Mother Works To Prevent Son's Redeployment

Tuesday, November 27th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

A Green Country mother is fighting the military. She is hoping to keep her soldier son at home and out of Iraq. Stigler native, Sergeant Bryon Gore, is dealing with severe headaches more than year after suffering a traumatic brain injury in Iraq. The News On 6â€™s Dan Bewley reports his life could be at risk if he returns to the Middle East.

Goreâ€™s mother had to fight back tears while speaking with the News On 6. The emotions are tough for Judy Martin to control. Her son could be going back to Iraq this weekend, the same place he served for a year and suffered severe brain injuries after four different homemade bombs exploded near his Humvee.

â€Had a concussion which has caused severe headaches, severe muscle pain,â€ said the soldierâ€™s mom, Judy Martin.

Since coming home in December of 2006, Sergeant Gore has undergone treatment at his base in Fort Carson, Colorado. His mother says doctors there told him he was medically unfit to deploy. But his commander, according to Martin, didn't agree. He decided Gore needed to be sent back to Iraq. The Stigler native is scheduled to leave this Sunday. His mother is worried the decision is risking the lives of not only her son, but of other soldiers, too.

â€œIf you're guarding somebody else and you get a headache to the point that you can't see, you can't hear. Obviously you're putting their life in jeopardy too,â€ said Judy Martin.

Sergeant Gore's not the only soldier fighting this problem. According to the Brain Injury Association, traumatic brain injuries are up by 10% for the Iraq War when compared to previous conflicts. At Gore's base in Fort Carson, 2,100 soldiers have suffered a brain injury. It makes up nearly 30% of all combat injuries treated at Walter Reed Medical Center. And, a Veterans Affairs study determined at least 20,000 troops have gone undiagnosed, despite have a brain injury.

All Sergeant Gore ever wanted to do was join the Army. His mom is very proud of her son and supports the efforts in Iraq. But, she is trying to make sense why his commanders are not listening to their doctors.

â€œIt's frustrating. Our country should be taking care of these men and women that they are sending over there to be injured. I'm just really angry,â€ said Judy Martin, mother of Sgt. Gore.

Martin talked with several state leaders on Tuesday, as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs. She says her next step is to contact officials with Fort Carson. Sergeant Gore is set to leave for Iraq December second.

Watch the video: Mother Concerned About Military Plans For Son