Will Sgt. Adam Boyle receive justice for PTSD case?

Lt. Gen. John Mulholland must not have thought about doing the right thing when it came to Sgt. Boyle. I bet he didn't think that anything he did would become a national story as well as a national disgrace. He didn't count on Adam's mother either. Laura has a deep commitment to her son but also to the wounded by PTSD. She's seen it first hand. She knows what this wound does to the warriors as well as their families. While military brass like Mulholland may think these men and women are worthy of not only tossing away but penalizing as well, there is a nation willing to step up and tell them, no way in hell will we allow this to happen.

Sgt. Boyle's life is not over, his worthiness is not gone nor is his ability to make a contribution to the nation, no matter what Mulholland thinks. Sgt. Boyle can be healed to the point where he's able to serve, if that's what he wants and this has been proven by three other generals that publicly came out with their own struggles to heal. While there is a vast difference between healing and cure, the healing is enough to restore a life while curing the wound is not possible. Sgt. Boyle, like hundreds of thousands of other veterans, did not return to the way they were before. The damage had been done but the human spirit they carry within them ended up seeing a better person after they come out on the other side.

The men and women willing to lay down there lives in this nation are a small minority. With over 300 million people there are only 24 million veterans and even less combat veterans, yet Mulholland finds no value in Sgt. Boyle? Maybe Mulholland believes the generals that sought help should have been tossed out as well? After all, he's apparently immune to feeling lost, alone, seeing his own life fall apart as PTSD walls all that is hopeful, possible, joyous and wonderful. He's never had to feel so hopeless that he was forced to reach for alcohol or a drug to kill off the feelings he could no longer tolerate. He's never had to face deciding to seek help, face being belittled, ostracized and having his career threatened. He's never had to worry about being turned away from having his own wound treated by the DOD or faced the possibility of being denied help from the VA because some lunk head decided that he was suddenly unworthy to wear the uniform or be treated honorably. To him the fact he lacks any and all ability to learn about this wound, documented since the beginning of time, what it causes and what comes with it, is not seen as anything for him to feel ashamed of, but something the wounded warriors should be brought to suffer for. All generations of PTSD veterans, wounded because they served this nation, should be outraged in this day and age, people like Mulholland live in the dark ages of bleeding the patient to cure them and putting leaches on wounds.

Laura sent me this about her son's case and wants it to be made public. His story, unfortunately, is being repeated far too often but no one knows about them. Now, you'll know exactly how some commanders betray the men and women serving under them. It's up to us to make sure he receives justice, not just for his own sake but for all the other veterans faced with the same treatment.

ISSUES IN ADMINISTRATIVE DISHARGE CASE OF SGT ADAM BOYLE
SGT Boyle’s administrative separation violated his Constitutional Due Process rights, Army Regulations, and was patently illegal.

Legal Errors
1. The Army failed to refer SGT Boyle’s case to the Physical Evaluation Board
SGT Boyle’s administrative separation is prohibited by AR 635-200, Paragraph 14–17, g., which states that in cases where a separation for misconduct is recommended by an administrative board, disposition through medical channels is required if the “Soldier has an incapacitating physical or mental illness that was the direct or substantial contributing cause of the conduct, and action under the UCMJ is not initiated. A copy of the signed decision by the GCMCA will be included with the records.” (Emphasis added). The Administrative Separation Board did not address this issue and the General Court-Martial Convening Authority (GCMCA) failed to make findings about the impact of SGT Boyle’s condition on his conduct. No signed decision by the GCMCA was included with the records.

2. The findings of the Administrative Separation Board were based on an incomplete record

The Administrative Separation Board denied SGT Boyle’s assigned military counsel’s request for a delay until records from his Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) could be submitted. The separation board convened on October 29, 2008, and the MEB was approved on the same day. The Narrative Summary, which contains the detailed findings of the MEB physician, was completed on October 23, 2008, well before the hearing. The Narrative Summary stated that SGT Boyle has Chronic PTSD, “a severe psychiatric condition,” and that his condition fails retention standards under AR 40-501. The MEB further recommended that the “Service member should be referred to the Physical Evaluation Board for further adjudication and requires the duty limitations specified on the attached DA Form 3349.” This information should have been considered by the Administrative Separation Board. It was required to have been considered by the GCMCA.

