Health, Doctors and Common Sense

Staff Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr. says the things he saw and did in Iraq have left him a broken man, and seven medical specialists agree with him. The Army argues differently.

Staff Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr. and wife Casey are trying to overturn a ruling that his post-traumatic stress disorder is feigned.

Staff Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr., driving past the California National Guard armory in Oroville, says driving still makes him nervous after dodging IEDs in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr. says he suffers nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety attacks from his tour of duty in Iraq. With a flood of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, pressure is mounting on the Pentagon to judge whose PTSD claims are valid and whose are not, so that taxpayers and veterans are both treated fairly.

Francisco Carrillo says that at work, the only place he feels safe is at his corner desk, above. If he can't reverse the PTSD decision, he says he'll quit the military two years short of full retirement.

Chico psychologist Stephen Diggs hugs Carrillo after a therapy session. Diggs has been seeing the Iraq vet for two years and says "there is absolutely no doubt in my mind" that he has PTSD.

Tags: Anxiety Attacks, Broken Man, California National Guard, Corner Desk, Diggs, Doubt In My Mind, Flashbacks, Francisco Carrillo, Ieds In Iraq, Medical Specialists, National Guard Armory, Nightmares, No Doubt, Oroville, Post Traumatic Stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Staff Sgt, Therapy Session, Tour Of Duty, Traumatic Stress Disorder