Silver Star Medal recipient Staff Sgt. Omar Hernandez, hero and example of PTSD

As you read this, keep this in mind. There are still some in the military and many veterans who think that PTSD is a fake illness. Some think it is the illness of cowards. Well here is a hero, a real one addressing it. See, what a lot of people get wrong is that they think war makes heroes, but what they don't understand is they were born that way. Hernandez, well, he was a hero in battle too but now he's a hero to others trying to heal their wounds. He is an example that whenever they hear what some pinheads still have to say about PTSD, they don't have a clue what a real hero is.

Soldiers: Talking Helps PTSD
Virginia Reza


Military.com

Aug 09, 2008

August 7, 2008, Fort Bliss, TX - "Alcohol, drugs and partying are not the answer; it just makes things worse," said Silver Star Medal recipient Staff Sgt. Omar Hernandez. "Talking really helps."

Hernandez, who underwent treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder when he returned from his third tour in Iraq last year, said he hesitated to seek mental help because he did not want to be perceived as crazy or weak. He serves with B Company, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.

Hernandez's courageous actions on the battlefield June 6, 2007, earned him the Silver Star. His citation read, "For gallantry in action against a determined enemy Sgt. Hernandez exemplary bravery under fire and a complete disregard for his own safety, enabled him to single handedly pull two members of the Iraqi National Police Force to safety despite having already been severely wounded himself. The gallant actions of Sgt. Hernandez are in the finest traditions of military heroism."

Hernandez said most servicemembers who witnessed atrocities in Iraq have either mild or severe cases of PTSD, but do not want to admit it. He was once in the same situation. He suffered from insomnia and was very angry for getting shot and leaving his comrades behind. He was unable to cry and his emotions were a rollercoaster, he said, but finally he decided to "let it all out," which he said lifted a huge weight off his shoulders.
go here for more
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/articleid/10871