Fort Bliss Retired Master Sgt. Not Silent About Combat PTSD

No longer suffering in silence
Veteran spreads message of healing invisible wounds
Fort Bliss Monitor
Sgt. Robert Larson
24th Press Camp Headquarters

Retired Army Master Sgt. Mike Martinez and his wife Maria conduct an interview with a reporter from Univision May 30 at the USO Caregivers Conference at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Martinez was recognized at the conference for his volunteer efforts working with the USO to educate the public about post traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. Photo by Mark Matson, USO.

Many servicemembers come back for their deployments with visible wounds. Some have scars from the shrapnel that ripped through their bodies. Many have lost limbs or other body parts as a result of their service in Iraq or Afghanistan. But there are many more who come home with injuries that cannot be seen, “invisible wounds” that also need healing and support.

One of the many Soldiers who came back from down range with these invisible wounds is retired Master Sgt. Mike Martinez, an El Paso native and spokesperson for the United Service Organizations’ new Portraits campaign, a series of public service announcements designed to educate Americans on post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

Martinez was deployed to Iraq three times during his military career, the first coming in 1990 shortly after joining the Army. The third and final time was in 2007, when an improvised explosive device ripped his vehicle in half. This was the second time Martinez, a first sergeant at the time, had been involved in an IED attack. This time his injures put him on a flight home.
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