PTSD WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAM

Toughlin

Member
Registered Member
Hi All,
I am writing to you all because my husband is going through a very difficult situation. He is an active duty Marine. He has been in the military for 9 years and during those years he was deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. Those deployments changed him mentally. The last one was to Afghanistan and I noticed a huge behavioral change. He is a Staff Sergeant and he is in terminal leave now. His last day being an active member of the military is December 7th, 2013. He has been drinking excessively and is depressed and anxious. 2 weeks ago, he was having suicidal thoughts and was admitted to a Psychiatric Facility. We stayed there for almost a week and was diagnosed with depression and was given zoloft. Should he extend his contract and go to the wounded warrior program?? Since he is in terminal leave, can he check himself in to the wounded warrior program in San Diego, CA? He is not attached to any unit at the moment because like I have mentioned before he is in terminal leave. What are his options? He does have an appointment tomorrow to see his Medical Officer. He hasn't been screened for PTSD. We are thinking about flying him to San Diego on Friday and getting him help there. He wants nothing to do with North Carolina. Please help me with some advice. I feel lost and I want my husband to be ok and have the help he needs. Thank you all and may God bless you.
 
Very tough
Hi All,
I am writing to you all because my husband is going through a very difficult situation. He is an active duty Marine. He has been in the military for 9 years and during those years he was deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. Those deployments changed him mentally. The last one was to Afghanistan and I noticed a huge behavioral change. He is a Staff Sergeant and he is in terminal leave now. His last day being an active member of the military is December 7th, 2013. He has been drinking excessively and is depressed and anxious. 2 weeks ago, he was having suicidal thoughts and was admitted to a Psychiatric Facility. We stayed there for almost a week and was diagnosed with depression and was given zoloft. Should he extend his contract and go to the wounded warrior program?? Since he is in terminal leave, can he check himself in to the wounded warrior program in San Diego, CA? He is not attached to any unit at the moment because like I have mentioned before he is in terminal leave. What are his options? He does have an appointment tomorrow to see his Medical Officer. He hasn't been screened for PTSD. We are thinking about flying him to San Diego on Friday and getting him help there. He wants nothing to do with North Carolina. Please help me with some advice. I feel lost and I want my husband to be ok and have the help he needs. Thank you all and may God bless you.

Very tough situation. I am very sorry things have gone down this road. I honestly think you are going to have a very hard time getting him into WWP, as he has less than two weeks until actual discharge. Jason, Mike P, or Ed will hopefully chime in, as this is going to be a legal case in my opinion.

What Psychiatric facility was he checked into, civilian, or military? None of this was ever addressed on active duty prior to now? Did he have his exit physical? and did they find anything? Can he not check into a facility on base in NC? I don't see flying to San Diego as getting great results. Everybody on the military side is going to be confused, as he has cleared and is on terminal leave.

I certainly think he will get help from the VA, but the military is going to be a hard road. I will PM Mike P and Jason this thread. Mike Parker has some very good insight on the Navy, an their medical system. He also has some great contacts.

Hang in there, and we will get you going in the right direction.

Joe
 
Toughlin,

Sorry to hear about the troubles your husband is going through. I hope things get better. As a primary issue, his health and safety are of primary importance. It sounds like you are doing the right things by seeking help.

Should he extend his contract and go to the wounded warrior program??
If he can re-enlist, it would likely make getting processed/evaluated for disability easier. However, given short term of his remaining time in the military, this may be difficult to achieve. If he cannot, he will likely have to apply to Board of Corrections for Naval Records. Also, he should make sure, in the event he cannot "extend" to apply for VA compensation (and, likely, Social Security benefits).

Since he is in terminal leave, can he check himself in to the wounded warrior program in San Diego, CA?
No, he cannot just "check in" to a unit (Wounded Warrior Battalion, or otherwise). But, he could ask his command for this- however, the time he has in service remaining may be an issue/impediment.

He is not attached to any unit at the moment because like I have mentioned before he is in terminal leave. What are his options?
Has he requested or had a separation physical? He must have a unit (even if he is not attached to a line unit, as long as he is in the military, there is a unit he falls under). He could try discussing his issues with his unit. He can also talk to a military medical provider, and explain that he wants to be evaluated through disability evaluation system (MEB/PEB). He could talk to Military Treatment Facility Ombudsman.


He does have an appointment tomorrow to see his Medical Officer. He hasn't been screened for PTSD.
He should raise his issues with the provider.


We are thinking about flying him to San Diego on Friday and getting him help there. He wants nothing to do with North Carolina.

Not sure what program or facility is in San Diego. But, it would seem unlikely to me that he could "plug" into a military treatment facility in San Diego without attachment orders (other than for an emergency treatment). So, I am not sure if this course of action makes sense. Really, I don't have enough info about what you are proposing to evaluate this. But, my instinct is that getting his issues addressed would likely lie, at least initially, with his current base. I understand that he may not like dealing with folks there. But, this is likely the "easiest" way to address things now.



Please help me with some advice. I feel lost and I want my husband to be ok and have the help he needs. Thank you all and may God bless you.

I hope things work out well. I am not sure how much I have helped (or could help). I have dealt with "last minute" challenges to discharge many times. Sometimes it is possible to address issues before the discharge goes through. Othertimes, you just have to appeal after the fact. It is preferable to deal with things earlier, but, it is not clear there is time left to do so in his case.
 
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