Dod Pulls Pd

[Berta]

http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfDEC07/nf122207-1.htm

Their estimates seem impossible -wonder if they will re-post the article.

[timetowinarace]

I know that many soldiers were discharged during Desert Storm for "personality disorder" as an expeditious mechanism to get rid of soldiers who were involved in misconduct and/or insubordination.

Not everyone (or even the majority)who receives a discharge for a personality disorder is suffering from PTSD. Just my humble opinion...

I agree. My problem with it is that entrance exams should weed these out. If they don't have signs and symptoms of a PD at entrance but only develope them after exposure to the unique stresses of military service then it's fair to say they may never have been exposed to circumstances that would cause their dissorders to surface. In other words, PD's should be compensatable if they began in or was agravated in service. No different than a physical dissability agravated by service.

One reason for this opinion is because I know that the military is now enlisting individuals with known emotional dissorders. The pressure is on to get bodies into service so things like this are intentionaly overlooked. If the DOD promises them they will have this and that (VA benifits included) then the DOD needs to deliver. If they are well enugh for the DOD to enlist them and deploy them but too sick after deployment to continue service or hold a decent job then the dissorder that began in or was agravated by service should be compensatable.

It's pretty simple to me. PD or PTSD. If an individual was well enough to enlist and serve, that Soldier has earned the benifits. Weeding them out after the fact needs to end and the DOD needs to weed them out BEFORE service or pay the benifits.

That's my opinion. And it's not a humble one, LOL.

Time

[Ron II]

I agree. My problem with it is that entrance exams should weed these out. If they don't have signs and symptoms of a PD at entrance but only develope them after exposure to the unique stresses of military service then it's fair to say they may never have been exposed to circumstances that would cause their dissorders to surface. In other words, PD's should be compensatable if they began in or was agravated in service. No different than a physical dissability agravated by service.

One reason for this opinion is because I know that the military is now enlisting individuals with known emotional dissorders. The pressure is on to get bodies into service so things like this are intentionaly overlooked. If the DOD promises them they will have this and that (VA benifits included) then the DOD needs to deliver. If they are well enugh for the DOD to enlist them and deploy them but too sick after deployment to continue service or hold a decent job then the dissorder that began in or was agravated by service should be compensatable.

It's pretty simple to me. PD or PTSD. If an individual was well enough to enlist and serve, that Soldier has earned the benifits. Weeding them out after the fact needs to end and the DOD needs to weed them out BEFORE service or pay the benifits.

That's my opinion. And it's not a humble one, LOL.

Time

You make very good points and I agree to a large extent. One of the problems is that the PD discharge is/has been used as a military convenience to get rid of SOME personnel who were just miscreants. The attitude in many units during Desert Storm was to "pd" trouble makers scheduled for

deployment so they would not have to deal with the administrative requirements associated with other-type discharges.

p.s.

I am not really humble either-native born Texan

Edited December 30, 2007 by Manitou Sprgs

[sixthscents]

DoD is just doing what they KNOW they are going to have to do under HR 1585, since it specifically adresses this issue.

They are doing a bunch of stuff they KNOW they are going to have to do now, since they would just have to back up and redo it when the bill is passed.

HR 1585 is like a sledge hammer to a bunch of shady stuff they have been doing for decades. And you better believe they know it and are howling.... (too bad right?)

I'm getting in line to slam them as well with it... and their discharge review board... oh yeah rated at over 170% schedular (I quit counting then) and they put me out on 20%... even considering just the "disqualifying" injuries or illnesses... I'm getting 100% out of them, if I have to appear in person with legal counsel....

I was discharged for "lumbago"... after 3 surgeries.... oh yeah they are going to pay, and pay.....