5-13 Discharges

[jenarelJAM]

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20070409&s=kors

The article's almost two months old, but this is the first I've heard of it. This is what our troops are coming home to. Dispicable. :cuss:

God Bless the Troops.

[Dark Side]

I know it's not anywhere near the same, but as a Aircraft maintainer in the AF you "lose" some baseline medical paperwork at the 15 year mark. I know of a great deal of people to get cheated out of disability money because of it.

[SCpoloRicker]

I, for one, am shocked that the military would cut corners when it comes to the treatment of it's personnel. :rolleyes:

I support Unmet Needs, a non-profit group that R. Lee Emery is associated with that tries to fill some of the gaps for our warriors in need. I'd suggest you do the same, or find another (of many) organizations that try to help.

[iambored]

This doesn't surprise me at all. Our government and its military cheating citizens out of their well-earned dollars. Sounds like this time the Army lost some funding...
And I can tell you that there is no current personality disorder that would cause an individual to risk death on a battlefield. The closest the Army could argue would be Anti-Social Personallity Disorder or Malignant Narrcism, but neither would stand up in a court against a good lawyer.

[Army]

First, consider the source of that article, then figure out the reality for yourselves.

[Lohman446]

This doesn't surprise me at all. Our government and its military cheating citizens out of their well-earned dollars. Sounds like this time the Army lost some funding...
And I can tell you that there is no current personality disorder that would cause an individual to risk death on a battlefield. The closest the Army could argue would be Anti-Social Personallity Disorder or Malignant Narrcism, but neither would stand up in a court against a good lawyer.

Psychologist? Any training in the field? Source?

[jenarelJAM]

First, consider the source of that article, then figure out the reality for yourselves.
I'm sorry, but there are enough specific examples to make me believe it. If it were only for one person, I would consider it a "mistake" and would expect it to be addressed in time. But it's the government, so I'll extend that to a thousand people. That's still a fairly small mistake. But I see this as a BIG mistake. And not an accidental one. I'd rather our taxpayer dollars go to this than to some other things.

[Lohman446]

I'm sorry, but there are enough specific examples to make me believe it. If it were only for one person, I would consider it a "mistake" and would expect it to be addressed in time. But it's the government, so I'll extend that to a thousand people. That's still a fairly small mistake. But I see this as a BIG mistake. And not an accidental one. I'd rather our taxpayer dollars go to this than to some other things.

They elude to other cases. You only have one specific example given - maybe one more I could have missed. The writer did a good job of letting you assume it was not isolated without citing any other specific examples. Not to say that it might not be true, but don't mistake such for "specific examples".

[SCpoloRicker]

First, consider the source of that article, then figure out the reality for yourselves.

Suck it, libs. :rolleyes:

C'mon, Army, it wouldn't kill you to acknowledge that we could do a better job of supporting wounded vets. I know that our survivability is way up from any previous conflict, but we need to care for these guys once they get back as well.

[jenarelJAM]

They elude to other cases. You only have one specific example given - maybe one more I could have missed. The writer did a good job of letting you assume it was not isolated without citing any other specific examples. Not to say that it might not be true, but don't mistake such for "specific examples".
Actually, Joshua Kors came into my journalism class today (he graduated from my school) and talked to us. He is probably going to be asked to testify in court to what he has researched. The Nation gave him free reign with the story, he was given as much space as he wanted. He took seven pages, which is an incredible amount of space. This is a big deal. It also landed him a job as a producer at ABC7's Nightline. He's been working on the article for the last eight months. This is really happening.
And it's extremely obvious, since 5-13 is a discharge specifically for this purpose. Soldiers are screened for personality disorders both when they join the army and again when they deploy for Iraq. Saying the conditions were "preexisting" while previously stable people with physical wounds are discharged with a personality disorder and therefore no medical benefits is criminal. I for one am glad the Surgeon General is going to be held accountable.

[Lohman446]

I'm going to agree that announcing anyone who has been involved in direct combat to have a personality disorder and then go as far to announce that it was existing before combat seems to be a major problem.

I'm sorry, but if you have seen direct combat, and something has "snapped" we, as a whole, owe you something for as long as it takes.

The second side of that is simple. Do you really want combat trained, combat hardened vets - who may have issues holding steady employment because of the problems they have seen, who have "personality disorders" desperate for anything? The public good demands the military to take some responsibility for the lethal training that it has provided to these young people as well as the situations that can be mind and personality altering it has put them in. Especially if they had "anti-social personality disorders" before that.

Well I understand that the vast majority of those involved come through situations such as those described, we have to be aware of those that do not, and it is our duty to support them, it is the duty of our government as well. For most people involved military experience is a positive experience overall. That being said, we need to be supportive of those who do not "come through it" ok. Supporting our troops is more than a bumper sticker, its more than some yellow ribbon tied to a tree.