Heather5522
Bronze Member
I met a friend a few months ago who was a combat medic with the Air Force, went through 2 deployments in Afghan and Iraq and was up front with me about his combat PTSD. At the time he was in therapy and taking medication we grew really close and he opened up to me about some of his experiences (he journaled alot). Recently, he has been going through alot. He is only 25 yrs old and he is being medically discharged because of his PTSD. Over the past 8 months i believe, he was fighting with his commander regarding his percentage for disability as they were only giving him 70%, but after the appeals he went through he won and received 100%. He went back to Colorado about a month ago to go through the discharge process as he was finally given his retirement date of July 25, 2011. At that time i was nervous as i knew he would have more battles to fight with them being he has a couple thousand dollars they owe him for time he was on medical leave and his out of pocket expenses he had for going inpatient and out patient therapy. The weekend before he left (memorial day) he were together and i noticed he was drinking more then usual and not taking his medication. I did not say anything because honestly i didn't know it was his way of now coping, he was no longer required to go to group out patient therapy again since he got his orders for retire, and he knew he would be going back to Colorado to finalize everything. I know also, and not through him that while back there he was suppose to see his best friends wife who had killed himself when he came back from Iraq and he never faced any of that.
When he first was gone for a few weeks, he would contact me everyday and tell me he missed me one day i received a phone call from him crying i knew he had been drinking. But the entire time he was away he told me he missed me he needed and all i wanted was for him to come home. Its been about 2 weeks now and i have not heard a word from him He has not responded to emails, text messages or calls. I don't understand if this is part of his isolation, but i am at a loss. I am worried as i know he tried to kill himself upon return from his second deployment. I don't know what to do at this point. I feel like throwing my hands up I don't know what is going on with him, i don't to be a burden to him and constantly send text msgs .. I am concerned for him though.I don't know what to do. I don't understand all that he is going through and i don't know why he is shutting me out?!
Texas
When he first was gone for a few weeks, he would contact me everyday and tell me he missed me one day i received a phone call from him crying i knew he had been drinking. But the entire time he was away he told me he missed me he needed and all i wanted was for him to come home. Its been about 2 weeks now and i have not heard a word from him He has not responded to emails, text messages or calls. I don't understand if this is part of his isolation, but i am at a loss. I am worried as i know he tried to kill himself upon return from his second deployment. I don't know what to do at this point. I feel like throwing my hands up I don't know what is going on with him, i don't to be a burden to him and constantly send text msgs .. I am concerned for him though.I don't know what to do. I don't understand all that he is going through and i don't know why he is shutting me out?!
Texas
