Protestors advocate for better health care for veterans
Spc. Eric Jasinski is a soldier who has been profiled not to deploy. Friday he took the time to join of group of protestors calling for the government to meet the needs of the nation's veterans.
"I had a mental breakdown and I got committed to the psych ward at Darnall Hospital, which I stayed at for 21 days," Jasinski said.
Jasinski said after his first tour in Iraq in 2006, he was diagnosed with severe depression and severe post traumatic stress disorder.
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"I knew I couldn't go back, I knew I couldn't perform my duties as a soldier, if I had to go back," Jasinski said.
Jasinski said he knows he is not alone in the struggles he faces.
"Probably 90 percent of people I encountered in the psych ward were PTSD, suicide attempts," he said.
On Friday, Jasinski joined a group of about 20 to protest a lack of health care resources for soldiers.
"Not enough is being done. The funding is also extremely low here at Fort Hood and all over the country for the bases and the VA hospitals," military spouse Cynthia Thomas said.
As one of organizers of Friday's demonstration, Thomas said despite the rain and cold, it was important they get their message out.
"We need to put the pressure on Washington, on our representatives," she said.