Over 15 years ago, Lake Orion resident Vernon Ashby’s son was discharged from the United States Army. He served in the Gulf War as an Airborne Infantry Paratrooper in the footsteps of his father, who was an Airborne Infantry Paratrooper in the 1950s.
Christopher Ashby wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, and so, enlisted in the Army and became a paratrooper like his dad.
Unlike his father, however, Christopher was assigned overseas and fought in the Gulf War.
(The elder Ashby begged to go overseas when he served, but his superiors wouldn’t let him.)
When young Ashby returned home, he was infected with Gulf War Syndrome.
Gulf War Syndrome is the name given to the set of symptoms experienced by many Gulf War veterans. It is speculatively related to biological and chemical weapons that may have been used overseas.
Veterans have reported the symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome as fatigue, persistent headaches, muscle aches and pains, numbness in limbs, skin rashes and hair loss, short term memory loss, inability to focus or process information, coughing and asthma, and cardiovascular problems.
This illness has been especially debilitating for Christopher, who has been evaluated by the military as 100-percent handicapped.
He is trying to raise a family and is unable to procure support from the government, according to his father.
It took him 15 years even to get evaluated, but even now that he is officially declared handicapped, he has had to fight to get his benefits. The Ashbys said they have been trying for almost 20 years now to get the benefits Christopher was promised.
Though Vernon Ashby loves America, and says he would die to keep its ideals alive, he has lost faith in the government over the handling of his son.
‘I’m just a confused father,? he said. ‘They offer the world to get them (the soldiers) over there, but then when they come home sick, the government doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain. The government is supposed to be living up to standards.?
‘It’s this old man’s opinion that the government is doing this on purpose,? Ashby added.
‘They figure that they can save a little money, figure that most (disabled soldiers) will die, or become alcoholics, become addicted to drugs, or’just give up. All I know is they’re crooked as hell.?
Unfortunately, Ashby said Christopher’s story is not the only one of its kind. Other tales like his are plastered across the internet.
Soldiers with Gulf War Syndrome are not being taken care of as they should, leaving Vernon Ashby with just one thought.
‘I’ve only got one thing to say: God help us.?