A group of 12 U.S. senators, led by Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., is calling for the Army inspector general to investigate the discharges of tens of thousands of service members diagnosed with mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries.
The formal letter sent to top Army officials Eric Fanning and Gen. Mark A. Milley was motivated by last week's "Missed Treatment" investigation by NPR's Daniel Zwerdling and Colorado Public Radio's Michael de Yoanna, which revealed that since January 2009, the Army has separated 22,000 soldiers for misconduct after they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with mental health problems such as PTSD or TBI. As a result, many of those soldiers won't receive benefits or have access to the treatment they need.
"I mean the fact that there are 22,000 individuals who had a diagnosis who were then discharged, really suggests that we're only looking at the tip of the iceberg," Murphy tells NPR.
Soldiers With Mental Health Disorders Who Were Dismissed For Misconduct
2009-present, by military installation
- Fort Hood
- Fort Sill
- Fort Bragg
- Fort Bliss
- Fort Lewis
- Fort Carson
- Fort Campbell
- Fort Stewart
- Europe
- Fort Knox
- Fort Riley
- Fort Shafter
- Fort Drum
- Alaska
- Fort Benning
- Fort Polk
- Korea
Notes
— Includes soldiers with mental health conditions that were diagnosed within two years of their separation date. Diagnoses include post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder and other conditions.
— Chart includes installations with more than 500 misconduct discharges.
— Data as of Oct. 22, 2015
— Chart includes installations with more than 500 misconduct discharges.
— Data as of Oct. 22, 2015
The senators say this violates the intent of a 2009 law that Congress passed to ensure troops who returned from wars with mental health disorders were not discarded without being evaluated.
"I'm not arguing, nor are my colleagues arguing, that you should keep in the military someone who has committed a [driving under the influence] or someone who has committed another serious crime," Murphy says. "We're arguing that you should medically discharge these individuals if that active misconduct is a manifestation of the disability, so they can continue to get help."
In the letter — also signed by Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Ed Markey, D-Mass., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Tim Kaine, D-Va. — the senators write:
"We are concerned that it may be easier to discharge service members for minor misconduct — possibly related to mental health issues — than to evaluate them for conditions that may warrant a medical discharge."
The Army confirmed receipt of the letter and "will respond accordingly," says Wayne Hall, an Army spokesman.
The NPR/CPR investigation highlighted the cases of soldiers like Eric James, a sniper who served two tours in Iraq and who secretly recorded 20 hours of conversations with Army therapists and officials at Fort Carson. The Army said it was going to separate him for misconduct on a 2-year-old driving under the influence charge.
A formal investigation in February ordered by the Army's surgeon general found that James was being mistreated and two of James' therapists were reprimanded. James was then given a medical retirement with honor and full benefits.
But that same investigation concluded there wasn't a "systemic " problem at Fort Carson.
The NPR/CPR investigation found that the Army never contacted the nine other soldiers whose cases were brought to the attention of Army officials at the same time as James' case.
An Army spokeswoman confirmed that investigators did not get in touch with any of those soldiers but said investigators reviewed the soldiers' medical records, which convinced them the troops had received proper treatment.
I think that they should learn more about the soldiers not just investigate the Army. What if the men really do have a mental disorder like PTSD? I 2009 "the Army has separated 22,000 soldiers for misconduct after they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with mental health problems such as PTSD or TBI" (NPR). Many of the soldiers were denied the treatment that they needed. That is not right. The Army put them in the situation where they got the PTSD, they should help them deal with it too.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Koopman, per 1
I agree with Michelle's statement. Not all the soldiers are being evaluated for PTSD and,"many of those soldiers won't receive benefits or have access to the treatment they need"(NPR). The soldiers that do not receive benefits have a major disadvantage to go back to a normal life.
DeleteBailey Wetzel/4th
I agree with Michelle's statement. Not all the soldiers are being evaluated for PTSD and,"many of those soldiers won't receive benefits or have access to the treatment they need"(NPR). The soldiers that do not receive benefits have a major disadvantage to go back to a normal life.
