ptsd Tbi Article......... A Disgrace

[Berta]

This article link (courtesy of Bob Walsh, veterans' lawyer), is devastating:

http://cdn.csgazette.biz/soldiers/day1.html

In part:

“Posts with large combat units have seen misconduct discharges soar. Fort Campbell, Ky., and Fort Riley, Kan., both home to a disproportionate number of combat troops, each kicked out 65 percent more soldiers in 2012 than the year before. The Gazette found wounded veterans kicked out for minor violations at Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Drum, N.Y.; and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

The rise in discharges is driven in part by pressure to downsize the ranks and control costs as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down. The Army plans to cut the force by 80,000 troops by 2017, and top officials said they may cut an additional 100,000 because of mandated federal budget cuts.

At the same time, an estimated 500,000 troops are thought to have PTSD or TBI. Symptoms can include bad decision-making, frayed memory and incendiary anger, all of which can be indistinguishable from misconduct. Commanders struggle to determine which soldiers are badly injured and which are just bad.”

(many of us here foresaw this coming.....just like the PD discharges after the Vietnam War ended....to prevent re enlistment, and to prohibit receipt of disability benefits. It is Bull ---- plain and simple)

Bob's remarks to me in email say it all.....

“The best reporting on the TBI and low-balled discharges I have seen. Horror story, shameful, but great reporting.

Robert P. Walsh

Attorney

2 Michigan Avenue West

Suite 301

Battle Creek, Michigan 49017

Telephone (269) 962-9693

Telecopier (269) 962-9592

E-mail: rpwalsh@sbcglobal.net

Bob is scheduled to be a guest at SVR radio here today.

[indyman]

The treatment and discharges these veterans receive stinks. Is this another way of protecting the money and having an easy out to not award disability benefits? So where did this brainstorm come from? Pentagon, DOD, VBA, VA, or higher?

[MRRRR5]

This is really sad.

Same thing almost happened to a Soldier I know who was recently medically retired in January 2013 after 11 years of service and multiple deployments. He was processed for administrative separation after several "behavior issues" at work and home; ultimately to find out he was suffering from severe PTSD and had to have a subsequent cardio procedure to correct an issue done in the service 4 years prior.

If it was not for the MEB putting the admin separation on hold, he would have been discharged with an other than honorable discharge as that is what his command was seeking.