3-star opens up about battle with addiction
Army Lt. Gen. David Fridovich says that, for years, he has regularly consumed narcotics and painkillers to deal with chronic pain — and now he’s sharing his story
By Gregg Zoroya - USA Today
Posted : Wednesday Jan 26, 2011 21:38:59 EST
TAMPA, Fla. — Standing before a packed hall of 700 military doctors and medics here, the deputy commander of the nation’s elite special operations forces warned about an epidemic of chronic pain sweeping through the U.S. military after a decade of continuous war.
Be careful about handing out narcotic pain relievers, Lt. Gen. David Fridovich told the audience last month. “What we don’t want is that next generation of veterans coming out with some bad habits.”
What Fridovich didn’t say was that he was talking as much about himself as anyone.
For nearly five years, the Green Beret general quietly has been hooked on narcotics he has taken for chronic pain — a reflection of an addiction problem that is spreading across the military. Hospitalizations and diagnoses for substance abuse doubled among members of U.S. forces in recent years. This week, nurses and case managers at Army wounded care units reported that one in three of their patients are addicted or dependent on drugs.
“This is huge for Fridovich to be willing to talk about this as a three-star general,” says Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff. “We’re finally coming clean and admitting at all levels this is an issue.”
Fridovich says narcotics altered his personality, darkened his mood and management style, and strained his 35-year marriage.
When Fridovich finally went through treatment and detoxification to reduce his drug reliance in 2008 — he still relies on weaker doses of narcotics to combat pain — his wife, Kathy, hid or destroyed more potent pain pills so he could not use them.
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3-star opens up about battle with addiction
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Lt. Gen. David Fridovich puts troops first ahead of pride
When you think that Lt. Gen. David Fridovich could have kept this part of his life private but decided to put the troops ahead of his privacy, that is one remarkable man! He is not a low profile serviceman who would make a good local story but someone with a lot of power to make things happen. Just coming out and talking about this will do wonders for others making them think that if he's talking about it, they can too. If he healed, they can too. If he is not ashamed, they don't have to be either.
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God bless you and your family for going public with your story. We desperately need to improve our treatment for our returning wounded. My son was injured in Irag and seriously injured in Afghanistan. He is on the opiates wheel running for his life. He is a 22 year old Marine. His contract was up 6 months ago. He is being washed out because of his injuries. He is waiting for the MedEvak Board results. I wouldn't have believed it, but it is happening to us. It is a sad commentary on our military and it is time to stop admiring the problem.
ReplyDeleteMs. Pullen, sorry about what is happening to your son. There is so much more wrong with this story. Fridovich made his rank on the backs of young soldiers. He will get to retire at a huge salary (probably twice what my active duty pay was and more) and will be able to afford treatment at the Mayo clinic. I doubt he will be seen at a VA hospital. Taken from the article " When the Army’s surgeon general office developed a plan last year to institute servicewide some of the same holistic methods that helped Fridovich, the general was part of the campaign. “I want to be involved,” Fridovich says. “I want to listen to where this is going and see if my playing a part would lend any sense of urgency or importance — get it moving in a way that we start getting things done.”
ReplyDeleteMy translation: His "helping" will probably result in an SES position with a huge salary for him. After 20 years on active duty and two back surgeries and more on the horizon, I can't get work and am still in pain, yet I have to battle the VA for care and compensation. The media spin never ends. The Army surgeon general, and the VA, has no interest in my issues; but I am not hooked on pain killers, don't drink, and I did not retire as a general.