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 Health & Beauty | February 2007 
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Impacts Soldiers
 Jodi Brooks - CBS4
| | The Army estimates between 15 and 30 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq suffer systems of post traumatic stress. |
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is something hundreds of military men and women have been dealing with since returning from Iraq.
Every soldier in combat is changed by the experience. The Army estimates between 15 and 30 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq suffer systems of post traumatic stress.
With early treatment most soldiers can fully recover. Early treatment is part of a new approach when it comes to mental health issues in the Army.
Adam Kaplan's military career showed great promise. He joined the Army out of high school and received commendations for meritorious actions in Iraq.
War didn't scare him, but what happened in Iraq would haunt him. Army Staff Sgt. William Latham made an impact in Kaplan's life.
"When I wanted information he would give me information, when I needed training, he would train me," Kaplan said. "If I did something wrong, he would correct me."
On May 19, 2003, Kaplan's unit raided a suspected arms dealer.
"Shrapnel hit me in the chest, spinned me around in enough time to see him hit the ground," Kaplan said. "I ran over to him, he was making the absolutely the worst noises you will ever hear."
Kaplan was not hurt, but Sgt. Latham died. He told CBS4 it was his unit's first casualty.
Adam started having hallucinations and seeing his dead Sergeant. On his drive back to Fort Carson after returning from Iraq, Kaplan started to have panic attacks.
"Driving into Fort Carson was the absolute most terrifying thing I could possibly do," he said.
So Kaplan self-medicated. He went from drinking, to marijuana to meth. His parents knew their son suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Therapists also made the diagnosis.
"The one thing that kept coming up about post traumatic stress is if it's not counseled or not addressed the number one thing that people suffering from it do is self medicate," said Kaplan's father, Todd Kaplan.
Last year Fort Carson diagnosed 590 soldiers with PTSD, compared to 32 before the war started.
"What in the past may have been viewed as disobedient behavior, insubordinate behavior, may actually be a manifestation of PTSD," said Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, Army's Surgeon General.
The police busted Kaplan for dealing meth. As he awaited trial he checked himself into therapy.
"I was there for six days, they said I need to go to a different place, but the army came to get me and said no, you'd be AWOL," he said.
The Army said that's not what would happen today. A new program trains young soldiers to identify mental health issues. They encourage early treatment and stress getting help is not a career killer in the military.
"This is not a perfect environment, and we've made some mistakes," said Major Gen. Robert Mixon, Commander of Fort Carson. "We're learning from those mistakes and there are avenues for appeals in those cases."
Kaplan was court marshaled on drug charges and spent 12 months in a military prison. He's now appealing his case saying he was wronged and deserved treatment for PTSD.
"I want my medical benefits and an upgrade in my discharge," he said. "I served a year in Iraq, I killed for my country, and I deserve at least some compensation for that."
Kaplan told CBS4 he's clean and free of panic attacks and hallucinations. He has changed, but his patriotism has not.
"If anybody came in here from the military and said 'we honestly need you back,' I would go," he said |
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