SFTT's Unique Mission

Support our frontline troops with more than lip service—help them survive the rigors of war and reclaim their lives.

New material surfaces daily on the internet and in user discussion forums dealing with the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”). Regrettably, most of this advice is not supported by good clinical scientific studies or trustworthy explanation. The road to health and wellness is a long process and treatment procedures will be different based on the particular individual, the extent of the stress and his or her current social and financial circumstances.

SFTT or “Stand For The Troops” has put together an eminent circle of physicians, clinical psychologists and therapists to evaluate these promising treatments. While some of these emerging new techniques will appear on a regular basis on SFTT, visitors are firmly counseled to refer to their physician or primary care giver before altering treatment.

Found below are highlights of recurring themes as we mobilize forces to deal with the ravages of PTSD.

Cincinnati State, Cincinnati VA Medical Center to offer PTSD classes

Cincinnati State, in conjunction with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, will offer two free classes this month on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The classes are geared toward the Emergency Medical Services community and other first responders.
See all stories on this topic »

PTSD taking a toll on returning veterans

He spoke last week, a day before attending Massachusetts funeral services for his friend, who had PTSD and served at Iraq’s Abu Graib prison during one of two deployments. “I don’t think he’d ever say, ‘Hey, I want to kill myself,’ but … certainly …
See all stories on this topic »

Everyday fresh ideas emerge on the internet and in online forums dealing with the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unfortunately, much of this advice is not backed by dependable clinical research or reputable explanation.  The journey to wellness is very long and treatment plans will change depending on the individual, the degree of the stress and the person’s present social and financial condition.

Stand For The Troops has gathered a prestigious circle of physicians, clinical psychologists and therapists to review these emerging treatments. While several of these promising new techniques will appear regularly on Stand For The Troops, readers are seriously counseled to consult their physician or primary care giver before changing treatment.  Found below are stories that captured our interest.

I am a Disabled American Vet who was in Iraq and got out of the military where I overcame my fears and completed some …
See all stories on this topic »

Combat PTSD should not end life’s mission by Wounded Times

Combat PTSD should not end life’s mission by Kathie Costos Wounded Times Blog January 22, 2013. I wonder if the reported understood how close this comes …
See all stories on this topic »

Veteran Awarded Millions When VA Gives Wrong PTSD Meds

While conducting door-to-door sweeps of houses in Baghdad, Marine sergeant Stanley Laskowski pushed open the door of an apartment discovering a dying child, covered in blood. He had shot open the lock on the outside of the door, and thought that he …
See all stories on this topic »

Recently I read a discouraging piece in TIME Magazine about how a former Army psychologist,  Dr. Peter Linnerooth, committed suicide while struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  This tragic story provides yet another searing indictment of the military’s and VA’s negligence in dealing with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. TIME captured this indictment in the late-officer’s own words in an interview a few years ago:

“The Army has been criminally negligent– but I’m a captain– what am I going to say to a battalion commander who’s going to oppose my decision? ” said Linnerooth after a deployment to Iraq.

“We were told you have to hold soldiers to a higher standard of severity and symptoms to diagnose PTSD. Meanwhile, I’m looking at the DSM-4 [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition] — the standard of my profession– and saying ‘It doesn’t f— say that here.”

To his wife and three children who lost their dearest loved one, we would like to say your husband and father is a hero. Thank you for your sacrifice for us. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Dr. Linnerooth’s tragic story compelled me to share a personal experience that demonstrates how I and many other veterans suffering from the invisible wounds of war live under the ever-present threat of suicide.

To begin with, I never thought that I would be at risk for suicide. I have a world-view in which suicide does not provide escape from the problems that may inspire it. Given that, let me tell you why I am still afraid of suicide.

