August 12, 2009 - There is a price some surviving veterans pay for the countless ways they defend our nation. It's paid upon reintegration - or arrival - back into civilian society, and its currency is often a variation of trauma.

That trauma can manifest itself in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, constant anxiety, feelings of alienation, thoughts of suicide and a myriad of other negative symptoms.

"Invisible wounds, I think they're the biggest thing for a lot of guys and gals coming back from service," said Veteran Program Manager for the Brain Injury Association of Michigan Rick Briggs. Briggs is also a retired U.S. Air Force major.

"Sometimes, the biggest thing is, they're fighting military culture itself; veterans aren't ones to ask for help and anything that bothers them. They suck it up like hardcore athletes who want to stay on the field after an injury. If they don't seek treatment, these issues can really come into play," Briggs added.

Dr. Debbie Koeltzow, Ed.D., of Mindful Living PLLC in Brighton, believes those types of issues could have played a role in the death of Livingston County resident and 26-year U.S. Army veteran Wesley Gilson on Monday.

Gilson was shot and killed by law enforcement officials after a two-hour standoff when Gilson raised his AR-15 assault rifle at officers.

Since his 2004-2005 tour of duty in Iraq, police officials said Gilson's business was struggling, his wife had recently filed for divorce and that he'd began taking OxyContin and muscle relaxers.

"The signs are there," said Koeltzow, who frequently works with patients who suffer from PTSD, anxiety and depression. "(Gilson) was probably feeling a great loss. The world he had isn't what he wanted."

Police labeled the death as a "suicide by cop," but unfortunately, extreme outcomes like Gilson's appear to be becoming more common. According to the U.S. Army, 24 soldiers committed suicide in January. Pentagon statistics show there were only 16 combat deaths in all of Afghanistan and Iraq during the same time period.

"Failed marriages, divorces, joblessness, they're all outcomes of the symptoms they're dealing with," Briggs said. "There's no real cure for it, but there is treatment."

Treatment can begin as early as they're discharged.

Sarah Nowitzke, Seamless Transition Program manager for the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, said the Department of Defense forwards the VA hospitals a list of upcoming post-deployment health-assessment events at local armories.

The events are mandatory for returning veterans to attend. Those events - and others, like community outreach programs - provide VA hospitals a point of contact with returning veterans.

From there, they can conduct site enrollment, schedule appointments and conduct personal assessments with returning veterans. If symptoms of depression, PTSD, brain injuries, alcohol addiction or infectious disease are detected, the VA hospital then coordinates further individualized services.

"It's important to receive any kind of health care, but we at the VA want to continue to make sure that veterans don't have ongoing readjustment issues," Nowitzke said.

Veterans also have other options. Carl Pardon, Livingston County Veterans Affairs director, believes one of the best solutions for veterans who've experienced significant trauma is to talk it out with professionals or peers. Unfortunately, veterans aren't always ready to expound on their experiences. Veterans break more than 50 percent of the appointments his office makes between veterans and counselors.

Though military veterans help protect the nation in countless ways, sometimes it's themselves they fail to help.

"Ultimately, they have to do some things on their own," Pardon said.

Contact Daily Press & Argus reporter Frank Konkel at (517) 552-2835 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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