Meet Jose

Jose Olivero's face lights up when he talks about the men he served with in Iraq. The 31 year old advanced rapidly through his 20s to the position of Squad Leader during his three tours in Iraq, reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant. "We were like a family, and that's the way it has to be if you expect others to risk their lives for you. Everyone needs to know you are willing to do the same. My men knew I would not let anything happen to them. That's what I miss the most, my men."

Jose began to realize something was wrong during his second tour. His memory began to fail him. His squad members would have to remind him of things that, under normal circumstances, he would never forget. He was serving his third tour when a searing pain refused to go away on the left side of his head. A brain scan revealed traumatic brain injury (TBI) both on the left side and the right side of his brain. Jose felt oddly relieved because the scan provided something he could tangibly connect to his symptoms. He now takes two different kinds of morphine and other medications to dull the constant excruciating pain.

His wife, Lizette, says it's been a challenge to watch him move through this period of change and healing. "I know he's suffering, and there's so little I can do to help," she said. Their home is filled with family pictures of the couple's four children, ranging in age from 19 to three. Many pictures do not include Jose because he was away for so long. Lizette's strong faith has kept her centered, even during the most difficult times.

Day to day management of his chronic condition makes it hard for Jose to plan for the future. "John Lenz, from Operation TBI Freedom, has helped a lot," he said. "John set me up at the Colorado Springs Veteran Clinic and got me a PDA and a GPS to help me get around. He also found a Tempur-Pedic mattress cover and back supports to help with back injuries," Jose explained.

"We've felt the stress," Lizette said. "John connected us to free counseling services through First Choice, and he found financial help through Salute Heroes when the tension got really high." The couple knows they have a long road ahead. Jose says he feels like just a shadow of the man he was when he joined the Army. He realizes that much of his energy has to go toward healing, but he also wants to explore a writing career. Lizette said all the upheaval has gotten her thinking about a change in direction too. She's investigating careers in the healing professions.

Jose has written poignantly about his brain injury and the challenges ahead. These excerpted lines from his poem entitled Darkness Surrounds, describes his journey:

This light is drawing me towards it
A light beckoning me, nothing more than a small hole
A hole set to mock me, taunting me with a message of no escape.
A message undeniably painful when realized.
I am a prisoner of the most complex prison known to mankind.
A prisoner of my own mind.
An insider, whose only hope is looking out.

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See the tribute page created in honor of Jose!

Learn about the social skills group for veterans that Jose participated in.