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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Congress finally takes on fixing 30,000 discharged for "personality disorders"

If you have been reading this blog all along you know this is a very important issue for me considering as of today we still don't know what happened to the men and women kicked out of the military because they didn't get the help they needed. What happened to them? How did they survive when they received nothing from the government except a discharge few employers would honor? How many committed suicide because they were betrayed? So many questions and so few answers but at least Congress is finally looking into doing the right thing. I just wonder how many it is too little to late for.
Changes sought for vets' psych disorder discharges
Kelly Kennedy
USA TODAY

Lawmaker says failing to provide these veterans with the help they need to function in society will cost more money in the long run.

1:05PM EST November 28. 2012 - WASHINGTON -- After nearly 30,000 servicemembers were forced out of the military for "personality disorders," often after combat service, a bipartisan House coalition hopes to require the Pentagon to review those cases in the hopes that some veterans could receive benefits.

Those processed out with a "personality disorder," which is considered a pre-existing condition, received an administrative discharge and no possibility of health benefits or disability retirement pay from the military. Many of those servicemembers had served in combat and showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to Vietnam Veterans of America, which filed a lawsuit in 2010 demanding the records of those veterans. They were also not eligible for benefits from Veterans Affairs.

"It's pretty clear to us that it is our responsibility to make this right," said Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. "They need to get back and get their cases adjudicated correctly."
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