DeleteBailey Wetzel/4th
When are people going to realize humans are not killers. If we were soldiers would not suffer from PTSD. There needs to be something that we can do to help these soldiers, America relies on there soldiers for democracy. According to NBC News 1 of 8 soldiers return with PTSD I do not like those numbers.
ReplyDeleteWhen are people going to realize humans are not killers. If we were soldiers would not suffer from PTSD. There needs to be something that we can do to help these soldiers, America relies on there soldiers for democracy. According to NBC News 1 of 8 soldiers return with PTSD I do not like those numbers.
ReplyDeleteI believe that they should at least put themselves in the position of the soldiers. After being in war, you can never unsee it so of course the soldiers would come back with mental disorders like PTSD. Often times, soldiers get rejected from getting the treatment that they need and that is wrong. Soldiers risk their own lives for our country and end up having to suffer mental disorders like PTSD after coming back from war and then not receiving the treatment they need.
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn Guevarra Per 1
If there is any evidence that soldiers are not getting proper treatment for PTSD or TBI, then there should definitely be something done about that issue. Going through something as traumatic as war is enough to make a soldier mentally scarred, and if there is available treatment to deal with that then it should be given to the soldiers suffering from the disorder. In the article it is said that, "Army has separated 22,000 soldiers for misconduct after they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with mental health problems such as PTSD or TBI. As a result, many of those soldiers won't receive benefits or have access to the treatment they need." (NPR). Since these mental disorders are caused by war, then the army should give them treatment to help them through recovering; just like a physically injured soldier would receive medical treatment.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa Hum, Per. 1
I think it is wrong for the military to discharge soldiers on a small misconduct, because it is easier then evaluating their mental state. To illustrate, "the Army has separated 22,000 soldiers for misconduct after they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with mental health problems such as PTSD or TBI. As a result, many of those soldiers won't receive benefits or have access to the treatment they need"(NPR). Some of these misconducts were possibly related to the mental conditions the soldiers had, and this menas they might not know exactly what they are doing. To be discharged after that, and get no help with their mental condition is terrible. These soldiers practically ruined their lived for their country, but the military won’t do a little extra work to help them in the soldiers’ lives afterward.
ReplyDeleteRenee Gibson, period 2
This is wrong. It is not a very good sign for the country when out military is becoming like this, "the fact that there are 22,000 individuals who had a diagnosis who were then discharged, really suggests that we're only looking at the tip of the iceberg,"(Murphy). If this is the case, along with the evidence of therapists mistreating their patients withing the military, what could this be reflecting about our society as a whole? There is abundant domestic abuse cases as well as human trafficking going on here, in the US, in our communities, there was an attempt to kidnap a young girl into the trafficking in out El Dorado Hills. The Safeway that it happened at is within a five minute walk from my house. These things are the skeletons in the closet, the monsters under the bed. We need to step up and face them, and hopefully punish the monsters that do these things, and we should start with our war veterans and children, to protect those who have risked their lives to protect us, and the future of this country.
ReplyDeleteMadelyn Daynes
period 6
It does not seem fair that some of the soldiers who fight to defend the US get treated this way. It does not seem right that the military claims soldiers with PTSD and TBI should be discarded for misconduct. It is bad that the military does this to avoid having to pay for the soldiers injuries."This violates the intent of a 2009 law that Congress passed to ensure troops who returned from wars with mental health disorders were not discarded without being evaluated." I think the 22,000 individuals who were diagnosed then discharge deserve special benefits for their injuries.
ReplyDeleteI think that if there is any evidence that soldiers aren't getting the right treatment for PTSD or TBI then something should be done about that. For a soldier, experiencing war puts a very traumatizing and scary effect on you, and if there is a treatment that is available to deal with that then it should be given to the soldiers that are suffering. "Army has separated 22,000 soldiers for misconduct after they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with mental health problems such as PTSD or TBI. As a result, many of those soldiers won't receive benefits or have access to the treatment they need." (NPR).
ReplyDeletePer 4