[eggplant43]

Nicholas Wells and the four other veterans say they were found to be unfit for service because they were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but then were denied disability benefits and free health care to which they were entitled under federal law.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/artic...illingsvet.txt

[poochee]

Originally Posted by eggplant43

http://www.billingsgazette.net/artic...illingsvet.txt

[poochee]

Veterans Lose Bid to Speed VA On Disability Pay
Associated Press
Thursday, December 18, 2008; Page A09

A federal judge yesterday rejected a bid by veterans groups to force the Veterans Affairs Department to speed up handling of its disability claims, saying it was not the court's role to impose quicker deadlines.

Vietnam Veterans of America and Veterans of Modern Warfare, which represent roughly 60,000 military veterans, had filed the lawsuit asking the VA process initial disability claims within 90 days and resolve appeals within 180 days. If the VA failed to do so, the two groups were seeking interim payments of roughly $350 a month.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...src=newsletter

[eggplant43]

That's too bad, but this is not over, not by a long shot.

[eggplant43]

RIVERVIEW - Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Doody was recovering nicely from injuries sustained when a sniper attacked him in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007.

Then another enemy struck. A staph infection broke off and headed to his brain, cutting off oxygen and leaving him comatose for four months. Doctors said the 25-year-old would likely never again have high-brain function.

http://southshore2.tbo.com/content/2...s-a-home/news/

[poochee]

Originally Posted by eggplant43

That's too bad, but this is not over, not by a long shot.

[poochee]

PTSD victim booted for ‘misconduct’
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jan 10, 2009 7:00:58 EST

After serving two tours in Iraq — tours filled with killing enemy combatants and watching close friends die — Sgt. Adam Boyle, 27, returned home expecting the Army to take care of him.

Instead, service member advocates and Boyle’s mother say his chain of command in the 3rd Psychological Operations Battalion at Fort Bragg, N.C., worked to end his military career at the first sign of weakness.

In October, a medical evaluation board physician at Bragg recommended that Boyle go through the military disability retirement process for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder — which is supposed to automatically earn him at least a 50 percent disability retirement rating — as well as for chronic headaches. The doctor also diagnosed Boyle with alcohol abuse and said he was probably missing formations due to the medications doctors put him on to treat his PTSD.

But in December, Lt. Gen. John Mulholland, commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, signed an order forcing Boyle out on an administrative discharge for a “pattern of misconduct,” and ordering that the soldier pay back his re-enlistment bonus.

Last year, after a number of troops diagnosed with PTSD were administratively forced out for “personality disorders” following combat deployments, the Defense Department changed its rules: The pertinent service surgeon general now must sign off on any personality-disorder discharge if a service member has been diagnosed with PTSD.

“Not even a year later, they’re pushing them out administratively for ‘pattern of misconduct,’ ” said Carissa Picard, an attorney and founder of Military Spouses for Change, a group created in response to the personality-disorder cases. “I’m so angry. We’re seeing it all the time. And it’s for petty stuff.”


http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/0...harge_010709w/

[eggplant43]

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/fredbr...hes_new_w.html

[eggplant43]

Duckworth nominated for VA post:

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/20...kworth_020309/

[poochee]

Originally Posted by eggplant43

Duckworth nominated for VA post:

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/20...kworth_020309/

[eggplant43]

Desperation

The gun is heavy in my hand, cold, solid. I sit on the edge of my bathtub and stare at it. The door is shut and I am alone. I can hear my own breathing, uneven.

This I can control.

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2443

[eggplant43]

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,184795,00.html

[poochee]

Originally Posted by eggplant43

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2443

[poochee]

Originally Posted by eggplant43

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,184795,00.html

Informative article.

[eggplant43]

Burlington —

Often called a soldier’s soldier, former Army Chief of Staff and newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki met with members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs last week to begin putting his stamp on the VA.

http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/n...comes-Shinseki

An interesting article, especially the discussion of the suggestion of General Shinseki that all returning vets enroll with the VA.