"Veteran commits suicide after being denied proper treatment"

2015-08-07T15:14:46-04:00

From: Popular Military

The controversy over whether the U.S. Army is actively treating soldiers with substance abuse problems has returned, as a former soldier recently committed suicide on July 2nd.

Some are describing Georgia National Guard Spc. Stephen Akins’s suicide as a tragedy that was waiting to happen.

After scanning his brain, there were findings of scars, past seizures, combat blast exposure and suicide attempts. His psychiatrist, Patrick Lillard, argued that these findings were evidence that he needed medical treatment, not punishment.

According to USA Today, the Army doesn’t agree with Lillard’s assessment. The Army described Akins as a two-star general that was discharged for his long list of bad behavior.

The Army’s cited such behavior as drunk driving, speeding, missed appointments and cheating on his urinalysis test. It contended that Atkins’ bad behavior had nothing to with traumatic brain injury or emotional problems.

Six months after his expulsion, Akins’s mother, Chrystal, found her son dead in her basement, where he lived, in Austell, Georgia. He had committed suicide by overdose, according to the police.

Chrystal said she was devastated discovering her son dead. “It totally blew me away,” she said. “I’ll live with this the rest of my life.”

The Army has struggled with giving soldiers adequate care for alcohol and drug abuse. The abuse often develops as a result of emotional illnesses and brain injury trauma from combat.

According to a USA Today report in March, the Army’s substance abuse program has declined in quality since 2010, when it shifted to non-medical management.

The investigation showed that after non-medical management took over in 2010, there have been 90 soldiers that have committed suicide within the substance abuse treatment program itself.

There were also 31 suicide cases that Army inspectors described as “sub-standard treatment.” However, staffers that released the records weren’t specific about linking the deaths to poor treatment.

Other Army documents show that of the service’s 54 substance-abuse clinics around the world, half of them are not up to professional standards. However, the clinic at Fort Gordon in Fort Gordon, Ga. is among the best in the Army, which is where Akins was treated.

Lillard said Akins desperately needed more help than the Army gave him and what they could provide. He said he tried to arrange hospitalization for Akins before he left the military, to no avail.

The Army defended their treatment of Akins, stating that despite counseling him for his substance abuse and providing in-patient treatment at a Fort Gorgon hospital in 2013, he continued to abuse drugs.

http://popularmilitary.com/veteran-commits-suicide-after-being-denied-proper-treatment/

Veteran commits suicide after being denied proper treatment

The controversy over whether the U.S. Army is actively treating soldiers with substance abuse problems has returned, as a former soldier recently committed suicide.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 7 at 2015 3:20 PM

2015-08-07T15:20:41-04:00

This is why the VA must be revamped! Another life lost unnecessarily.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Aug 7 at 2015 3:22 PM

2015-08-07T15:22:56-04:00

Spc. Stephen Akins, was self medicating but his command for reasons of pride chose not to listen, in the process they failed to apply ACE!

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 7 at 2015 3:24 PM

2015-08-07T15:24:51-04:00

Come on, RP:

"The Army described Akins as a two-star general "

Which is it? e-4 or O-8? (Just sayin')

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Aug 7 at 2015 3:30 PM

2015-08-07T15:30:18-04:00

There has to be more to the story! He lived with the family, they did not know he was using again? Lack of action is an action, and in this case, the lack of action helped assure he followed through! This is a tragedy and this young man died too damned early!

Response by PO1 Mike Edgecomb made Aug 7 at 2015 3:47 PM

2015-08-07T15:47:11-04:00

So sad! There needs to be a concerted and focused effort to address this. We are losing an average of 22 veterans a day to suicide.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 7 at 2015 3:56 PM

2015-08-07T15:56:22-04:00

He needed treatment for PTSD and substance abuse. He was fighting two big demons.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 7 at 2015 4:14 PM

2015-08-07T16:14:49-04:00

Drugs never made anybody smarter. Once a person starts down that road they lose control to the drugs.

Response by SPC Chris Chrystal made Aug 7 at 2015 7:12 PM

2015-08-07T19:12:56-04:00

1st off, he was a Sergeant, 2nd off I served with Sgt Akins, 3rd the army failed him kicked him to the curb just like they did me for PTSD, then he goes to VA only to be denied care, I appreciate all my brothers and sister still serving, t please keep you negative comments about Sgt Akins to yourself, Let's not play the blame game

Response by LTC John Shaw made Aug 7 at 2015 7:22 PM

2015-08-07T19:22:04-04:00

RallyPoint Shared Content Many soldiers are getting put out for behavior problems when the likely originating events are from deployments and the problems stemming from these deployments.
This is where we (Army/VA) do a poor job, especially in the Reserve system. It is good luck, you are on your own and VA will assist if you can prove service related. The qualification for VA coverage and treatment need to continue to be open to more service members who need help.

Response by SPC Jeffrey Bly made Aug 7 at 2015 8:31 PM

2015-08-07T20:31:57-04:00

This is sad. We as Veterans ought to demand the best quality treatment for ourselves. The VA hospital system ought to be modeled after the top hospital in the world. Care is not something either the military or government should be lacking in for those who chose or choose to serve.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2015 9:26 PM

2015-08-07T21:26:23-04:00

One day someone who actually cares will do something.

Response by Cpl Cheri Lyon made Aug 7 at 2015 9:48 PM

2015-08-07T21:48:16-04:00

Went through this with my husband. He knew he needed help and repeatedly asked the VA. They kept coming up with different goals to meet to enter treatment. He would meet the goal, apply, and get denied again. Let to major breakdown that let to major police incident to keep him from self harm. Got him a record. Got us bail debt. All could have been avoided had he been accepted for treatment. His whole team was pulling for him to get in. We ended up paying out of pocket for treatment and not thanks to the VA in that instance he is alive and doing well today.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 8 at 2015 2:50 AM

2015-08-08T02:50:47-04:00

I'm not even surprised that the Army disagreed with the psychiatrist's recommendations. It's been my experience that high-level officials always think they know better than a frigging doctor.

Response by SSG James Arlington made Aug 8 at 2015 10:22 AM

2015-08-08T10:22:01-04:00

Ans so it goes.....

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Aug 9 at 2015 11:45 AM

2015-08-09T11:45:06-04:00

Sadly, this type of tragedy is preventable, but our so-called leaders won't fund the DOD and VA properly to deal with PTSD, substance abuse (which is most often a way of self-medicating for PTSD) and other behavioral issues that combat and other vets are confronting.

This is why I'd like to see a near wholesale replacement of all the leadership in DC...

Response by SN Jennifer M. made May 9 at 2016 2:29 PM

2016-05-09T14:29:12-04:00

This is absolutely devastating. :(