The war in Iraq took a major toll on veteran John Daniels.
It left the Lake Superior College student with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and severe depression.
The PTSD often leaves JD, as he's known, struggling with memory loss which complicates his education efforts.
But technology is giving JD back what the war took away as LeAnn Wallace explains.
John Daniels has no problem remembering the guns, the shooting, the deaths that are part of war.
"Yes I've been over there, seen, done things, that I really don't care for... that...I didn't, you know, it affects me emotionally should I say."
Those painful memories have crowded out other memories...like finding the right words and putting sentences together.
"I write stuff at the time I know what I'm writing, go home a few hours later or the next day when I'm trying to go back over it and it's meaningless to me."
Now a new high tech gadget is giving back what trauma took away. Its called a smart pen.
"What it'll do it'll actually record what is being said and connect it to what I write."
The magical device allows Daniels to take the classroom home with him.
"It'll take everything that I have wrote, written and recorded and it will place it on my computer."
The device may be small but it's not small on functions.
"Some of my instructors speak really fast. It's got a play–back speed where I can slow it down to my level."
Daniels is currently attending Lake Superior College to earn a degree in electrical engineering. He hopes to enhance skills he learned in the war.
"My primary job in the military was electrical so this right here follows along that line."
Although the two year technical program may take JD three year to accomplish he says he's grateful for the acceptance and resources the Veterans Administration and Lake Superior College have supplied.
"Before we take exams he gives us a review and time to study and it's wonderful, I can pull it up and just pretty much go through his lecture all over again."
Daniels says his number one priority is getting his degree and getting a job to support his wife and five kids...a goal JD's teacher says he can accomplish.
"Between the VA and disability services at LSC, they've done such a great job with him that he's a top student, gets all his work done, and I wouldn't even think he's got a disability with his performance."
"It'll open up opportunities for me and my family that we don't have right now."
Daniels is currently undergoing testing to see if he also suffered a traumatic brain injury from several hits to the head while in Iraq.
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