Retired Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin ’79 served in the Army for 36 years and deployed to combat multiple times, all while battling undiagnosed bipolar disorder.
“Bipolar disorder … is not due to a lack of willpower or character, so don’t blame the afflicted [individual]. Bipolar disorder can strike anyone,” Martin said Nov. 2 during an Association of the U.S. Army Noon Report webinar. “My life mission now … is sharing my bipolar story to help stop the stigma, promote recovery and save lives.”
A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, Martin commanded several engineer units and served as commandant of the Army Engineer School and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He details his experiences of serving as a senior leader with undiagnosed mental illness in his book, “Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness.”
Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings that include emotional highs, referred to as mania or hypomania, and lows, or depression, according to the Mayo Clinic.
