Eli Wright, an active duty solder at Fort Drum, was injured in the back and neck in a vehicle accident in Iraq and then injured again in the shoulder during physical training back in the United States. He had minimal care—mostly Motrin—even after he developed symptoms of traumatic brain injury such as memory loss, headaches, and dizziness. He finally got proper care at Fort Drum two days after he spoke to the media. “Soldiers are afraid to speak out, but it’s most important that they start speaking out about that,” he says. “It has worked for me. Don’t keep it quiet.”
“We stepped up to serve our country, and we haven’t asked for a whole lot in return. But proper healthcare should be at a bare minimum what we’re entitled to.”