ptsd Just Say No To Personality Disorder!

[free_spirit_etc]

http://obama.senate.gov/

Obama, Bond Applaud Senate Passage of Amendment to Expedite the Review of Personality Disorder Discharge Cases

Friday, March 14, 2008

Printable FormatFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Michael Ortiz (Obama) or Shana Marchio (Bond)

Budget provision provides resources to speed correction of military records and upgrade discharges

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Kit Bond (R-MO) today praised the Senate's passage of their amendment to the FY 2009 Budget Resolution to expedite the military's review of cases in which service members may have been improperly diagnosed with a personality disorder and subsequently discharged. According to reports last year, the Department of Defense (DOD) inappropriately and inconsistently discharged service members who suffered combat-related psychological injuries such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or closed head injuries such as Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). Over the last six years, Defense Department records indicate that over 22,500 personality disorder discharges have been processed; or on average 10 service members have been discharged per day, every day in that time. Such discharges can result in the loss of some benefits and care for wounded veterans.

In December 2007, Obama and Bond, along with 13 other senators, called on President Bush to temporarily halt this practice and to create a Special Review Board to examine these cases.

"With thousands of service members suffering from the less visible wounds of war, reports that the Pentagon may be improperly diagnosing and discharging service members with personality disorders are unacceptable," said Senator Obama. "These heroes have made incredible sacrifices for our nation, and they should not have to face another battle at home to receive the care and benefits they have earned. I am proud that this amendment will add resources to expedite the review of such cases. We will continue to demand that the Administration and the Pentagon halt this practice until air-tight procedures are in place."

"The federal government has a lifelong responsibility to care for volunteers who have served honorably in combat, whether their injuries are physical or mental. It is time for our government to accept the visible guilt in their failure to treat our wounded veterans' invisible injuries," said Bond. "This review is essential to give all our troops a chance to have their stories heard, their benefits restored, and any stigma taken off their records."

With increases in combat-related psychological injuries (such as PTSD) and closed-head injuries (such as TBIs), there appear to be instances in which service members suffering from less visible combat wounds are being misdiagnosed with a pre-existing personality disorder, which can result in the loss of some benefits and care. When these wounded warriors subsequently decide to seek a correction of their records, they can encounter significant delays and red tape at their respective military Boards for Correction of Military Records.

While fundamental improvements are still necessary to the military's management and care for our wounded warriors, this important amendment provides additional resources for the Boards for Correction of Military Records to expedite the review of such discharge cases.

The Obama-Bond amendment is supported by the National Veterans Legal Services Program, Veterans for Common Sense, and Disabled American Veterans.

[Cherie33]

Free Spirit,

This same thing happened to me when I was discharged.

I was told that I had a Personality Disorder, and the Navy discharged me General "Under Honorable Conditions". When I tried to go to school with my GI Bill, I was told that in order for me to be eligible for my GI Bill Benefits, (which they took paymenst from me every payday) that I would have to have been discharged "Honorable Discharge". Boy did I have to go through alot to get them to change my DD 214 and have my discharged listed as "Honorable".

During that time I was really new and had no idea what was happening.

I'm glad that the government is taking steps to make sure ALL vets get the care and benefits that they deserve.

Cherie33

[donews]

Its about da%m time.

They need to get these vets the proper discharges as fast as possible.

[Josephine]

It sure is about time.

I am a burr to most of the VA employees over my

Personality Discharge.

It is forever gone now.

I just have to prove that I have remained sane through-out the process.

Enough to drive you crazy, but I am not.

Betty

[free_spirit_etc]

Yeah.. It is about time - though they are still able to act like this is kind of a "new thing." - and not the same old game in a different war...

Maybe some of us should write the Senators that sponsored this bill - and ask about the older vets whose records were destroyed to cover up the evidence that this was being done.

Make it presumptive. Any vet who was discharged under one of their little diagnose them out games - who has NO service medical records of any psychiatric treatment - is granted SC. It can be presumed that the evidence was in the documents the military destroyed.

Free

It sure is about time.

I am a burr to most of the VA employees over my

Personality Discharge.

It is forever gone now.

I just have to prove that I have remained sane through-out the process.

Enough to drive you crazy, but I am not.

Betty

[Guest Vietnam Tanker]

I strongly agree with all, but it goes back a lot further than 10 years, I was discharged in 1976 because the Army did not want to deal with my PTSD.

[Josephine]

I agree with you Vietnam Tanker, I was discharged in 1964.

The VA chose to give me a Personality Disorder, knowing

I was taking two coded drugs.

An easy way to get rid of me.

It has took me 44 years to prove my claim.

Always,

Betty