ptsd Iraq Veteran

[Guest terrysturgis]

During my visit to the dentist yesterday I noticed a picture of a soldier on the wall. It was the son of the dental assistant. I asked her what his MOS was. She did not know what that meant, then I said what was his occupation in the Army. Infantry. I asked her if he served overseas. That's when she opened up.

He served 8 months in Iraq as an Infantry soldier. Came home for a two week leave and went Awol for 30 days. We all know that's a bad decision. He served some jail time and his attorney has bargained for a Bad Conduct Discharge. In the discharge process he has been diagnosed with PTSD and ADD. He has been advised that if he accepts the BCD that after waiting 30 days he can go to the VA, get the BCD upgraded to honorable and receive care for the PTSD.

My question to the board has anyone heard of a 30 day wait and automatic upgrade to honorable? Thanks. Terry

[hulamatt]

I got a general under honorable discharge. I went to a hearing and I can tell you that if I had not had good representation I would have been hard pressed to get the upgrade to honorable. My crummy judge advocate lawyer told me to take the general discharge. Considering he should have fought for a medical discharge I was poorly represented. To accept a BCD is crazy. Does the Army propose a dishonorable discharge instead of a BCD. The lawyer probably just wants the case off his hands and is quite willing to sell the soldier down the river and get his fee. A BCD is poison and there is no automatic upgrade. For a soldier with PTSD there must be a better option than a BCD. This is the army trying its best to limit its liability. What kind of lawyer would bargain for a BCD unless the soldier was facing lots more time in jail? Tell the mother to help her son get a new lawyer.

To my knowledge there is no such thing as a dishonorable discharge, as far as dd214's go, its either other than honorable or BCD's that as far as the VA goes are considered dishonorable, but no paperwork actually states dishonorable

[gp747]

I do not think they would give him a bcd for just 30 days awol. I wonder what the jail time was for ?

I went awol numerous times and got a general discharge . I never went awol til i got back from nam and was never gone too long at a time.

I felt they were picking on me putting me on k-p duty all the time ,so every time they put me on k-p duty i would walk of the base and leave for a while. screw em.

plus i was suffering from bipolar,ptsd,and a whole host of other ailments.

Edited March 26, 2010 by skunk

[Testvet]

skunk he went awol while on leave from a war zone basically he "missed movement" to a war zone he was under orders to be in that is one of the reasons they never let the bastards in Nam come back to the world on mid tour leave you got R&R in Thailand, Japan or Korea and if you were a married higher level NCO or officer you could meet your spouse in Hawaii but no one came back to the states because they were to afraid of the desertion rate

basically he deserted in war thus the BCD it seems simple to me but then I spent a year as a legal clerk

[gp747]

skunk he went awol while on leave from a war zone basically he "missed movement" to a war zone he was under orders to be in that is one of the reasons they never let the bastards in Nam come back to the world on mid tour leave you got R&R in Thailand, Japan or Korea and if you were a married higher level NCO or officer you could meet your spouse in Hawaii but no one came back to the states because they were to afraid of the desertion rate

basically he deserted in war thus the BCD it seems simple to me but then I spent a year as a legal clerk

The only reason i did not over stay my r&r in japan was i ran out of money.

[Wings]

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The VA decides either/or (one or the other, nothing in between): Honorable for VA purposes, or Dishonorable for VA purposes.

They may also decide the veteran is eligible for VA medical care, but not eligible for compensation, pension or any other gratuitious benefits. ~Wings

Edited March 26, 2010 by Wings

[Guest terrysturgis]

Brothers and Sisters, THANKS! I will print out the information presented on this thread and get it to his Mother. She had no clue as how to help him or where to get any info. Once again, many thanks. Terry