My friend just got back from Iraq 6 months ago and his unit is scheduled to be reactivated again. He has severe post tramatic stress syndrome from his first deployment, can he be deployed again?
2007-12-05 11:38:05 · 15 answers · asked by Laura 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Additional info...He has been seeing professionals since he has been back and these were all before the reactivation was announced. It is documented and is verified. We have seen obvious signs of it, but after doing professional evaluations and MRI's they have seen evidence in the results. He hasn't been discharged yet though since the results have just come back with in the past couple weeks.
2007-12-05 11:51:56 · update #1
The army will make that determination, if he has PTS, then his unit is well aware of it and the military keeps track of these things, and he should be on a program called EFMP. No it will not keep him from being deployed, that is up to his unit in conjunction with his doctor. Is he trying to use this as an excuse not to be deployed?
2007-12-05 11:42:25 · answer #1 · answered by Barbara C 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends on the severity. All of us deal with generic stress due to deployments. That's not the same thing as PTSD. Even with PTSD, there are gradations in how much it affects an individual. There are also different levels of recovery after redeployment and/or treatment.
A Soldier with mild PTSD might not even be detected and would deploy. Some Soldiers I know have been told that they should not deploy again. Some have recovered enough to allow it.
If your friend's PTSD is severe, as you characterize it, then likely he should not deploy again. That's a decision though to be made by him and his doctors.
PTSD is classified by the APA as an anxiety disorder. It is NOT a mental illness or a psychological disorder. Those are or encompass other kinds of disorder.
2007-12-05 11:53:06 · answer #2 · answered by RTO Trainer 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am sorry to be so blunt, but does he have a case of ptsd so severe it is going to affect him for the of his life, or just until he gets a discharge??
Whether or not he gets deployed again or discharged from the service is up the the medical offices. .
2007-12-05 12:09:03 · answer #3 · answered by Barry auh2o 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Veteran's Hospital should examine him and contact his unit's commanding officer. But be warned: there are some pretty specific symptoms they will look for in PTSD. Just being "all shook up" or "a nervous wreck" are not enough.
2007-12-05 11:42:13 · answer #4 · answered by auntb93 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yup. But he can start trying to talk to mental health now and let them know he doesn't want to go. Ultimately they have the final say. If they say he is competent then he is going. The doc has to give him a memorandum not to go. He needs to make an appt asap.
2007-12-05 11:43:50 · answer #5 · answered by Holy Believer 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Of course he can. If he is still an active member of his unit he will go where they go. And post traumatic syndrome doesn't last forever and is treatable.
2007-12-05 11:41:49 · answer #6 · answered by oklatom 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, he needs to inform whoever is in charge of his unit and they will tell him the measures to take.
This would be considered a psychological disorder or mental illness.
2007-12-05 11:42:40 · answer #7 · answered by ashley 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes. He probably shouldn't be but unless he gets a full medical discharge, he could be re-activated.
2007-12-05 11:41:35 · answer #8 · answered by Uncle John 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Is friend treated , is VA aware of his condition, a yes answer to these is a no answer to yours.
2007-12-05 11:50:05 · answer #9 · answered by Shay p 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Don't ask us. Ask the psychologist assigned to him. They will have the best answer. Most of us aren't in the military, and we don't even know your friend.
2007-12-05 11:45:24 · answer #10 · answered by voice_of_diplomacy 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