Coping with the many wounds of war

   Twenty-one-year-old Eddy Delmonte sat in a downtown Buffalo coffee house as he shared his Iraq war experiences.

   His hands pitched upward together to visually recreate a plume of rising black smoke as he explained that before you hear an improvised explosive device explode, you see it.

   The speed of light beats the speed of sound.

   "You actually see the blast first, then you hear and feel the booooooooooom on your chest."

   Embedded in Delmonte's injured brain are many close calls he had with death while serving 12 months in the war zone back in 2005.

   He went there halfway into his 18th year and returned an old man with back injuries, memory problems and nightmares.

   "Those blasts are terrifying. I'd rather be shot at all day long. At least you know where the enemy is. With an IED, you're riding down the road wondering where it's going to happen."

   That plays hard on the nerves.

   Now, thousands of miles from the war, the Hamburg resident still hears loud and clear the voices of two battle buddies disoriented inside a Bradley Fighting Vehicle that tipped off a narrow bridge into a canal of raw sewage somewhere in the Sunni Triangle, a.k.a. the Triangle of Death.

   Delmonte managed to escape the vehicle as it started filling with sewage and silt, but crawled back inside when he heard two other infantry soldiers screaming "I can't breathe," "I'm dying," and "There's no air."

     What spiked their fear, said Delmonte, was the roar and the fumes of the 33-ton Bradley's engine, which hadn't shut off. He guided them to safety.

    But even though they lived, Delmonte says he still hears their voices and it doesn't matter if it's night or day.

   But, he wants to quiet them.

   And he wants to do it by helping other veterans.

   So as part of his unofficial therapy for post-traumatic stress, Delmonte is starting a veterans' advocacy group called Iraq Veterans United to lobby for better treatment of returning combat veterans, whether it be with medical care or disability benefits.

   Anyone interested in helping or in need of help can reach Delmonte by e-mail at  iraqveteransunited@yahoo.com.

   Sipping his coffee at the downtown shop, Delmonte says, "This is my passion, to help other vets."

… Lou Michel

Comments

[lou michel]

Mary, Lou Michel, reporter here. Would you pls. contact me. Many thanks.

[Cathy Garger]

Russian-made bullets with Depleted Uranium, you say? Nope! Surprise Surprise! We nuke our OWN soldiers, thank you very much!

The US Military uses its own, Made in the USA Uranium munitions.

One could even say that this is Uncle Sam's "dirty little secret!" But oops! I guess now the dirty secret is out!

See this article for US manufacturers of DU:

http://tinyurl.com/2eg7jj

or

www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/a/72.html

[Eddie Delmonte]

to all veterans and to those who know veterans,it needs to be known that iraq veterans united exists and for and was started for all veterans and isn't exclusivley for just iraq vets. it is for all veterans needing help and to provide a voice for issues we as vets are facing.As i'm sure we all know that true strength is found in numbers and the more vets and people in general that are involved in this movement the farther we will reach and the more deserving vets we will be able to help. so please if you or someone you know is a vet that needs direction my associates and myself directly are there for you so I urge you to speak out and contact us at iraqveteransunited@yahoo.com so we can get your ball rolling on the issues you are facing. I sincerly appreciate the recognition via your comments and purchase of the newspaper to hear these specific topics that were raised in the article. I will continue to seek media coverage to further expose our current situations and to reach as many vets as possible. The gentlemen who made this story Lou Mitchell did a phenomenal and thorough investigation on the subject at hand and I thank him dearly he is motivated and determined to help us in our cause. I also would like to thank my wife father and mother along with the great freedom fighters that comprise the PTSD group at the buffalo VA for giving me the motivation and support in making this all come together seamlessly. Again PLEASE contact me to help advocate grow stronger in numbers or to just talk about anything that is concerning you with treatment benefits questions or further resourses to keep the fight alive and strong. that point of contact once again is iraqveteransunited@yahoo.com we are here for you the veteran and the veterans family. THANK YOU!! and keep the message going!!!

