AWOL Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD

AWOL Case Study #1

Matter:

AWOL, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD

Service:

Army

Summary:

This case involved the safe and successful return of our Client to military control from an AWOL status, and his subsequent honorable discharge from the service for medical reasons.

Our client returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina from combat deployment in Iraq with his 82nd Airborne Unit. He began to experience problems which were later diagnosed as classically symptomatic of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD for short. The problems persisted without sufficient treatment over a period of weeks and months. Our client, being young, inexperienced, and completely overwhelmed, decided to go AWOL. He returned home, and his parents hired our firm to address the issues.

After extensive coordination with the client, his family and with the client's parent unit, we carefully arranged the soldier's return from AWOL status to military control. Having an AWOL attorney familiar with PTSD diagnoses and PTSD issues, helped the family obtain a PTSD diagnosis from a local VA hospital. With that diagnosis and further advocacy, we convinced both the medical staff at Fort Bragg and the client's chain of command to recommend further hospitalization and evaluation for PTSD, rather than punishment as a primary focus. We then lobbied for a medical discharge under honorable conditions.

Result:

The command chain recommended the medical discharge with an Honorable Discharge certificate.

Highlights:

Using my extensive experience as a military lawyer and specifically as an AWOL attorney to help a courageous young man, who had served honorably in combat in Iraq, and who came back hurt, confused, and frustrated. As an AWOL attorney, also familiar with the potentially devastating nature of PTSD, I helped a soldier and a family heal, and in the process fought for and received an honorable discharge under medical grounds for my client.

References:

Please call us at 214-363-1828 or email us at info@meililaw.com for further details and contact information.

I contacted Col. Meili as a fellow practitioner to gain some context and perspective on a pretty complex set of issues. Because I practice in a different field of law, Col. Meili's extensive expertise was invaluable and he was more than generous with his time. A skilled and dedicated professional who cares deeply about obtaining the best possible outcome for his clients, Bill's a leader in this field.

- Steffen Chapin


After an exhaustive search of military attorneys, I came across the name of Bill Meili. From my first email exchange and telephone call, I knew that Bill was the right person to handle my case. I had discussed my unique circumstance with a handful of other attorneys who felt it may be too difficult to achieve the outcome that I was seeking - but Bill was interested in me and my case, and wholeheartedly believed that we had the ball in our court. I could tell that Bill cared about me as a person and soldier, not just viewing me as a paycheck.

- Anonymous