Will King was an Army infantryman in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
After 13 years and two wars, he was honorably discharged in 2003 for having asthma. However, other problems would soon surface.
Prior to his discharge King talked with a chaplain who sent him to the mental health clinic on base.
“I had no idea what post-traumatic stress disorder was,” he said. “They diagnosed me and sent me home.”
Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that can develop after a person was exposed to a terrifying event in which physical harm occurred or was threatened.
King, 38, had trouble finding work when he returned to Jackson. He avoids large crowds. He’s been married and divorced twice.
“After Desert Storm, there was a certain part of me that was willing to negotiate in an argument, and then I was done,” he said. “I was a loner and stayed away from everybody.”
Today, King lives with his mother and stepfather, helps take care of their property and runs errands.
He has received some counseling for his disorder but said he’s not the kind of person who likes to participate in support groups.
King traveled to Washington, D.C., in March to meet with Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander. The Iraq War veteran spoke with the Tennessee senators about the struggles servicemen and women deal with once they return home from war.
He asked for help in getting soldiers better Kevlar, the body armor that protects soldiers during battle.
“And I also wanted to talk about making sure they have benefits they need when they come home,” he said.
King spoke to members of A Better Tomorrow on Tuesday about mental health issues veterans face. A Better Tomorrow is a local support group for people with mental disorders. They meet every Tuesday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
“There’s not one fix for PTSD,” he said. “For every soldier, there’s not one cure.”
On March 11, the support group hosted a group discussion about the mental health challenges of the men and women returning from the war.
Everything said during the meeting is confidential. Every meeting starts with a round of introductions and short summary of the day. Most people were in a good mood, but others weren’t having a great day.
Steven Brannon with A Better Tomorrow said a representative from the Department of Veterans Affairs provided information on services available to veterans.
“It’s important for the community to know about the high incidence of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among this population of servicemen and women,” Brannon said.
Ruth Wilson of Jackson is an enlisted member of the Air Force. Wilson, 28, has not been in Iraq or Afghanistan but has witnessed others struggle after they return home from fighting.
She said it’s good that Jackson has a support group veterans can use. She comes every week to support her mother.
“I think any benefits available to vets is good,” she said. “All forms available to provide help to them is a good thing.”
Wilson said anger is one sign that a war veteran is suffering from depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
“It’s just an uncontrollable, unexplainable anger,” she said. “There’s also guilt. I’ve heard of some who have constant nightmares or flashbacks. Others have strong reactions to certain noises.”
But the signs aren’t universal, Wilson said.
“Vietnam vets react to different things than Iraq vets do.”
One way a family can be supportive is to know that something is wrong, Wilson said.
“And don’t blame their reactions,” she said. “Understand that they act that way for a reason. It’s explainable; it’s not them.”
Treatment does limit the symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, she said.
“It probably makes things a bit better, but they might not ever get completely rid of it.”
King recommends being patient with someone who is suffering.
“Sometimes, you have to overlook us,” he said. “When we have a bad day, we tend to speak what’s on our minds. You might not like it. What are little things for most people are big deals to us.”
The best things a loved one can do is give that person some space, King said.
“Let us calm down and reassure us that you’re there for us,” he said. “That helps a lot.”
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- Tracie Simer, 425-9629
By TRACIE SIMER
tsimer@jacksonsun.com
