Troubled vet helps others seek help

Troubled vet helps others seek help

BY JULIAN MARCH - Star-News
WILMINGTON -- Sgt. Peter Linquist rides an elevator down from his Carolina Beach apartment, his bulldog leaping out into the summer afternoon.

Linquist limps into the sun, lights a Camel cigarette and steps back into the shadows of the garage. On his Operation Iraqi Freedom hat, the word "veteran" stands out in gold letters.

He snaps his wrist, watching a string of smoldering black ash fly off his cigarette.

"I've slipped through the cracks," he said. "I have not gotten the help I deserved."

He finishes the cigarette and calls the dog back in, limping back to the elevator.

"I'm really not supposed to be walking around," Linquist said. It's been a little over a week since he had surgery on his left ankle for an injury caused by a blast.

Living with pain has become a central part of his life since he left Iraq in 2005.

He's only 27 years old, but he's on multiple medications. He takes antidepressants and mood stabilizers to treat symptoms from post-traumatic stress disorder. Because of injuries from a roadside bomb, he takes painkillers and muscle relaxants.

He said he has fought for adequate care from the Department of Veterans Affairs for nearly four years.

Recent news that the VA will make it easier for veterans to file PTSD claims may come too late for him. The VA said the changes would reduce the evidence needed for a veteran to say PTSD was connected to military service. Linquist, who had to outline specific dates of traumatic experiences, said making that process easier will be good for other vets.

He's also making a personal effort to make sure others don't suffer as he did by launching an advocacy organization to help veterans. It's called We Can Do This Together.

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