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The G.I. Go Fund
Where Veterans Go Forward
G.I. Proves He has the Heart of a "Lyon"
6/20/06
Article by: G.I. GO Staff writer James Fanous
Interview by: Alexander E. Manis
According to a recent report from the Veterans Administration, more than 50,000 vets from Iraq and
Afghanistan are believed to be suffering from mental health problems, with nearly half of them from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. While PTSD is a well-known psychological disorder, many soldiers are
unwilling or even afraid to speak up, fearing others may ridicule them or that it may even harm their military
career.
Recently, G.I. GO was able to sit down with Lance Corporal
Casey Lyon, a U.S. Marine who has been diagnosed with PTSD.
Lyon said that while the life of a soldier is extremely stressful,
he never envisioned that he would be diagnosed with PTSD.
“You never would have thought it would happen to you,” said
Lyon. “Even if you experience a worse case scenario situation."
Before being aware that he had PTSD, Casey did not even
realize that anything was wrong until others in his platoon
informed him that he would scream during his sleep.
“I began having nightmares in the tent that I didn’t even know
I had,” said Lyon. “My buddies would tell me later that I was
yelling and screaming about stuff burning in the truck. I told
them to wake me up next time it happened and they did it two
times before they suggested I go see the wizard (psychologist).
I kept telling them, ‘I don’t need a psychologist, I’m not crazy.’
Then a Lieutenant suggested I pay him a visit, so I went. It
was there when I was diagnosed with PTSD.”
G.I. GO Vice President and fellow marine Lcpl. Brian Smith
says this attitude displayed by Lyon, which is a fear or
unwillingness to speak up or seek help for their illness, is a big
concern facing our armed men and women.
“It's a tremendous concern,” he says. “Soldiers are this country’s
number one asset. If they are not mentally healthy during a battle
or an incursion, then their ability to fight the enemy will no doubt be hindered. Our men and women need to
know that they can rely on someone or something when they need help, just like they do on the battlefield.”
For Casey, relieving the symptoms of PTSD simply involved relieving the stress that comes from being a
soldier. When he was in Iraq, he found stress relief in anything from reading books and listening to his iPod to
playing with a Hacky Sack. At home, however, Lyon finds that the best way to relieve his stress is by
reclaiming his American identity, doing all the things that he fought to protect overseas.
“Vacation, family and friends, baseball games, movies, anything and everything that America has to offer makes
me happy and feel more relaxed than ever. Peace, civilian life; people do not know how good they have it here.”
Along with these activities, Casey has devoted some of his time visiting local elementary schools, telling kids
about American progress in Iraq and his experiences as a soldier while in deployment.
The G.I. Go Fund has pledged to help the tens of thousands of soldiers like Casey to relieve their stress by
offering them all of the things that make America great. With your support, we can show all of our brave men
and women how much we care about there well-being not just while overseas, but when they return to civilian
life as well.
6/20/06
Article by: G.I. GO Staff writer James Fanous
Interview by: Alexander E. Manis
According to a recent report from the Veterans Administration, more than 50,000 vets from Iraq and
Afghanistan are believed to be suffering from mental health problems, with nearly half of them from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. While PTSD is a well-known psychological disorder, many soldiers are
unwilling or even afraid to speak up, fearing others may ridicule them or that it may even harm their military
career.
Recently, G.I. GO was able to sit down with Lance Corporal
Casey Lyon, a U.S. Marine who has been diagnosed with PTSD.
Lyon said that while the life of a soldier is extremely stressful,
he never envisioned that he would be diagnosed with PTSD.
“You never would have thought it would happen to you,” said
Lyon. “Even if you experience a worse case scenario situation."
Before being aware that he had PTSD, Casey did not even
realize that anything was wrong until others in his platoon
informed him that he would scream during his sleep.
“I began having nightmares in the tent that I didn’t even know
I had,” said Lyon. “My buddies would tell me later that I was
yelling and screaming about stuff burning in the truck. I told
them to wake me up next time it happened and they did it two
times before they suggested I go see the wizard (psychologist).
I kept telling them, ‘I don’t need a psychologist, I’m not crazy.’
Then a Lieutenant suggested I pay him a visit, so I went. It
was there when I was diagnosed with PTSD.”
G.I. GO Vice President and fellow marine Lcpl. Brian Smith
says this attitude displayed by Lyon, which is a fear or
unwillingness to speak up or seek help for their illness, is a big
concern facing our armed men and women.
“It's a tremendous concern,” he says. “Soldiers are this country’s
number one asset. If they are not mentally healthy during a battle
or an incursion, then their ability to fight the enemy will no doubt be hindered. Our men and women need to
know that they can rely on someone or something when they need help, just like they do on the battlefield.”
For Casey, relieving the symptoms of PTSD simply involved relieving the stress that comes from being a
soldier. When he was in Iraq, he found stress relief in anything from reading books and listening to his iPod to
playing with a Hacky Sack. At home, however, Lyon finds that the best way to relieve his stress is by
reclaiming his American identity, doing all the things that he fought to protect overseas.
“Vacation, family and friends, baseball games, movies, anything and everything that America has to offer makes
me happy and feel more relaxed than ever. Peace, civilian life; people do not know how good they have it here.”
Along with these activities, Casey has devoted some of his time visiting local elementary schools, telling kids
about American progress in Iraq and his experiences as a soldier while in deployment.
The G.I. Go Fund has pledged to help the tens of thousands of soldiers like Casey to relieve their stress by
offering them all of the things that make America great. With your support, we can show all of our brave men
and women how much we care about there well-being not just while overseas, but when they return to civilian
life as well.
