SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Army veteran Richard Martin was nearly blown up on three occasions in Iraq. Despite years of corporate experience and an MBA, he once feared that post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury would keep him from holding down a civilian job.
Now, the 48-year-old engineer and former National Guard major works for Northrop Grumman, helping to devise ways to thwart remote-detonated bombs.
The defense contractor recruited him through its hiring program for severely wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Army officials say many new veterans suffering from PTSD and brain injuries struggle to find and keep a civilian job. Advocates say many employers don't know how to accommodate veterans with these "invisible wounds" and worry that they cannot do the job and might even "go postal" someday.
The Army's Wounded Warrior Program helps veterans adjust to civilian life. Now, they're also reaching out to employers to educate them and encourage them to hire former soldiers with invisible wounds.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