The greatest current threat to my life is medication.  Since my Stryker was back-ended by a powerful suicide car bomb in 2007, I have experienced frequent painful, often debilitating, post-concussive headaches several times a week. At their height, I suffered from them almost every day. Under the guidance of physicians and neurologists, I have tried around ten different medications to reduce the number of headaches with only limited success. Each medication comes with its own set of pernicious side effects. Often these include drowsiness, sleepiness, dizziness, weakness and cognitive impairment but have also included nausea or symptoms similar to having a heart attack.

My concern is the ones that may cause “depression, suicidal thoughts/attempts, or other mental/mood problems.” I have been on several of these. I am taking one right now.

In November 2010, in one of many failed attempts to fix my chronic head pain, I was prescribed one of these “suicide medications” to counter that daily, debilitating head pain. I remember reading a news story then about an Army Colonel who had committed suicide by over-dosing in a hospital parking lot. He said in his goodbye note that he just couldn’t deal with the head pain anymore. I was beginning to feel that way, too. Moreover, I remember deciding that maybe suicide was in fact a viable and reasonable solution for dealing with the acute pain and disorientation. That I could think that way frightened me. I stopped taking the medication immediately. A few days later I began taking another medication. I had to keep trying. It just hurt too much.

A few months later I had reached my emotional nadir. For years my life had been slowly falling apart as the chronic pain, the cognitive deficits from my damaged brain, the emotional problems from TBI and PTSD, and the fatigue from TBI-caused chronic sleep disorders combined to insidiously damage almost every facet of my life. By March 2011, I was worn down to the breaking point– I was physically, mentally, and emotionally broken. I felt like I had failed in everything. I was deep in depression. However, at this period of greatest distress, I was not suicidal. Yes, I wanted to escape. I wanted to get away from the pain. I wanted to escape what I saw as my failures, but during this period I never succumbed to seeing suicide as a real way out.

What if In March 2011 I had started taking the “suicide medication” I had been taking in November 2010 that had weakened my inhibitions against suicide instead of several months earlier when I was in a much better place emotionally? What would have happened? No question I might have taken my own life. Am I living one pill away from death? And that terrifies me.

And there are tens of thousands of soldiers and veterans with situations very similar to mine.

Maj. Ben Richards

Page 5 of 97« First...34567...102030...Last »

Share a story

Whether you are on active duty or retired, a friend or family member we encourage you to share your story. As proud Americans we salute our heroes and thank you for your courage and sacrifice. We want to hear from you and so do our readers.

Stay informed: latest news and stories

We respect your email privacy

Thank you for signing up! An email will be sent to the address you provided, asking you to confirm your sign up.

News & Announcements

Our Story

photo of a soldierStand For The Troops (“SFTT”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Educational Foundation established by the late Col. David H. Hackworth and his wife Eilhys England to insure that our frontline troops have the best available leadership, equipment and training.

In the past four-plus years SFTT'S active campaign has focused on ensuring America's frontline troops get the best available individual protective equipment and combat gear.

Donations and contributions from concerned Americans help fund the SFTT website.

Hackworth Memorial DVD

photo of HackworthIncludes rare footage from Hack's memorial service at Fort Myers Chapel and burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
All donations received from purchasing of The Hackworth Memorial DVD go to Stand For The Troops a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, non-partisan apolitical foundation established by Hack and his wife Eilhys to make sure that America's front-line forces—the kids Hack loved out at the tip of the spear—always have the right training, leadership and equipment to meet their assigned missions and make it home alive and in one piece.

Our Campaigns

  • December 23, 2009: The law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP filed the final motion with the Federal Court in Washington, DC in the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) on behalf of the SFTT’s editor for forensic records held by the Department of Defense (“DOD”).
  • October 16, 2009: The Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) issues report to Congress calling for “independent expert assessment of Army body armor test results.” This damning report of US Army body armor test procedures is the outgrowth of a two-year investigative and educational campaign by SFTT to seek fair and impartial test procedures.

Get Involved

  • RSS feed
    Subscribe to our RSS feed
  • YouTube
    Watch our videos
  • Flickr
    See our photos