Army generals speak out about their PTSD

Two Army generals talked to CNNs Barbara Starr about their experience with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in hopes that it will convince more suffering soldiers to come forward.
Brig. General Gary S. Patton and Gen. Carter Ham have both sought counseling for the emotional trauma of their time in the Iraq war.

One of our soldiers in that unit, Spec. Robert Unruh, took a gunshot wound to the torso, I was involved in medevacing him off the battlefield. And in a short period of time, he died before my eyes, Patton told CNN in an exclusive interview. Thats a memory [that] will stay with me the rest of my life.

Ham was the commander in Mosul when a suicide bomber blew up a mess tent. Twenty-two people died.

The 21st of December, 2004, worst day of my life. Ever, Ham said. To this day I still ask myself what should I have done differently, what could I have done as the commander responsible that would have perhaps saved the lives of those soldiers, sailors, civilians.

Both generals have been back from Iraq for years, but still deal with some of the symptoms of the stress they experienced.

This video is from CNN.com, broadcast Mar. 9, 2009.
RawReplay.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• generals
• Iraq
• PTSD
• symptoms
• stress
• soldiers
• sailors
• civilians
• commander
• war
• trauma

[xtraflo]

What a Lucky Bastard - To have the name Patton in the Army.....

[montecarlossv8]

i feel the pain i was there and when i asked for help with ptsd i was called a sad bagger and kicked out. i latter went to the va for help and was told i do not have ptsd.

thank God i had a loving family who helped me when the country i fought for would not.

i still deal with it every day.

[JOHNNYSschool]

Please genral or if any one knows him I need his help..

[sass225]

@callmeshane303 if it were not for solders you wouldnt have a country at all. I disagree with your statement its as ludicis as saying if we didnt have police we wouldnt have criminals

[JOHNNYSschool]

Please genral help me I am a soldier going threw a MEB at Madagain and the docters are liers I have proof.. They said I was never diagnosed with PTSD or TBI but I have it on my active duty records please if anyone knows him or anyone high ranking to contact me.

[savemyplaylist]

what a little bitch

[politicaltruth42]

please watch my ron paul video

/watch?v=9rVm1IRu-XQ

[mrbiofeedback]

The Psychophysiology Lab and Biofeedback Clinic at ECU uses biofeedback and psychophysiology to help Americas wounded warriors heal the emotional wounds of war.

The AAPB presented a TeleSeminar on PTSD. The 90-minute presentation on “The Central Autonomic Network and Combat PTSD: Assessment and Intervention” was given by Dr. Carmen Russoniello, himself a former Marine machine gunner and decorated Vietnam combat veteran. ww.youtube.com/watch?v=kDlKRA_­vURk

[joe80dman]

@EndOfMichiko : I feel you misconstrued the jest of my comment. I never ridiculed the troops. I'm saying that these troops should have never been deployed to these far-flung countries in the first place. What good has come of it? In fact, it would be more appropriate to rename our Dept. of Defense as the Dept. of Offense, for this is what our military actually does: Assault smaller countries for the benefit of global financiers that control our president and Congress.