Retired Staff Sgt. Larry Franklin floats on his back at the Academy indoor swimming pool during the Warrior Games training camp held in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 18, 2013. Franklin resides in Radcliff, Ky. (DoD photo by Desiree Palacios)
Retired Staff Sgt. Larry Franklin listens to his basketball team member discuss their strategy during the Warrior Games training camp held in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 18, 2013. Franklin resides in Radcliff, Ky. (DoD photo by Desiree Palacios)
5/8/2013 - COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) -- Second-year Warrior Games athlete George Stiltner recognized the look on retired Staff Sgt. Larry Franklin's face at the Air Force team's selection camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Stiltner had the same demeanor during his first year training for the Games. Now, he recognized a fellow former Airman struggling just as he was.
For more than three years, Franklin's struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder made coping with people, even family members, difficult. He was shot in the back of his head while on his third tour supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom on a quick response force mission at Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on March 21, 2007.
Because of a recent divorce, Franklin chose to return to duty in Kandahar after he recovered physically from his injury at Landstuhl Regional Medical Hospital in Germany instead of going home.
"It turned out not to be a good idea in the long run, but I convinced the doctors I could return to duty, and I returned to Kandahar for the remainder of my deployment," Franklin said.
When Franklin returned to his duty station at Joint Base Elmendorf -- Richardson, Alaska, he began to realize the symptoms were worse than he thought. He suffered frequent dizziness, massive headaches and coordination problems. So he decided to move back to Kentucky for a recruiting job and be near his family. But soon the crowds of high school students that were an important part of his job left him depressed and exhausted.
"The main concept of my job was to be a people person," he said. "But I'd go to high schools and just shut down. The kids would overwhelm me. I didn't have any crazy outbursts, but once I would leave, I'd take it home, and it really started to wear me down. That was definitely my worst time period.
"I tried to let my family be my best medicine, but I couldn't even be around them. They felt they didn't really understand what was going on with me, and I wasn't communicating with them what was going on."
But a fellow Warrior Games athlete saw almost instantly what Franklin was experiencing when he arrived at the Air Force team's selection camp to try out for swimming and wheelchair basketball. Even though Franklin didn't believe he was ready to confide in anyone at that point, Stiltner reached out to him, and they talked for about an hour in their first conversation.
"I think when a group gets together like this, you can kind of tell by a person's demeanor and how they carry themselves what they've got going on, especially if they have some of the same experiences you have," Stiltner said. "I just explained to him that when I came here, I felt like I didn't belong, and I believe that's the way he was feeling at the time. You don't really feel like you belong anywhere at the time. I told him how the Warrior Games helped me last year realize we each have our own demons. When you realize what some of those demons are, you can pick and choose to tackle one or a few at a time, and some of them will take care of themselves.
"You can see the physical difference in him now, compared to the first camp. I think he feels good about himself again."
Franklin, while still quite soft-spoken, also sees improvement in himself. Other than occupational therapy, counseling for his post-traumatic stress disorder and preventative medication, he considers himself basically independent. He is also interested in helping fellow wounded warriors who might experience the self-doubt he felt before he met a friend at his first Warrior Games selection camp.
"I think a lot of our wounded warrior community are isolated from the military because they've moved back home," he said. "Maybe they feel they don't want to be around the military because it's going to bring up something they don't want to deal with. All I can say to them is I was there. I felt the same way when I was in their shoes. In four months, it may not have fixed everything, but it's the relationships that have made a difference. You can't be here and not find someone or have someone reach out to you who you can relate to and will listen to your story."
For more information on this year's Warrior Games athletes, read their biographies and stories here.
Comments
5/13/2013 1:23:38 PM ET I also had the opportunity to work with him at Elmendorf Great job Frank Keep it up man. your a true inspiration.
R. Carpenter, JBLE
5/13/2013 9:02:33 AM ET SSgt Franklin was my recruiter. I am very happy to see him doing well. Keep up the hard work and it will be worth it in the end. Thankful to have you as my recruiter
SrA Darvell Wilson, 375 AMDS Scott AFB
5/10/2013 7:54:28 PM ET What a true example of Hero. I had the privilege to work with this Airman and have made a life long friend. Good Times and great memories with this guy... Wish you the best at the games. See ya soon
TSgt Dan Ramsey, Bloomington In
5/10/2013 10:11:44 AM ET I'm thankful I had the opportunity to work with Franklin as a 2T1. I'm glad to see he is continuing to serve his country. He is a resilient person Keep up the hard work Larry Ray
S. Jacobs, 87 ABWJA JB MDL NJ
5/10/2013 9:51:50 AM ET Keep it up Franklin You'll do a great job helping other wounded Warriors. You're a great person and a great inspiration. Glad I had the opportunity to know you and work with you. Good luck in the games
SSgt Jason Sparger, 332 RCS KY
5/9/2013 3:04:14 PM ET Being that he was one of my recruiters that helped me out before i actually joined the Air Force i am very proud of him and i hope and pray that he continues to get much better as he continues to live his life. He is a great example of a strong warrior airman and i am blessed to know him.Always an Airman still a Warrior
KeRon McNair, Mountain Home AFB
5/9/2013 1:00:40 PM ET Get'em Frankie Good Friend great person overall. Will miss ya but I am sure I'll see you again.
TSgt Sam Pruett, 332 RCS KY
5/8/2013 1:47:19 PM ET It would mean so much if we stopped calling people like Sergeant Franklin as former Airmen. He is an Airman period.
DC, Maxwell
5/8/2013 10:04:32 AM ET Took a recruiting job after all of this WoW He is lucky to still be alive Recruiting will take it out of a normal person let alone someone like you. Kudos for taking on your symptoms - keep fighting Proud of youA former recruiter
