| Untreated Post-Traumatic Stress Linked to Combat Vet Mental Collapse: Ft Drum Officials Continue to Relentlessly Harass Him 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 8, 2007
E/3 Matthew Afuola was re-admitted to the Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown on February 6, where he is currently being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Following a mental breakdown and altercation with his estranged wife in November, 2006, Afuola was admitted to the Samaritan Medical Center since there is no equivalent facility on Ft Drum. Following a ten day evaluation, Afuola was discharged with the diagnosis "post-traumatic stress disorder." * Louis Font, Afuola's civilian attorney, from Brookline, MA, will discuss his defense of Afuola in light of his PTSD. He will also expose a campaign of harassment of Afuola by Ft Drum officials since he returned to the base. Instead of providing this soldier with compassionate mental health care, they have refused to provide him with a winter uniform and have forbidden him to leave his barracks without a military escort. This has meant that when an escort is not available, Afuola has had to choose to either walk long distances to meals or go without food. * Tod Ensign, Director, Citizen Soldier (sponsor of the "Different Drummer" internet cafe) will place Afuola's case in the context of a growing national crisis of inadequate mental health care for returning combat veterans by both the military and the VA. Out of 1.4 million veterans who've already returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, over 73,000 have already sought treatment from the VA for mental problems One Iraq vet, Jonathan Schulze, 25, of New Prague, MN committed suicide on January 16, 2007 after he was denied hospitalization of suicidal ideation at a VA facility. Font and Ensign have proposed that the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) conduct public hearings on this issue and that Emily and Matthew Afuola be called as witnesses. |
* Mrs. Emily Afuola, mother of E/3 Matthew Afuola, Newark, N J, will describe her unsuccessful efforts to obtain mental health treatment for her son both during his combat tour in Afghanistan with the 3d Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division and after he returned to Ft Drum.