Ohio Iraq Vet Says the Military is Turning Its Back on Him and Others Like Him

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=6506041

FINDLAY -- They put their lives on the line, now some say the U.S. military is turning its back on veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. A new report by the Department of Veterans Affairs even shows those vets at an increased risk of suicide. Now a veteran from Findlay is at the front line of the controversy.

"A 107mm rocket blew up about 2 1/2 feet above my head," said Jon Town, recounting his experience in the weeks before the fall of Fallujah. "The guys inside said it was pretty surreal. A fireball pretty much hit behind me and lifted me up and threw me into an office."

The rocket did heavy damage to the building, but Town was back on patrol the next day, and he says that's when the real battle started. In the deserts around Fallujah, Town began suffering constant headaches. He wasn't sleeping. He couldn't remember things, and had gone nearly deaf.

Military doctors gave the news he didn't want to hear. "They had told me I wasn't fit for duty anymore," said Town, "Because of the memory loss, not being able to hear."

Then the Army did something Town never expected. It discharged him, claiming his injuries were caused by a pre-existing personality disorder -- mental health problems he had before that rocket exploded above his head. "You have all that paperwork. You can't tell me I have some pre-existing {condition,} said Town. "I mean, I wasn't deaf before I joined the Army, I didn't have flashbacks, I didn't have memory loss. I didn't have any of those issues."

Back home in Ohio, Jon had no way to get treatment. According to Army regulation, a personality disorder discharge prevents soldiers from getting any type of disability or medical benefits from the Army.

a pre-existing condition, no pay out from the government.

Why would anyone want to serve and fight for these corrupt bastards when, if they're seriously injured and unlucky enough to survive (I hate to say that but it's the truth), they'll be shit on and abandoned by their own government?

I mean the kid is young and impressionable and really doesn't know any better.

But the parents do.

Don

Not all these kids who are enlisting could have have crazy whacked-out fundie familes. I mean, is that possible? And what the hell is the deal? Do these parents think that the odds are worth it to go to Iraq for how many tours of duty for some 'benefits' after they get out? Well, we all know medical care ain't in their futures if they're injured. So is it the educational benefits? What the hell is it that they're so willing to be silent and just watch their kids go into the sand box? And why, why, why do they support this bloody obscene 'war' once their kids are over there? They all couldn't have supported it in the first place, could they?

What the hell is going on here? Why would Americans silently let their children go off to a 'war' (what the hell war is it anyway??) that was built on lies, greed, and corruption?

Now this woman has many grandchildren. Not just this one. But the one she wants to ship off to Iraq has had some "issues" that neither the boys parents or grandparents want to take the effort to address. They are basically lazy and shipping the kid off to Iraq gives them more time and money for drinking, vacationing, purchasing gas eating blimpmobile type vehicles, and other priorities they have.

Its the easy way out for them. And if the kid gets blown up to smithereens they get another benefit. They get to act like they have sacrificed something for the rest of their lives. Yea, they sacrificed something. Funny world.

Don

pretend to have sacrificed the most are the same people who are sitting here in the good ol' US of A on their asses safe and sound?

Like Laura and the Commander Guy. :sarcasm:

Really does.

Don

the dead in Iraq, how can one not wonder what ever made them enlist for these crooks? How can one not wonder what was wrong in their lives that they felt that they should gamble with their very lives for what? Because I can't see any up-side to enlisting.

And why in the hell is 28% of the population still supporting this horrible mess? What are they supporting? Do they see a brighter future ahead once the West gets their hands on the Iraqi oil? Do the think it will ever end? Don't they understand that the US will have to defend the the corruptly acquired oil from now until the last drop is gone?

What the hell is wrong with these people? Don't they understand that this 'war on terra' was started by oil companies and oil families? Why are they so damn willing to throw their kids under the bus for people who don't even have to pay their fair share of taxes anymore. Why do they support these people with their votes and their kids and also pay for the friggin' aggession, both in blood and money.

Are we in the Twilight Zone now? Bizarro World? Up is down, good is bad, bad is good?

edit: I get too riled up when I think about this shit and my spelling and typing suffer as a consequence.

I can't believe it doesn't bother others more than it does?

Don

Is it any wonder why way too many vets end up homeless? How's this guy going to be able to hold a regular good-paying job?

There should be people marching in the streets to protest the way our returning veterans are being treated.

A few news cycles on the horrendous conditions at Walter Reed only scratched the surface.

We need to make sure that when we end this war in Iraq that we do not forget our veterans, and give them the support they rightfully deserve. They served each one of us, followed orders they were given, and are victims of this NeoCon directed Administration to a greater degree than any of us.

when republicans controlled our government, then you must have pre-existing personality disorder and mental health problems!