Servicemen and women who suffer from post traumatic stress (PTS) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI) give deeply personal interviews to educate Americans on the impact these conditions have on their lives. These are the stories of their invisible wounds.

MSGT Mike Martinez
Deployed to Iraq 1990 / 2004

Master Sergeant Mark Martinez was first deployed to Iraq on Christmas Eve in 1990. When he was hit by a bomb in 2007, his colonel pinned his first purple heart, telling him he could go home. But Martinez chose to stay and fight. After being struck a second time, he returned home and has been diagnosed with PTSD. “A lot of people look at me like, ‘there’s nothing wrong with this guy.’”

MSGT Mike Martinez en Español
Deployed to Iraq 1990 / 2004

SGT Guillermo Gonzales en Español
Deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq 2006 / 2008

Capt Eric Thomas & Susan Thomas
Deployed to Iraq 2003 / 2004

Captain Eric Thomas was deployed soon after his relationship with Susan began. The environment in Iraq changed rapidly after he arrived, and he was living under constant stress. At home, Susan was living in communities without a lot of military support. This is the story of their relationship and how they stay strong and build each other up.

SSGT Jessica Paul
Deployed to Iraq 2006

There was never a dull moment working in the emergency room for Staff Sergeant Jessica Paul. She learned how to cope with physical wounds, but one can never be fully prepared. This is her story of working through both the wounds of her patients, as well as her own invisible wounds.

SGT Philip Romero
Deployed to Iraq 2005 / 2007

Sergeant Philip Romero joined as a cook in the Army, but he quickly learned he was a soldier first. He never thought he would have PTSD, but he learned pretty quickly that it’s the accumulation. “Soon your arms are full. Can you deal with all this weight?” Watch him tell his story of how he learned to cope.