Tuesday, January 13, 2009

My son, SGT Adam Boyle, is the soldier in the story.

My son, SGT Adam Boyle, is the soldier in the story.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/mili...charge_010709w/

My son, SGT Adam Boyle, is the soldier in the story. This has been devastating for him and our family. All Adam has ever dreamed of since 9th grade in high school JROTC (four years, three as an officer) is the Army as a career. It was painful enough to have to give up that dream and Adam has felt so much undeserved shame in feeling he let his country down and the Army and now to do this to him is unbelievably cruel.

Those who are being treated the worst are the most loyal and don't come close to believing the military would let them down this way. Adam, after over 8 years in the Army, 4 years of JROTC and 2 tours in Iraq does even come close to knowing how to live in a civilian world. Now he's kicked out on his own, no money, no benefits and even his last paycheck and leave pay (over 60 days) has been taken away. Including the little bit of counseling and meds they had him on to help keep some sanity is also gone.

Since his last tour in Iraq he's dealt with constant humiliation and harassment at the hands of those he respected most, even though he was diagnosed with chronic PTSD by their own military docs and recommended for immediate medical discharge (Honorable).

We are still in shock but we are also amazed at the support by the groups and people associated with Carissa Picard and Chuck Luther. Chuck is an Iraqi Freedom vet and wrongly diagnosed with pre-existing personality disorder after many years in the military, combat injuries, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, etc... and one of the subjects on a PBS documentary last summer. It was this documentary that lead us to them and also to the fact that this behavior by the military is horribly common.

We are so grateful to Carissa and Chuck and their never ending support, to an incredible attorney specializing in the military who is representing Adam pro bono and is outraged at what's been done to my son, our Vermont congressional offices, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders, and Peter Welch and most of all I thank all those everywhere in the US who have stood up for not only Adam but all our service members/veterans and we wish all of them healing and happy lives. We hope someday they can regain their pride in their service.

Laura Curtiss ~ Very Proud Mom of SGT Adam Boyle - former 173rd Airborne Brigade (1st year of war in N Iraq 2003-2004) and just kicked out of 3rd Psychological Operations BN/Airborne of FT Bragg (2nd tour in Ramadi & Fallujah Iraq 2005-2006)

PBS Documentary:
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/424/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/424/transcript.html

More on Carissa Picard, Chuck Luther and fight to save our service members and vets suffering combat injuries, and even worse from our own military:
http://fight-ptsd.org/Advocacy.html
http://www.woundedtimes.blogspot.com/2008/...092;s-says.html
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/mili...charge_010709w/
http://www.bloggernews.net/119335
http://www.namguardianangel.com/
http://www.woundedtimes.blogspot.com/2009/...-\yet.html

Attached File(s)
PICTURES_FROM_CD_MARCH_2007_702.bmp ( 1.59MB ) Number of downloads: 2
Welcome_Home_from_Gov_Douglas_after_2nd_Tour_in_Iraq.jpg ( 205.31K ) Number of downloads: 2
ADAM_JROTC_2000.jpg ( 985.16K ) Number of downloads: 2
Adam_after_1st_tour_in_Iraq_and_during_2nd_tour.jpg ( 65.47K ) Number of downloads: 2
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You really need to go to the link and read the links and see the pics that Adams mother has posted. I am glad to see that she is fighting for the benefits that her son has earned.

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