Discrimination Awaits Disabled Iraq Veterans

One thing I have noticed more recently is the gross prejudices that disabled Iraq veterans face, mainly in the workplace. Not only are these individuals disabled, but they face others who do not understand their disabilities or group them into one category...not desirable.

Post-traumatic stress disorder generally presents itself with the following symptoms:
(1) Having a loss of interest in important activities, feeling all alone, being unable to have normal emotions or feeling that there is nothing to look forward to in the future may also be experienced;
(2) Feeling that one can never relax and must be on guard all the time to protect oneself, trouble sleeping, feeling irritable, overreacting when startled, angry outbursts or trouble concentrating;
(3) Reliving the event through upsetting thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks, or having very strong mental and physical reactions if something reminds the person of the event; and
(4) Avoiding activities, thoughts, feelings or conversations that remind the person of the event; feeling numb to one's surroundings; or being unable to remember details of the event.

Many of these symptoms do not affect a person's ability to perform a job or function in society. While many individuals exhibit debilitating symptoms that results in them being unable to work, a majority do not experience these problems.

I have experienced misconceptions of my own colleagues, family members and friends, who inextricably believe that a disabled veteran with PTSD is "crazy". This can cause major implications for a disabled veteran's mental state, which is already fairly fragile.

These beliefs can be overcome with knowledge and understanding. Remember, we all have things which we do not know about others. Our first step should be to learn how to cope and deal with the disabilities of disabled veterans. After all, these are some of the results of the Americans with Disabilities Act, changing attitudes of individuals and providing opportunities for disabled Americans.

Many of the prejudices exhibited by potential employers and current employers may run afoul of the ADA, such as failing to offer time off from work for service-connected appointments or accommodating the schedule for someone who does not sleep at night but only in the day. Thus, if you are facing an issue with a disabled Iraq veteran being discriminated against on the basis of his disability and an employer's failure to provide reasonable accommodations, seek legal counsel immediately.

With understanding of the law and the disability, we can seek to improve the quality of life for our disabled Iraq veterans facing similar hurdles and problems which faced our disabled Vietnam veterans.

This information is not intended to be legal advice. Any person believed to have a cause of action for violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should seek legal counsel in their jurisdiction immediately.