Georg-Andreas Pogany

Who is Georg-Andreas Pogany?

Georg-Andreas "Andrew" Pogany is a former United States Army Staff Sergeant and a posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis advocate. In April 2005 Pogany was honorably discharged due to medical reasons related to PTSD. However, less than two years earlier, on October 14, 2003 Pogany's separation status and reputation was in serious jeopardy as he became the first American soldier since the Vietnam War to be charged with cowardice.

During Pogany's service, he was an interrogator for the Green Berets. On only his second night in Iraq Pogany witnessed the gruesome death of an Iraqi who was cut in half by machine gun fire. He told his superiors that he was suffering from panic attacks and was headed towards a nervous breakdown. Soon after his request his superiors sent him to Fort Carson, Colorado, to face a court-martial for cowardice, a charge which may be punishable by death. The charge was later reduced to dereliction of duty, and was ultimately dropped on Dec 18, 2003. The Army offered Pogany a non-judicial punishment proceeding, but he instead requested a court-martial.

Army psychologists said that Pogany had no psychological disorders, but had symptoms consistent with PTSD.