Short Story Of PTSD: Broken Or Deadwood Soldier

PTSD: The Real Battle Awaits Major Carlos C. Huerta, a soldier in the Army during the war in Iraq, was told by Army doctors in 2004 before being sent home, that he was suffering from PTSD. When he got home in 2005 he was told by Army health professionals that he needed to talk to someone about his struggle. He battled for five years believing that if he just ignored it he would be fine. Like many soldiers Huerta was too embarrassed to ask for help. Maj. Huerta stated in his story “I am, in our Army culture, what some would identify as a broken or deadwood Soldier. I have no bullet holes to show my wounds” (Huerta). Many soldiers coming home with a mental disorder believe they don't need medical help as they aren't physically damaged.

When soldiers would come home, they would be changed according to family members. Prior to U.S. military efforts, “Austrian physician Josef Leopold (1761) wrote about "nostalgia" among soldiers. Among those who were exposed to military trauma, some reported missing home, feeling sad, sleep problems, and anxiety” (Friedman). The disease was seen by many as a sign of weakness, a “wuss” in some views but in recent years it has been more accepted and there are more treatment options. The Veterans Affairs Hospitals now offer seven types of researched backed treatments such as: Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Written Narrative Exposure, and more. According to the VA “Each medical center within VA has PTSD specialists who provide treatment for Veterans with PTSD and there are nearly 200 specialized PTSD treatment programs throughout the country” (VA.GOV). The amount of help has made a huge amount of growth in the past 25

This plan may draw up some controversies as people may not agree with donations to organizations as it may seem like a scam. Certain foundations may only give less than fifty percent of all donations toward their cause however I believe this point will be neutralized as through my research i have found many foundations that spend a high percent of donations on their specific cause. Adaptive Sports Foundation is a highly scored program on the Charity Navigator score with a 92 and they spend 77% of donations on the programs they sponsor. They aren't a strictly veterans foundation but the do have a veterans specific program called Warriors in Motion that also works with the Wounded Warrior Project. Although there are some “scams” this credible foundation puts an end to the ridiculous argument that donations are a waste of money as these organizations don't actually give most of their money to the cause they