Family of U.S. Marine Raider, SSG Michael Bloch

As SOF veterans we see first-hand the residual effects that war has taken on members of our community and veterans as a whole. These effects often go overlooked by the leaders of our nation and the Veterans Affairs Administration who are tasked with taking care of our nation’s heroes.

After 12 years of service within the Marine Special Operations community, Staff Sergeant Michael Bloch suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health issues stemming from a traumatic brain injury. Although many veterans neglect treatment in fear of losing their careers, Staff Sergeant Bloch chose to take action and seek help for issues related to his mental health. Under the direction of doctors within the VA medical system, he was prescribed Nuvigil as part of his treatment plan; a medication used to treat PTSD. Although the medication is not recommended for use over more than one year, Staff Sergeant Bloch was advised to continually take this medication for over 4 years.

“On February 15, 2022, Bloch was on his way to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for a business meeting on behalf of a company he founded when he suffered a mental breakdown. It was brought on by a combination of high-stress, lack of sleep, and ‘Nuvigil.’ As he drove into town, Bloch became disoriented. He has no personal memories of what happened next. He can only recount what happened based upon what he has heard from others, accounts he has read by eyewitnesses, and that which he has seen on video from security/surveillance cameras.

From what has been reported, after Bloch met a friend and former teammate who was going to drive Bloch on base for his business meeting, Bloch’s mental condition rapidly deteriorated.

Bloch began to rant angrily before storming off in the same vehicle in which he had just arrived. When Bloch reached the outskirts of town, he pulled off to the side of the road in a rural parking lot, began shouting and acting erratically, and then pulled out his personal pistol and began firing it. Although no one was harmed, he did hit two occupied vehicles, the side of a mobile home, and finally his own vehicle.

Of note, during Bloch’s shooting incident, he did not injure anyone, and those whose property was damaged and who the prosecutor has identified as “victims,” have submitted written statements specifically requesting Bloch NOT to be prosecuted. Despite all that, Bloch has been charged with two felonies for discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, a misdemeanor for discharging a firearm in proximity to a structure in city limits, and a misdemeanor for property damage in excess of $200.

To date, Bloch’s family has paid thousands of dollars out of their own pockets for bail and legal defense, which will elevate into tens of thousands if not more should Bloch’s case go to trial.

Due to the fact that Bloch self-reported this incident to the Department of Defense, his security clearance has been revoked pending adjudication of his case. As such, Bloch is presently unemployed and is unable to find meaningful work commensurate with his training, education, and experience (Coffman, 2023).”

MR22 Corps’ mission is to help Staff Sergeant Bloch’s family with everyday expenses while his legal team works to resolve the issue at hand. Staff Sergeant Bloch and his family have gone above and beyond for this nation and what it stands for. Like many veterans, he lives with the trauma of war. When he asked for help, he wasn’t given the treatment that he deserves. It’s time to come together as a community to show our brother and his family that we stand beside them.

We encourage you to read the full article from United American Patriots below.

Reference:

Coffman, N. (2023, May 13). Everything to know about the case of Marine raider Michael Bloch. United American Patriots. https://www.uap.org/post/michael-bloch-marine-raider-case/