ptsd Discharge Review

[john999]

I wrote and mailed a brief supporting my quest for a change in the reason for discharge to a medical discharge for a service connected condition. I wrote a summery of the how I came to suffer from an extreme form of anxiety disorder and how the Army treated my incapcity as a discipline problem. When I write it all down I can see how I was rail roaded. In late 1971 the Army was trying to shed troops as Vietnamization was happening. The easiest way to get rid of a soldier with an emotional/mental disorder was to toss them out as unsuitable even if they only had 6 months left to serve, rather than pay them based on a disability. Writing it all out it seems like I was living in another world like Mars, and when I got out it was not much better for years. It is all probably an exercise in futility but an injustice was done to me. I imagine thousands of troops suffering from PTSD got the same tar and feathers job as I did but many got BCD or Undesirable discharges for long AWOLS or drug abuse. I remember telling my CO that I just could not hack it anymore and him exploding and recommending me for a special court martial for disobeying a direct order to do my job. I was suffering pain attacks at the time and also becoming disoriented. How do you do a job when you get lost going to chow? Every time I turned around I was getting an article 15 and then it was the special court martial recommendation. I knew I had to get out so I signed the administrative discharge so I could get help since I thought I was losing my mind which is common to those with panic disorder.

I bet what happened to me is going on right now with soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. I did not even get a discharge physical or exam. Just a ride to the gate. My Army Lawyer did not lift a finger to help me besides getting me to sign the AR635-212 argreement in lieu of standing for the trial. Of course, at the trial I would have been skinned alive. I can imagine those lifers(my peers) recommending I be thrown in jail for six months. I think my lawyer looked at my file for maybe 10 mintues just long enough to read the charges.

[dougbo1943]

Vicki

I let the military talk me out of a medical board on my retirement. They said it was best to go to the VA after my regular retirement and get my foot took care of. What a crock of sh**. Not taking the medical board was the worse mistake of my military career.

I urge all current military to take a medical board if disabled in service for anything.

Gunny

[larryjones24]

I live about 5 miles from, Fort Sam Houston, and Brooke Army Medical Center ( where I worked at for 13 years). So far I have meant 7 kids, that have recieved a Purple Heart and a less than honerable discharge. Mostly for missing formations. like dual Dr. appt's for same time.

Some things never change, the REMF's that ordering these discharges, have never left the states. In fact twice I have just walked into thier office, when they are in uniform, no overseas ribbons, just the same old ones that, these type of folks have been wearing for generations. Most of us, know the type, the faces may change, but, the attiude does'nt.

For the most part, I run into these kids at Wal-mart, about a mile up the street. Most of these kids, think that they cannot use the VA, in fact I've taken 5 of them to the VA to get thier ID cards. Plus show them with my portable Lap top, how to get get the discharges upgraded. The orther 2 thier dad's took them.

I can't but wonder how many of these vets are out there.

Larry Jones 100% PTSD SC

damn can't find the spell checker

[vaf]

The fact that the military tried to save a few bucks by not ordering diagnostic tests that were normal protocol for the symptoms my husband suffered told me that we couldn't believe a word they said. To save some money, and to prevent the inconvenience of having to replace an ATC supervisor on medical leave, they just dismissed his symptoms as due to stress and never ordered an MRI or CT scan, which would have cost money since it had to be done off base.

Our defenses were up, so when the MEB/PEB office told us to follow a course of action that they said was in our best interests, we did exactly the opposite.

[john999]

Larry

I bet there are thousands of these young guys out there with bad paper. If they give a young guy the choice between courts martial and possible jail time and a quick discharge it is like a plea deal and most take it. If the yound soldier could get a private attorney who does military law he could probably get off in many cases. I know a lawyer who used to be the defense lawyer in the military while doing his selective service requirement. He said if you really wanted to see a kangaroo court go to a court martial for an enlisted man. The jury is made up of E-7's and above from what I know. This is not a jury of your peers if you are a PFC who is planning on getting out just as fast as you can. Unless the case has a political overtone you are dead meat as defendent. In an important case I can guess their is command pressure for a desired outcome. I don't believe in military justice.

[Ricky]

Hey John, military justice is there. The military is the only job where you could actually be sent to jail for being late to work. Now if that ain't just I don't know what is. Now who the justice is for your guess is as good as mine. hahahahahaha

Ricky

[mountain tyme]

The reality of military service is... that YOU are expendable and once you have served your purpose you are no longer needed...and Heaven forbid if you become injured for you have now become a liability...and you are definably headed for a one way ticket down the road! I firmly believe that many of the Military Doctors were quite aware of PTSD way before it was coined so...at one time PTSD would have been called shelled shocked...and I also feel that due to the tremendous financial burden that was foreseen it became necessary to discharge service members under Unsuitability or unable to adapt to military ways in order to better denied benefits for Mental conditions...I can not tell you how many times I have heard people say..."There's nothing wrong with him" just because you can't visual see a disability does not mean the person is not disabled."...Ignorance is alive and well in the VA system back then and now...and as it has always been the only one's who pay the price are the one's who served there country...and the bottom line is this...When Uncle Sam opened his arms to welcome me aboard I was not broke...you found nothing wrong with me physical, emotionaly or mentaly...if I was good enough for you to take then I am good enough to fix...what is that saying...YOU BROKE IT YOU BOUGHT IT...NOW FIX IT!

MT