What should the Pentagon do about the less-than-honorable discharges the military hands out to veterans with PTSD?

American Military University‎ — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:15:08 -0400

Veterans from across the country have been claiming that the US Army routinely separates soldiers with less-than-honorable discharges after they display signs of PTSD. What do you think about this?

Read about the lawsuit one group of vets is filing regarding this here: http://bit.ly/2pWSXcZ

2pWSXcZ

Response by SPC Paul C. made Apr 20 at 2017 4:17 PM

SPC Paul C. — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:17:46 -0400

They should re-evaluate these discharges and take care of our veterans in need

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 20 at 2017 4:24 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:24:47 -0400

Adjustments need to be made with:
A: diagnosis
B: discharge counseling.
If there are issues arising with behavior due to PTSD, they'd need to be reevaluated. Changes in the DSM 5 have changed the diagnosis criteria and that needs to be represented.

Response by LCpl Hilton Hoskins made Apr 20 at 2017 5:36 PM

LCpl Hilton Hoskins — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 17:36:36 -0400

Something definitely needs to be done about this. War is traumatic & traumatic events change people. To discharge somebody less than honorably without evaluation is not only reckless but it goes against our promise to defend this country from all enemies foreign and domestic. PTSD is a potential enemy to any man or woman who has ever raised their right hand & wore the uniform, by just discharging people without mental evaluation, they could be unleashing a ticking timebomb on the public. Not saying that those with PTSD are prone to violence or violent out burst but a person with PTSD could more than likely be a danger to themselves & in some events others if left untreated. Our military & veterans deserve to be treated with dignity because we all have worn the uniform and our experiences do affect us. Discharging veterans under less than honorable conditions without proper psychological evaluation serves only to create a bigger problem one in which could've been avoided had someone took the time to evaluate them. I don't know what somebody might have done to get a less than honorable discharge but if they have committed some action that warrants it, we need to be sure of the intent. So I strongly support manditory mental evaluations upon discharge for less than honorable & even honorable. It would ensure they could get the help they need.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Apr 20 at 2017 5:48 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 17:48:10 -0400

Well, I always take anything and everything the 'less than honorable' discharges say, regardless of what they say.

Response by SSgt Michael Cox made Apr 20 at 2017 6:46 PM

SSgt Michael Cox — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 18:46:57 -0400

If they have a PTSD diagnosis in their medical records but receive a less than honorable discharge they may be able to go to there federal representative and have them fight for a medical retirement. This of course is if they didn't do anything that would warrant a less than honorable discharge. Another place they can go is to a service officer or fight it before they are even discharged.

Response by SSG Dale London made Apr 21 at 2017 7:14 AM

SSG Dale London — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 07:14:51 -0400

The biggest problem with this situation is the lack of diagnosis. Unfortunately, it is often the case that the first time the Command suspects there is a problem is when the soldier is up on charges for misconduct of some type. By then the wheels are already rolling and are very hard to stop.
First - there is (and has always been) an attitude among the NCO support chain that says the Army is not a baby-sitting service. If a soldier can't handle the job, move him out so you can get someone in that can. The mission-oriented nature of army service makes this a practical and straight-forward approach and there are many who choose it.
Second - once the process of a discharge is underway (especially one directed by courts martial) it would take a literal act of God to stop it.
This stems from the fact that PTSD tends to be viewed as either a character flaw or an illness as opposed to an injury. PTSD is as much a wound as a bullet in the belly. The difference is that, with proper and timely treatment, the full recovery rate for PTSD could be miles better. The difference is time and detection.
What ever happened to the army ethic that says you don't leave a wounded soldier behind?
IMHO, the first thing that ought to be done is to create a program for treatment that does not stigmatize the soldier. Then the army needs to add a PTSD recognition module to the NCO academy syllabus at all levels. This would equip squad leaders, platoon sergeants and first sergeants to recognize the tell-tale signs of someone suffering from PTSD BEFORE they screw up so badly that the only solution is a ticket to their home of record.

Response by GySgt Bill Smith made Apr 21 at 2017 11:28 AM

GySgt Bill Smith — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 11:28:59 -0400

PTSD is not a get out of jail free card. If you broke the UCMJ and got discharged you got what you deserved. If you go AWOL that is not because of PTSD, it is because you don't know how to follow orders. I have zero sympathy for those who play the PTSD card after breaking the law. It gives others with PTSD a bad reputation.

Response by CPT Jeff Harrod made Apr 24 at 2017 8:09 AM

CPT Jeff Harrod — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 08:09:30 -0400

I personally feel that it is horrible the way they hand out the Less Than Honorable discharges. I realize that the veteran may have done something wrong in order to get that kind of discharge...but they did it because they are not the same person as they were. Had they not been changed in some way, the incident that led to their discharge would never have happened. Make perfect sense to me, but the powers that been can't seem to connect the dots.

Response by GySgt Bill Smith made Apr 27 at 2017 11:43 AM

GySgt Bill Smith — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 11:43:40 -0400

So... did ptsd make him do it? Should he have all of his benefits and get an honorable discharge? http://wnep.com/2017/04/27/cops-ex-soldier-kills-her-service-dog-while-her-boyfriend-videotapes/

Cops: Ex-Soldier Kills Her Service Dog While Her Boyfriend Videotapes

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. -- A former soldier and her boyfriend are facing felony charges after police say she tied her service dog to a tree and shot it several times in the head while her boyfriend videotaped the act. Marinna Rollins and Jared Heng were arrested by sheriff's deputies in Cumberland County, North Carolina. They're charged with animal cruelty, a felony.