endorsement of Congressman Paul, before the congressman addressed the crowd. The rally coincided with the launch of the Veterans for Paul Coalition, a group composed entirely of American war veterans. "Dr. Paul''s support among veterans is extremely high," said Paul campaign spokesman Joe Seehusen. "These great patriots who have fought for our country know that only Dr. Paul''s foreign policy of peace and secure borders can guarantee true national security, and they want him fighting for our country''s freedom." Congressman Paul was himself a Captain in the Air Force who served as a flight surgeon during the "totally unnecessary and illegal" Vietnam war. He receives more campaign contributions from former and active military and military affiliates than any other 2008 presidential candidate. youtube.com/watch?v=KzlqKoON3EM

[pammywilson]

My family and i would like to thank Kimberly Dozier, Katie Couric and the staff at CBS Evening News for reporting this story. My family and i are eternally grateful for all the support you have given us during a very difficult time in Saunders "Shawn" Alston life.

Respectfully yours,
His mother.... Pamela Alston-Wilson

[woodjd42]

krazyarm
( Any Country that put its veterans as secound class citezens is DOOMED to lose their soverinty )
Although I agree with this I would like to add something.
Niccolo Machiavelli was misrepresentated and condemned by Pope Clement VIII because of his writing "The Prince". The main theme of this short book was that all means may be resorted to for the establishment and preservation of authority. (The end justifies the means) The worst and most treacherous acts of the ruler are justified by the wickedness and treachery of the governed. However this was not Machiavelli''s real philosophy. To read his real philosophy read "Discourses on Livy"
He was great however.

[liberalvet]

What a disgrace our VA is. While I firmly believe GWB has made it worse I know for a fact it has always been bad. I applied for PTSD after service in Somalia and was denied, luckily I had a loving and understanding family that helped me learn to live with it. I did get a 10% disability for a skin disease I contracted from there, but after 1 year they denied it stating it was not service related. I just gave up the appeals as they were going no where. The VA needs a complete overhaul.

[krazyarm]

Niccolo Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469 in Florence, Italy. Machiavelli was a political philosopher and diplomat during the Renaissance, and is most famous for his political treatise, The Prince (1513), that has become a cornerstone of modern political philosophy. In the book Prince he writes: ( Any Country that put its veterans as secound class citezens is DOOMED to lose their soverinty ) Pay heed to this advise AMERICA the Uninted States of America is NOT treating her Veterans right and will pay a price for this neglect.

[lvdragonlady-2009]

The military ignored PTSD in Vietnam vets and they are doing it again. So what is the surprise. They want people to serve but they get NO help when they return. So much for the greatest nation on Earth, we treat our military no better then some third world countries. Shame on your America for letting it happen.

[Bobbyblues]

As a member of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association, I have found that not just PTSD benefits differ, also where you were stationed has a lot to do with benefits.
I served on a ship off shore. At times our ship came under fire and men lost their lives, but the VA doesn''t consider us eligible for PTSD because were not in a combat area, "boots on the ground".
I have Prostate Cancer, a disease related to exposure to Agent Orange. We took on water to distill for drinking, cooking, and bathing. In that water, was storm water runoff with AO in it. Blue Water Navy Veterans are 10 times more likely to come down with AO related diseases than the solders that served with boots on the ground.
After passing the AO act in 1992, they payed all Vietnam vets who suffered from the diseases related to AO. In 2002, when the Iraq War was in the planning stages, the VA realized that it would be short funded. It started looking for ways to cut cost. One of the ways it found was to deny any vet who did not put boots on the ground, for any claim related to AO. After paying 1000%u2019s of BWN Vets for exposure, they took away their disability pay.
In 2007, The Blue Water Navy Vets won a Court Decision in the "Haas" case that said they were to get the same benefits as other Vietnam Vets that were exposed. The VA appealed that decision and is trying to rewrite the rules. They want to rescind M21-1 in the Federal Register so if they loose in appeal, they can still deny Blue Water Navy Vets.

[woodjd42]

parrot2

I am sorry for the use of the word "majority". It just seems that way to me sometimes. There are so many that say they support the troops but nothing ever gets done. I think that the majority maybe care and feel pitty but never enough to demand change and get things changed. The ones like Texas468 that deal with it every hour of every day are the ones that realy care. For the rest they feel bad at the stories and such but not bad enough to call or write these "on the take goverment people" and demand change.

[texas468]

Thanks woodjd42 for your service as well as your prayers for my husband and all vets. It''s nice when there are nice, level-headed people on these posts every now and then!!!!

[karilynn4]

I think its sad we expect these men and women to go in to combat and give there lives for this country and we repay them by not giving them the help they need and kicking them out of the armed forces with nothing. So to those out there serving your country thank you and I hope things will change