In addition, SGT Boyle’s Enlisted Record Brief (ERB) considered by the board was more than 6 months old and was incomplete. Specifically, his latest Army Achievement Medal was not listed on his brief. An updated ERB was requested by military defense counsel. This was not provided, even though this record is readily available to the command via a Department of the Army web based computer application. This failure meant that the Administrative Separation Board and the GCMCA did not have an accurate basis to make findings regarding the proper discharge characterization.

3. The Army failed to give SGT Boyle the required rehabilitative transfer
Army Regulation 635-200, Paragraph 1-16,c. requires that prior to initiating an administrative separation for a pattern of misconduct, the Soldier must be transferred to a new unit for at least 3 months to provide him an opportunity to rehabilitate.

The GCMCA may waive the rehabilitation requirements “where common sense and sound judgment indicate that such transfer will serve no useful purpose or produce a quality soldier.” Id. However, in SGT Boyle’s case, no such rehabilitation or waiver was made. Furthermore, Dr. George Krolick, Ph.D.,Clinical Psychologist, stated in his May 8, 2008 evaluation that “it is likely that efforts to rehabilitate or develop this individual into a satisfactory member of the military will be successful.” Note that SGT Boyle was not alleged to have engaged in misconduct after this date and in the 9 months preceding his discharge. This shows that not only was rehabilitation likely to succeed, but that even in the absence of a rehabilitative transfer, he was actually rehabilitated.

Compounding the failure to transfer SGT Boyle prior to initiating a separation, the Administrative Separation Board found that his chain of command failed to properly address the pattern of misconduct (“what helped mitigate this was the testimony from your chain of command. We felt they could have done a better job of putting a plan of action into effect that might have prevented a pattern.” (Page 28).

4. The Administrative Separation was illegal punishment

SGT Boyle’s Commander, who initiated the separation action, testified at the separation hearing that, “The Chapter was paperwork was started because of an incident in Georgia…The Chapter is his punishment for the incident.” (Page 11, Administrative Separation Board). Since the separation action was administrative in nature and non-judicial, the procedures used to punish SGT Boyle violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), Article 15 (Non-Judicial Punishment). Furthermore, the punishment imposed, separation, exceeded the authorized punishment under UCMJ, Article 15.

5. The Army failed to consider military defense counsel's appeal
AR 635-200,

Paragraph 2-6., requires that any legal errors identified by the respondent must be reviewed by an officer of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps prior to approval of the case by the GCMCA. The Administrative Separation Board hearing occurred on October 29, 2008. On November 6, 2008, SGT Boyle’s military defense counsel submitted an appeal requesting retention and referral to a Physical Evaluation Board. The appeal raised the legal error in not referring SGT Boyle to a Physical Evaluation Board. It detailed his honorable service, combat service, the findings of the Medical Evaluation Board, and pointed out that all of the alleged misconduct found by the Separation Board occurred after his return from Iraq. It also detailed the proactive treatment and intervention that SGT Boyle sought to address his conditions. The defense counsel states that she was told that the case had already been approved by the GCMCA and that the appeal could not be considered. This is in spite of the fact that the GCMCA did not approve the case until December 16, approximately 5 weeks later.

6. The Administrative Separation Board and the General Court-Martial Convening Authority failed to consider SGT Boyle’s complete service record in determining his discharge characterization

AR 635-200, Paragraph 3-5 e., requires that the characterization of service “must accurately reflect the nature of service performed…The Soldier’s performance of duty and conduct must be accurately evaluated.” Paragraph 3-7 a.(2)(d), states, “Unless otherwise ineligible, a soldier may receive an honorable discharge if he/she has, during his/her current enlistment, period of obligated service, or any extensions thereof, received a personal decoration.” The ERB that was considered by the Administrative Separation Board was more than 6 months old and did not list his third award of the Army Achievement Medal, earned for his meritorious service in Iraq and during his current enlistment. To have an accurate picture of his military service, SGT Boyle earned two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, and two Army Good Conduct Medals.

