Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Veteran David Iuli, from Fullerton, California, is a key member of Team...... read more read more
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By Spc. Angelique Jefferson
U.S. Army Health Clinic-Schofield Barracks
WEST POINT, N.Y. (June 19, 2016) – Army Veteran David Iuli, spent 26 years in the Army and was used to taking care of Soldiers. Now, the retired noncommissioned officer is learning how to take care of himself.
Iuli’s career in the military was full of indelible experiences, including five deployments, learning how to jump out of airplanes and playing on the All-Army Rugby team. Some of these experiences brought visible wounds such as a dislocated left knee, torn ligaments in both ankles, as well as invisible wounds like traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I was trying to push through the pain, but I knew something else was wrong,” said Iuli. “I was starting to have a hard time keeping up with the young guys. It had never been a problem before so I asked myself, ‘Man what’s wrong with you?’ Then I had a physical (check-up) and the doctor told me I had dilated cardiomyopathy.”
Being diagnosed with the cardiac condition meant Iuli would no longer be able to push himself hard physically due to his heart’s decreased ability to pump blood forcing him to medically retire.
“It changed me a lot,” said Iuli. When I first got diagnosed, I felt like I could no longer do what I used to do so I pretty much stopped doing anything. I was in fear of pushing myself to the limit.”
“Being out of the military is bittersweet but I had to embrace it,” said Iuli, who currently takes medication and has periodic heart checkups for his cardiac condition.
Though Iuli has had multiple knee reconstruction surgeries and his heart condition is under control, he still suffers from PTSD which stemmed from the five deployments. Iuli feels no shame in expressing how it has affected him and his family. “I just want to get it out there,” he said. “I want people to understand you can be a normal person and still have PTSD.”
This is where adaptive sports has helped Iuli. He said that he usually tries to stay “pretty chill.” Iuli stated adaptive sports really aided with his recovery and “it’s given me an avenue to vent some frustration and anger.”
Iuli began training for adaptive sports by throwing the shot put in August of 2015, and now participates in additional sports including discus, air rifle, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and his favorite sport, archery. “It gets me back in a competitive nature,” said Iuli. “A little bit of competition is always good.”
To Iuli, his family is the center of his world. “My faith and God come first then family,” explained Iuli. “They (my family) have seen the best and the worst of me.”
“I am still trying to find ways to deal with my PTSD,” said Iuli. He is currently a youth leader of 50-60 kids at his hometown church and has been studying since July 2015 to become a church pastor.
“I feel if you stay faithful to the small things in life, big things will come along,” said Iuli.
Iuli’s optimistic attitude and relaxed personality have been instrumental in his recovery. “I just want people to know I’m an average Samoan guy who continues to give his best,” he said. “And if I got past my injuries, others can do it too,” Iuli said.
| Date Taken: | 06.19.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.21.2016 09:37 |
| Story ID: | 201884 |
| Location: | WEST POINT, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 956 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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