Currently, troops are facing combat in Afghanistan and Iraq on a daily basis. A day off rarely makes its acquaintance, while incessant explosions, gun-fights and roadside bombings are commonplace.
Many soldiers will tell you they get used to it (while they are engaged in active duty). But what becomes of the men and women who return to our homeland and try to move on with their lives, and realize they can’t do so? Sometimes, the thoughts of fighting, bombings and the fear that pervade a soldier’s mind are enough to cause serious psychological disorders.
The most commonly-known of these disorders is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many soldiers, who develop this sickness, are not able to cope with it. Sadly, there are veterans out there (and among us) who are either unaware of or ignore the potential help that is made available by the U.S. government through the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
Retired Air Force Sergeant Frank Modra III, a 1984 Shadyside High School graduate, gave his account of PTSD and the troubles he faced as a result of having the ailment.
“I have a sensitivity to daylight and sunlight and to heat. I isolate myself, because sometimes I don’t want to be around groups of people.
“I have panic attacks, nightmares, and I suffer the effects of bipolar. I suffer from depression, and I’m afraid of loud noises, like gunshots or explosions,” Modra said, “The Fourth of July is a really bad time for me.”
Modra had served 19 years and three months in the Air Force before an honorable discharge from the military in August of 2005. He admitted that when he first arrived home from Afghanistan, the adjustment was not only difficult, it was troubling. He discussed the feelings he had when he was in combat, and how those feelings did not go away, even after he was discharged and returned home.
“There’s the guilt, and the fear that’s there. I had rank and was responsible for troops. I was constantly afraid of losing one of my troops,” Modra recalled, “but, luckily, I didn’t lose one.”
He talked about how it was the fear and the guilt associated with his position that really got to him. Upon returning, he sought the help offered by the DVA. He was later diagnosed with PTSD, and options for treatment were presented before him. He mentioned the speed at which his condition was diagnosed and the variety of treatments that were available; he was thankful of the DVA for their willingness to help and their availability throughout his struggle.
He was referred to the Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lexington, Va. that offered (and currently offers) eight-week inpatient and outpatient care programs that were both suggested to him by the DVA.
“It’s because of what the Vietnam veterans went through to get help that paved the way for the care being so well now,” Modra said. “They got me in quickly and made sure I got the help I needed.”
While in Lexington, he received treatment for PTSD and an addiction to prescription drugs.
“That program saved my life,” Modra said. “The Vietnam veterans took me under their wing and looked out for me.”
He talked about the program being more conducive to mental health because other veterans were there to help him work through his problems. It was easier to talk to other veteran soldiers about combat because they understood the stress and emotions involved with the profession.
He also expressed concern for the soldiers who will be coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan in the approaching years. “The guys who are over there now are probably seeing things that are 10 times worse than I saw,” Modra said. “I just hope they know that the help is available and that they shouldn’t isolate themselves. The Department of Veterans Affairs is there to help them. They really care and have programs that are real. All combat veterans need to give the DVA a chance.”
For information on programs for veterans, contact the Wheeling DVA, located at 1206 Chapline St. in Wheeling by phone at (304) 232-0587. The DVA Web site is www.va.gov. Other helpful Web sites are: www.vfw.org (VFW) and www.legion.org (American Legion).
Modra helps fellow veterans through the veteran-operated Web site www.25th-infantry-div-shotgunner.com. He recommends this site for veterans who need help and don’t know how to go about getting it, more specifically, veterans who suffer from PTSD.