Verbally abused soldier becomes schizophrenic
Air Force soldier humiliated by career officer discharged from IDF after being admitted to mental health department. Defense Ministry medical expert determines soldier's service conditions related to manifestation of his schizophrenia
Verbal abuse leads to the psychiatric ward. An Air Force soldier claimed that a career officer used to shout and humiliate him while commanders ignored. A deterioration in his mental state resulted in a discharge from the Israel Defense Forces.
Recently a medical expert on behalf of the Defense Ministry determined that the soldier's "service conditions" had a direct impact on his schizophrenic condition.
The soldier, a former top student, was assigned a key post with the Air Force, which required him to collect real time data on fighter jets.
An affidavit filed with the Defense Ministry by his representative, attorney Eli Saban, suggests that even in his early days at the base he was told he would be treated roughly, seeing he was a greenhorn.
The affidavit further details how one of the career officers, a first sergeant major, began to humiliate the soldier, shout at him and take every opportunity to put him down. The soldier became dejected and approached his superiors, including the squadron commander, but to no avail.
The humiliation continued, until the young soldier stopped eating and drinking and began hallucinating. He was forcefully admitted to a mental health department, a year after his enlistment, which resulted in his discharge from the IDF.
Schizophrenia emerges
The soldier motioned to be recognized as a disabled IDF veteran and claimed that since his discharge his condition had deteriorated, and noted he is being treated with psychiatric medications and has difficulty functioning. He was also recently hospitalized again. His motion is supported by a testimony from one of his friends who claimed he had witnessed the abuse.
A expert doctor employed by the Defense Ministry examined the soldier and determined that there was a connection between his service conditions, i.e. the verbal abuse from the career officer, and the manifestation of his schizophrenia. The Defense Ministry is slated to acknowledge the soldier as disabled in light of the medical opinion.
Attorney Saban, an expert on lawsuits against the Defense Ministry, said that the sad case illustrates how a mentally sound soldier ends up as a shadow of his former self after military service.
"The matter could have been stopped if his claims had been addressed more thoroughly," he said. Saban noted that parents should also monitor their children's behavior and warn of any alarming changes in order to prevent irreversible damage.
