"It's been hell trying to save Private Ryan.
Pfc. Ryan LeCompte, an Army scout, has been diagnosed by military and private doctors with post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury after serving two tours in Iraq with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
He came home with a wounded mind and a broken body.
Now senior officers want to get rid of him.
The 27-year-old Lakota warrior from Lower Brule, S.D., was a standout soldier, earning accolades for working “tirelessly, without complaint, despite the long hours and harsh conditions he faced,” according to a December 2003 award recommendation.
He participated in more than 160 combat missions.
He was an “unstoppable force” that “ranks him among the best in the Thunder Squadron.”
That was then.
Now senior officers at Fort Carson, Colo., argue he should be kicked out of the military without benefits for misconduct, charges that include missing a unit formation and allegedly hitting two soldiers.
“LeCompte's chain of command has made every effort to mentor and rehabilitate him into a productive citizen and soldier,” wrote the Army's congressional coordinator, Kenia Bultman, in an April response to an inquiry from Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D.
“LeCompte's actions continue to defy the good order and discipline of the unit and have a negative impact on the rest of the soldiers.”
Tammie LeCompte, Ryan's wife, asked the senator's office for help. She said her husband was receiving poor medical care, was harassed by supervisors and was facing a dishonorable discharge after seven years of service."
Get the Story:Jodi Rave: Help lacking for hidden war wound (The Missoulian 8/26) Relevant Links:
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