35 Year Old Disabled Army Veteran Seeks Grant For Housing And Transportation
by Daniel
I am dating a wonderful woman who is pregnant with my first child and I am helping to raise her six-year-old son. I joined the Army in January 2006 and was immediately deployed to Iraq where I was extended for three months for a total of 15 months. I was an Infantry platoon medic assigned to the 25th ID. When I came home, my ex-wife told me that she thought I had PTSD, and my parents said the same. I of course ignored this. I deployed a year later again to Iraq where I was a Company Senior Medic being part of my Company Commander Personal Security Detachment. When I returned I was sent to Flight Medic School, which made me very excited, but after sleepless nights, nightmares and being unable to study I failed the course. I was sent to a training brigade at Ft Bliss, TX. From the beginning I was experiencing pay issues and no one from my chain of command assisted me due to "mission comes first." It's a very popular phrase. I have no idea what I was thinking so I forged an AER loan to obtain food, gas and misc everyday living supplies. Of course I was caught and demoted. That was like a slap in the face so I was told to go to Mental Health. I was diagnosed with Severe Chronic PTSD. I am currently temporarily retired but living with my girlfriend at her parents' house. I can't afford to move out and need a safe place for my family. I have horrible credit due to paying my bills late while not receiving pay and of course losing rank. I just want a break to get things going in the right direction, to start my life over again, to live a normal life. None of my pay has caught up with me so I am living off my girlfriend and her parents but her dad is getting frustrated with me living here. The Army rated me at 50% for my PTSD but the VA has not rated me yet. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, sleep apnea, scars in both eyes from a blast, constant ringing in the ears and some mild hearing loss. Probably the biggest issue I have is my anger and constant paranoia. It affected my first marriage and it's affected any relationship I have had since my first marriage. I have tendencies to overspend my money and not pay my bills. I think about committing crimes and even have thoughts of suicide, but never attempted it. I am very excited about my new son. I want to get financially better to start my new life. I currently go to college for paramedic but I don't work. I can't find a job once they hear I go to school in the evenings. I have filed for unemployment. I have no income coming in as of yet. The VA hasn't rated me nor have I received my Army retirement check. I am close to getting my vehicle repossessed and I live in my girlfriend's son's room while he sleeps with her. I have no privacy or place to store any belongings so I store them in my car. I take 30 mg Celexa and 2 mg of Klonopin to relax and help me sleep. I use a CPAP machine but I wake up with nightmares like someone is chocking me. I just signed up for counseling. I am supposed to start receiving my Army E-5 pay around October 15 but I'm not sure. My VA doesn't seem to know what's going on. I'm waiting for unemployment to kick in. I am a national registered EMT-B but can't afford to get my Texas EMT to start working as an EMT. I would like to have a grant to help pay down on a house for my family or an apartment until my money kicks in. I also need help with my car payments. I am very behind on it and I need it to go back and forth to go to school so I can get a better future.
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