My husband has just been diagnosed with battle fatigue and depression while in theater, he experienced a very traumatic event recently, well more traumatic than usual. I think he had it before he deployed a second time, but he would never never talk to anyone he thought he would lose his career over it. They put him on quarters where he's been for two weeks, and his doc told his command what she recommended that he be put on duty on the FOB or sent back to the states. They informed him today that next week he is to go to the green zone to get another mental eval, and if they want to send him home, that's it, they will discharge him. His symptons are manifesting physically with panic attacks and such. And he's really scared and thinks his life is over and we will have to sell our house and live with our parents. Do any of you have info on what to expect with this? I don't want him to push it back and do things he's not ready to do and then end up worse, but I don't want us to have to worry about this either? Do they get VA benefits if they are discharged for this? Thanks.

If he's diagnosed with something like anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, etc, he will receive a medical discharge. This doesn't necessarily mean he can't work.

I had all 3 of these diagnosis and was working a more than full-time job for over a year, before it got worse, and I couldn't work. Thankfully I'd already filed a claim with the VA.

They won't automatically give him benefits from the VA. HE will have to file a claim for compensation and pension, upon enrolling in the VA system.

Don't push him to do anything. But encourage him that he can still be productive, when he figures out what he wants to do. A medical discharge won't keep him from getting a job in the future -- and that's waht it will be -- a medical discharge. Even if it's for one of the above or another mental disorder, it won't be shown on his DD214, it's coded, and 99% of the world doesn't know what the code means. All a future employer would see is MEDICAL.

No reason to panic and freak out and sell the house and move in with in-laws. It is possible, he is entitled to military disability from his branch of service as well, as well as Un-Employment benefits in the state in which he is a resident, you'd have to look into this.

There's nothign you can do until you know what is going to happen (i.e. discharge, or just put on a medical profile, meaning he is ineligible for deployment, but can maintain an active duty career.)

Nothing is automatic, if he DOES get discharged, he will need to file a claim with the VA to have a chance at obtaining any benefits due to any service-connected disability.

His health is much more important than keeping a house and everything. Get the health stabalized, and do what you have to do. But there is no reason at this point that you'd automatically have to sell the house, or live with family. Cross that bridge if and when you come to it.

Anyone getting put out of the militayr, before they are ready (i.e. their own decision) is in a very helpless feeling place. It does seem as if the world will end, and what have you got, and how will I survive, and who am I know without the military -- it's normal... and I'm here to tell you, it's not quite a crisis. Take one step at a time, find out what's oging one with him, what they are going to doe etc... don't worry about tomorrow's troubles today.

Part of these anxiety disorders, is a feeling that your life is over, your worthless, you are nothing, and life is a crisis... it's part of the symptoms. Panick attacks, etc, especially in an environment that has triggers.

I still get them regularly -- but only around certain types of stress. He may be fine or atleast manageable with those, when he's no longer in a combat zone environment. IT's simply to early to tell right now.

Thank you all for your answers. I do feel so helpless right now, the bad part is like i said he had some symptoms before, and his chain of command told the higher ups that post depolyment evals were done, when no one that I know of took them...It's just so sad, he's had problems with migrane headaches, and he's recently lost 45 pounds in the last 3 1/2 months, it's so bad his skin is saggy from it being so rapid, he said if he eats he feels sick to his stomache. I'm sorry to ramble i just have so many questions and don't know who to ask..

Post deployment eval WERE probably done -- part of the routine medical clearance when you get home. Some places it's not very thorough, as it's all very new doing that. When I got out in 2003, they weren't done, unless there was an issue. Just the standard once over.

Many bases are short handed on experienced mental health, and then experienced in combat issues / PTSD is even more so. It's a big problem, and they are only now trying to find a way to handle this. Some installations have better programs implemented than others. This is a side effect of this war, no one was really prepared for.

The weight loss, migraines etc, while CAN be menthal health issues, also could be a part of another issue altogether. For now there is nothing you can do, until they know what they are dealing with.

My one suggestion would be, when he comes home, whether he is discharged OR NOT, go to the nearest VA hospital, and ask to be evaluated. VA health care is actually the best care in the nation -- even with the problems, they still rate hight by patient surveys and studies than HMOS and civilian hospitals.

Here is a good place to learn about the VA, military mental health questions, and concerns, and health in general in the armed services.