A Chico Soldier's PTSD Claim is Denied
Reported by: Lauren Hallacher
Email: lhallacher@khsltv.com
Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr. says, "I feel hurt. They call me a liar." Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr. has served in the National Guard for 18 years. As part of his duty, he was deployed in 2004 to Iraq for an 11 month tour. When he returned in 2005, he says he began suffering from nightmares, flashbacks, and anxiety attacks. He began drinking heavily to ease his pain. He chose not to disclose that he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, for fear of what the military response would be.
Francisco says, "as soon as I mentioned the symptoms that I had, that's when the national guard slapped me with discharge papers." Not only would he be discharged but also forced to pay all medical expenses affiliated with his PTSD.
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A Chico Soldier's PTSD Claim is Denied
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I cannot believe the Doctors at Fort Lewis, Madigan Hospital, Dr. Diana Repke and Captain Julie Welch would discredit a soldier who has given 18 years of service. Don't they have standards they have to follow when diagnosing mental health conditions? I question their integrity, it sounds like they completed an assessment that "set up" this soldier. I wonder how many other veterans have been denied claims because of their calling veterans who gave of their lives, "liars." It is disheartening to see this happen to SSG Carrillo.
ReplyDeleteIt happens all too often. There were over 22,000 soldiers claiming PTSD but were discharge under "personality disorder" which left them with nothing. Basically this was a less than honorable discharge making them ineligible for services from the VA as well as leaving them with a blemish on their record making finding jobs after all but impossible. Many times veterans have to file appeals for compensation and treatment taking years to have approved. To have a claim denied does not mean the claim is not real. It just means that the government has not been convinced.
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