[Patrick Kane]

To Eddy & All other soldiers:
That is way do it, to support each other. Start a Support group of other Veterans and come up with a plan of action to recover. I did not service in any war, but as a veteran I have tried my best to support other Vets. One thing that Helps other Veterans is to talk about what going in your Life. I was working on the Moving wall of Veterans who lost their lifes in the Vietnam war. Some of these man did not have any place to go to but when they got to the Wall the Healing started for them and they sat together and Just Talked and cried together. They they would start to laugh. It was a part of Healing that came From God and Other Veterans. Keep on doing what you are doing Eddy! Maybe some people in Western New York will come to the Veterans Aid. I grow up and Buffalo have moved to Colorado. We have a great Clinic here for us Veterans, after two ear operations I received two hearing aids from the VA. I also receive my med from them but have to pay. My Prays are with you other Veterans in Western York. Eddy do not give up the Fight it will Help you Heal.

[Lucy Torries]

To Eddy and Erica. How well I know the struggles you both have dealt with since you had returned home from Iraq. One thing the war did not take away from you is the Love and devotion to each other. Having your beautiful loving wife by your side will help you to overcome some of the injuries both mentally and physically. Erica you are an Angel. Not only do our Soldiers suffer, so do their families. Devoted Army wives and family members are the strength of our American Soldiers!

To Eddy: I have known you since you were a child. I remember when you and Jim at the age of 15 and 16 were passionate about wanting to join the Army to make a difference after September 11. I will never forget May 5, 2004 the day you both left for basic training. You got your orders not long after basic to fight in this war, in my eyes you were still lil eddy, yet an honorable and courageous young man with strong convictions to make a difference in this world. When most kids are out partying, you at the age of 18, were in a foreign country fighting to stay alive to return home safe to your wife. family and friends. It's Soldiers like yourself who make scarifies for our freedom. I had many sleepless nights while you were there as I do today with my own son defending our country in Iraq as I write this. My heart goes out to you and to your family. I have seen the pain you experience and the changes in your moods and personality. I am so proud of you for taking each day as it comes. Even though you suffer as you do you, you are compassionate about devoting your time to help other veterans. I couldn't agree more as an American citizen that our Troops should not have to fight for their benefits You are and have always been a strong and compassionate young man. God Bless you Eddy you are one of many True American Heroes. God Bless Our Troops!

[Tracy A.]

Mary, you go-girl! You know the science-of-fatigue and how to stress-proof it!

God-Bless all the soldiers past & present that fights for the cause of good and justice!

Many are known and many are unknown, but that doesn't stop the equasion because the cycle continues on-n-on!

[Dave]

Oh boy, welcome to what generations of troops have experienced. The only system more dysfunctional is that of social "security" disability. If the concern was to take care of troops, rather than be "stewards of the taxpayers dollar," You wouldnt have these sad stories.

[Ken Ruggiero]

The unseen loss in any war is what it does to the psyche of good people like Eddy Delmonte. I have a friend who still suffers from the mental anguish of what he saw and did in Viet Nam some thirty years ago.
To Eddy: The reason that you suffer is that you are a good and decent man with high moral standards. Please know that we love you and honor your service. No matter what you might have done while serving your country, know that we DO understand as we are all human and all of us fail from time to time. You were put in a no-win situation and you did the very best you could. I, and many like me, have your back-always. God bless you and your family. -Ken

[Mary]

My heart goes out to these soldiers. I have PTSD and have a brain injury. Please don't ever give up! I want you to get to a point in your life where everything makes sense. I've gotten there and its wonderful. You can get there, too. You can find joy again. No one is better equiped to do so than you. You have seen the other side. Out of this you will gain wisdom and peace. Let it happen. You CAN get there. No, nothing will ever be the same but that doesn't mean it can't be better. Become your own best advocate. Exercise. Lots. Eat lots of good food. Curb the use of alcohol or drugs. They only make it harder to heal. Force yourself to do the therapy. I swear to you it works. What you have experienced that has left you with PTSD is like a poison that must be flushed from your body. Only its your psyche that your are healing. What I have seen and gone through in my life could have destroyed me. Instead, I was able to absorb the trauma and survive. Thus, the PTSD. It isn't a weakness. It's the strongest instinct know to every living creature. The instinct to live. Now its your turn to heal and bring out the wisdom and joy that is waiting for you. You've truly seen the other side. You'll never forget what happened. But you can reach a point where it doesn't physically and emotionally hurt. Come on. Come back. Come home. Its truly beautiful here.