Iraq veteran struggles with return to normalcy

Seth Hoover/The Daily ItemJohn Fromille, 23, of Middleburg, served two tours with the Army in Iraq, and was injured twice. He is deaf in one ear, partially blind in one eye and has a traumatic brain injury. His other injuries go deeper: He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He is shown at home with wife, Amanda, and daughters Lyn, 4, and Kiersten, 2.
Seth Hoover/The Daily Item /

Iraq veteran struggles with return to normalcy


By Gina Morton
The Daily Item


MIDDLEBURG -- Two combat tours in Iraq have left John Fromille partially blind in his left eye and deaf in his left ear. He has been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. He is the recipient of two Purple Hearts. He missed the birth of both of his daughters and was separated from his wife for 18 months.


Fromille is only one of the 75,033 service men and women diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and one of the one-third total who has returned and been diagnosed with TBI.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 837,458 service men and women have left active duty and are eligible for health care since the fiscal year of 2002. Of that number, only 324,846 have sought help from a Veterans Affairs clinic.

Fromille is only 23 years old, and he does not regret a thing.

In fact, he said he would go back to Iraq in a heartbeat if he could.

Now, he finds himself trapped in a world where he can't relate to those around him, is unable to find a full-time job and suffers from the aftermath of war that seems to engulf his life.
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