Make Sure Veterans Get Help with Stress Disorder

October 27, 2009 (The Kansas City Star Editorial Board) Many military personnel who acquired post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are being inappropriately discharged, despite Pentagon assurances that proper policy is being followed.

That’s the conclusion of Senators Kit Bond of Missouri and Sam Brownback of Kansas, both Republicans. The two recently sent a letter to President Obama urging him to do more to ensure returning veterans get the health care they deserve.

The two lawmakers — joined by Sens. Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat, and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, a Republican — reminded Obama that when he served in the Senate, he, too, was concerned about this issue.

The problem is that the Pentagon views personality disorders as a pre-existing condition, often requiring discharge. As a result, many veterans are denied benefits they would otherwise receive.

The senators noted that sometimes, service members discharged with ‘personality disorders’ must repay thousands of bonuses, despite combat service.

Last year, the Government Accountability Office looked at the issue and found that the Defense Department was releasing people without following proper policy. According to the GAO, compliance with mandatory counseling rules was highly variable — ranging from 40 percent to 99 percent of the time.

The military said it had adjusted its procedures and proper policy was now being followed. But Paul Sullivan of Veterans for Common Sense said the Pentagon had been doing a poor job of correctly diagnosing mental disorders.

Despite the Pentagon assurances, a double-check — which is essentially what the senators are urging — is warranted. The Obama administration should look into this and report to Congress. We should make sure no veteran is getting a raw deal from the government after serving in combat.