Disposable Warriors
Chuck Luther will be on FreemanRadio on 21 April, 2010!...
DISPOSABLE WARRIORS S.oldiers A.dvocacy G.roup
A Disposable Warrior- a Soldier who is left feeling he was just tossed out or thrown away. A Soldier who did everything he could to serve his Country and honor his uniform, only to have it ripped away from him. A Soldier on the verge of giving up hope. A Soldier denied the very care that is "supposed" to be there for him if he should ever need it. If he had been bleeding, would he get a bandage? What happens to the Soldier with unseen injuries? Is he left behind? "Never leave a fallen comrade..."
The Soldier’s Advocacy Group of Disposable Warriors was created in October 2007 by former SGT(E-5) Chuck Luther. SGT Luther was a member of the U.S. Army and was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. He was assigned to Comanche Troop, 1-7, 1 BCT, 1st Cav Division as a 19D. SGT Luther was deployed to Taji, Iraq from October 2006 to July 2007.
SGT Luther unknowingly suffered PTSD after living in the combat environment. After weeks of suffering with sleepless nights/nightmares, headaches, bouts of anger, lack of focus, weight loss, depression, high stress and extreme exhaustion, SGT Luther sought out his Command for help. Knowing he was not able to perform his daily duties in this state of mind, he’d hoped to be sent for some form of treatment and sent back into battle. Unfortunately, this is not what happened.
SGT Luther’s Chain of Command responded with phrases such as, “Drink water and drive on…” and told he was “malingering” and “faking” his symptoms. After being belittled and stripped of his dignity, still, with no assistance from those in charge, he was then placed on suicide watch and held in an Aid Station for five weeks.
Those sent to watch over him for potential “suicide”, spoke down to him, and he was not given meals or showers on a regular basis. Even prisoners receive better treatment. SGT Luther was told that if he continued in this manner, he would be discharged from the Army with a Chapter 5-13, Personality Disorder. (see definition of Personality Disorders) Because SGT Luther would not give in to the demands of his Command to “drink water and drive on”- knowing he needed some form of treatment, he was brought back to Ft. Hood in July of 2007 where he was quickly discharged with a Personality Disorder. His 12 years of Military Service was ended abruptly with the brush of a Colonel’s pen.
SGT Luther never before had any type of disciplinary actions. He’d received many commendations and awards for his service, and passed eight Army Mental Evaluations as well as numerous Physical Tests. His Counsel Statements praised his meritorious service. His service and duty, he knew, was proudly given to his Country, his Army, his fellow Soldiers, and to himself. Now, this was all stripped away.
After being immediately diagnosed with Combat Stress, Combat Exhaustion, and PTSD by the V.A., who is charged with treating our Veterans, SGT Luther knew he had not been “faking” and had not been “malingering” and was finally given a diagnosis- he knew there was a name for his symptoms- PTSD.
Chapter 5-13 Personality Disorder discharges are being used fraudulently against soldiers that the Army wants to remove as quickly as possible. SGT Luther has devoted himself to advocating against these and other types of practices by the U.S. Army. His case is in the hands of a Legal Team, and we hope to get the word out about the work he is doing and for himself, after two years, that he may be given the rightful discharge of a “Wounded Warrior”- not to be left feeling as if he’d been, just disposable.