The dated and inaccurate ERB deprived the Administrative Separation Board and the GCMCA of the whole picture of SGT Boyle’s honorable military service. This error was a violation of his Constitutional Due Process rights and Army Regulations.

The Illegal Separation Violated SGT Boyle’s Constitutional Due Process Rights and Army Regulations

The illegal discharge was stigmatizing and therefore requires the Army to respect SGT Boyle’s Constitutional Due Process rights. Federal case law states that these rights include notice of the action and an opportunity for a hearing. Casey v. United States, 8 Cl. Ct. 234 (1985). Without going into the details, the notice given SGT Boyle was defective because the findings by the Administrative Separation Board and the GCMCA included allegations of misconduct that he was not notified of prior to his hearing. This issue aside, the hearing was defective because it did not consider the available findings of the Medical Evaluation Board, violated Army Regulations, was based on incomplete information, and failed to offer SGT Boyle an opportunity to submit matters in his defense after the findings were announced.

As discussed previously, the hearing also, separately, violated Army Regulations.

Consequences of the Illegal Discharge

As a result of his illegal discharge with a General Discharge certificate, SGT Boyle was required to repay his re-enlistment bonus of $18,500. Because he outprocessed with a debt to the Army, SGT Boyle’s last paycheck was withheld. He was stripped of his accrued leave, which he could have otherwise taken or sold back to the Army. Without an honorable discharge characterization, he is ineligible for remission of indebtedness (which would cancel his debt), and is disqualified from the federal Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers program. His rights to healthcare, compensation, and educational benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs are now in doubt. He was denied his rights to a Physical Evaluation Board, which could have resulted in military retirement, health care benefits, and other retiree benefits due to his PTSD and migraine-like headaches.

SGT Boyle is a decorated twice deployed veteran of the Iraq war. As a result of his combat service he was injured and developed PTSD. Instead of giving him the benefits due to him under the law, the Army illegally separated him with a stigmatizing misconduct discharge. Instead of focusing on recovering from his injuries, he now must figure out where he is going to live, what he is going to do for work, and where he is going to get the treatment he deserves. The United States Army should have helped him. It should have given him the rights due under the Constitution and Army Regulations. Unfortunately, the Army has instead pushed him out without resources and he is left to fend for himself. This is not how we are supposed to treat our Wounded Warriors.

for more on Sgt. Boyle go here

http://woundedtimes.blogspot.com/search?q=adam+boyle

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The practice of law at the PEB is complex. There are many laws and regulations that the military uses to determine your benefits. My experience can maximize your chances for a correct award and protect your rights. When I take a case, I seek to do three things. First, I will help you identify the evidence needed to get the result you want. Next, I present your case in the strongest way possible, arguing the facts and the law. Finally, I identify legal errors made in your case that may mean a higher award on appeal. This three pronged approach is designed to get you the best result as early as possible. If you want to discuss how to get the best results possible, call me at 800-576-5648. I look forward to helping you get the benefits you and your family deserve.

Now think of this. There are psychologists and psychiatrists and mental health professionals, donating their time as part of Give An Hour because the VA and the DOD are not doing what is needed. There are advocates testifying over and over again in Congress plus trying to raise funds and awareness to help the veterans, again because the DOD and the VA are not doing it right. There are lawyers running to help because of cases like Sgt. Boyle's. Would any this be necessary if America actually lived up to the tag line of being "a grateful nation" we claim when a flag is removed from a coffin and neatly folded for the families of the fallen? What do you think would mean more to them, a flag and a piece of paper or actually taking care of the men and women that managed to make it back home?