Pentagon Quibbling Over Pay for Combat-Related Injuries

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Los Angeles Times
December 14, 2008

Marine Cpl. James Dixon was wounded twice in Iraq - by a roadside bomb and a land mine. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, a concussion, a dislocated hip and hearing loss. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Army Sgt. Lori Meshell shattered a hip and crushed her back and knees while diving for cover during a mortar attack in Iraq. She has undergone a hip replacement and knee reconstruction and needs at least three more surgeries.

In each case, the Pentagon ruled that their disabilities were not combat-related.

In a little-noticed regulation change in March, the military's definition of combat-related disabilities was narrowed, costing some injured veterans thousands of dollars in lost benefits

The Pentagon said the change was consistent with Congress' intent when it passed a "wounded warrior" law in January. Narrowing the combat-related definition was necessary to preserve the "special distinction for those who incur disabilities while participating in the risk of combat, in contrast with those injured otherwise," William J. Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense, wrote in a letter to the 1.3-million-member Disabled American Veterans.

read: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.combat14dec14,0,1772974.story


“As long as there are wounded warriors in our care, we must – and we will – continue to fulfill our obligation to them.” -Gates, October 20, 2008