I joined in 2003 and was discharged in 2006. A lot of things happened in iraq but here are the basic rundown:
In the beginning:
I was in iraq for 11 months and 28 days
My camp was attacked in Sept 2006, our last three weeks in iraq, with several dozen 120mm mortars
The first one landed 25-30 feet from me and left a six foot hole in the ground.
I suddenly began sleepwalking after the attack, something that never happened - was over two years and 4 months into my 6-year contract.
I was getting counseling 19 days before the camp was attacked and continued until 16 after the attack(wanted to extend my deployment so my CDR sent me to mental health evaluation, the psychiatrist found nothing wrong with me but gave me sessions to try to understand why I wanted to stay in iraq - catch 22 kind of thing I guess)
I had no history of disciplinary action.
My room mate complained to my first sergeant that I was chronically sleepwalking after the attack and it was starting to freak her out.
17 days after the attack I was informed that I was to be discharged or sent to a psych ward. My CDR chose honorable discharge under 5-17.
I was never medevac'd after or during the attack. I only received tylenol from the troop clinic.
In the VA...
I registered for VA health care and waiting over two years on a waitlist (many were coming home in 2006 and it was already backlogged)
Two and a half years after my 5-17 discharge, The VA sends me to Tampa Polytrauma aned they found blast injuries in my body and my brain.
I have three damaged cranial nerves, a collapsed shoulder and a partially paralyzed arm that was considered a spinal cord injury.
It is believed that the damage to these nerve l;head to the sleepwalking because my brain had been damaged and the nerves in my spine that typically prevent sleepwalking were damaged as well.
I was told in 2017 to consider filing for retroactive retirement.
I am currently 100% P/T under VA (70%IU)
So what do you guys think?
In the beginning:
I was in iraq for 11 months and 28 days
My camp was attacked in Sept 2006, our last three weeks in iraq, with several dozen 120mm mortars
The first one landed 25-30 feet from me and left a six foot hole in the ground.
I suddenly began sleepwalking after the attack, something that never happened - was over two years and 4 months into my 6-year contract.
I was getting counseling 19 days before the camp was attacked and continued until 16 after the attack(wanted to extend my deployment so my CDR sent me to mental health evaluation, the psychiatrist found nothing wrong with me but gave me sessions to try to understand why I wanted to stay in iraq - catch 22 kind of thing I guess)
I had no history of disciplinary action.
My room mate complained to my first sergeant that I was chronically sleepwalking after the attack and it was starting to freak her out.
17 days after the attack I was informed that I was to be discharged or sent to a psych ward. My CDR chose honorable discharge under 5-17.
I was never medevac'd after or during the attack. I only received tylenol from the troop clinic.
In the VA...
I registered for VA health care and waiting over two years on a waitlist (many were coming home in 2006 and it was already backlogged)
Two and a half years after my 5-17 discharge, The VA sends me to Tampa Polytrauma aned they found blast injuries in my body and my brain.
I have three damaged cranial nerves, a collapsed shoulder and a partially paralyzed arm that was considered a spinal cord injury.
It is believed that the damage to these nerve l;head to the sleepwalking because my brain had been damaged and the nerves in my spine that typically prevent sleepwalking were damaged as well.
I was told in 2017 to consider filing for retroactive retirement.
I am currently 100% P/T under VA (70%IU)
So what do you guys think?
