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Difficult journey back from all-too-common war injury

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    Mike Tobin reports from Chicago

  • Duration 2:57
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Now to much more serious -- concerning America's finest correspondent Mike Tobin tells us about when soldiers typical journey back.

From an all too common 21 century war injury.

Major Ben Richards once tested with a 140 IQ and spoke Chinese.

After getting hit twice by roadside bombs in Iraq he now has trouble remembering has headaches and mood swings.

He wants his old self back.

He's he's really good guy like that -- Richards.

-- you never made a -- for my Iraq.

He's still missing in action.

Richards was discharge from the army with a traumatic brain injury.

He is now trying to experimental treatment up pressurized air and a hyperbaric chamber.

This because he says the veterans administration was not helping him get back.

To who he was.

A line was that this far after years after -- blast event.

There's really no expectation of improvement that the best that you can hope for his defiance and they called the new normal.

From the abundant use of roadside bombs by enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan and traumatic brain injury has become the signature -- One in five combat service members have suffered a TVI.

The legacy is soldiers -- memory loss sleep disorders cognitive trouble posttraumatic stress and suicide.

More than enemy fire more than even car wrecks at home.

Suicide has dramatically outpaced every other killer of America's fighting men and women we don't know if there's a connection that's a big question for us as well.

Accepting the unknowns the army is still trying to combat the problem.

Fort Campbell has the warrior resiliency center specializing.

In restoring motor and cognitive skills of soldiers.

Who suffered a brain injury doctors pay special attention to the emotional impact.

Among the soldiers they treat -- is no increase in suicidal behavior people that are on a pathway of recovery.

Using resources.

Taking actions to make their life better and to be stronger are less likely to make a choice to kill themselves.

However doctors and soldiers say there's a stigma and the army that unless you have a visible and severe -- You don't need help where five to -- -- and specialist Cameron -- no suffered head trauma from several bomb blast in Afghanistan.

And is receiving treatment.

He knows the other reason to soldier won't seek help.

He doesn't want to end up like major Richard's probably the reason -- waited so long to get help to because they'll scare tells me it's medically retired and the army was something -- -- it's -- -- three another reason for the increase in TBI's is better armor a blast that would have killed a warrior in the past now sends him home with a brain injury.

And as advanced as the medical and military communities are there is still a great deal to learn about healing a wounded mind.

In Chicago Mike Tobin Fox News.

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