War vet battles government for support

War vet battles government for support

SOCASTEE, SC (WMBF) – Inside a modest house in Socastee, SC, a veteran and his wife are in the battle of their lives.

They're trying to save their home, and their marriage.

Matthew Stoddard served overseas in Kyrgyszstan after 9/11 in support of America's war in Afghanistan. But, whatever happened over there may have followed Matthew home.

"He started changing," said his wife, April. "He would be angry. He would be hateful."

This veteran of the post-9/11 fight has post-traumatic stress disorder.

"The relationship he had with the kids started to be non-existent," April recalls. "He had alienated all of us. And I was afraid. I was seriously afraid."

She was scared their marriage would end, too. However, through the Veterans Administration, Matthew got medication and treatment.

April says he's doing better, but he's far from being healed.

"I'll just be sitting here and all of a sudden my shoulder will just start hurting," Matthew Stoddard recalls telling a doctor. "Or, I'll just move it…and I'm on my knees about ready to cry because of the pain."

The Stoddards say they have faced endless bureaucracy, sometimes out-and-out disrespect, and incompetence from the government as they've tried to get help.
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War vet battles government for support