Personality Disorder Discharge: Our Fight in 2007

[Monkeyman]

After talking with Larry Scott and others Dave Collins (VVAW) and myself want to share this with you. So you know what we are facing.

During Vietnam the use of the Personality Disorder (PD) was used to discharge thousands of Vietnam Veterans. Now we see it again. Military Records show since 2003, 4,092 Army Soldiers and another 11,296 men and women have been discharged claim they have (PD) will guys the don't (PTSD) and other mental problem is what they do have.

Here a kick in the face. Army psychologist have diagnosed these troops in a evaluation lasting 10 minutes to 20 minutes. Ya right it takes more time then this to find out what is wrong with you.

Now two Senators have step up demanding a investigation Barbara Boxer and Barack Obama so far they have been stoned walled by DOD and the VA. The worse part of this type of discharge is they will not have a disability. But if they where told the truth they would be found disabled by PTSD or other problems. At least then they would get about $2,000 a month and VA benefits such as health care. This is Bush ,Military and the VA trying to cover up the cost of this War. God Help Us Veterans no one cares but you and me.

[jaxx]

1. They're ok to be sent to fight, but not to take care of afterwards.

This is so wrong. One more thing in the bushco war of choice that has no ending.

[Monkeyman]

2. Its is never ending is right . Bush will order anything to cover uo this war

[Monkeyman]

3. Sorry for lack of spelling today hang over killing me

[WritersBlock]

4. How do they justify the fact that they accepted these folks into the military in the first place?

According to the VAWatchdog site, which I found via a quick Googlage after reading your post, PDs are supposed to have been present from childhood. I thought pre-existing conditions were documented during pre-induction physicals? Not to mention the fact that by diagnosing PD at discharge, they're tacitly admitting that they took thousands of people with existing personality disorders into the military in the first place. How are they explaining that away, and has anyone successfully challenged them on that basis?

Thank you for posting this! K & R

on edit - I am not saying that I believe these troops shouldn't have been accepted into the military. I am saying that if the military wants to use this excuse to discharge them without benefits, seems to me that a very vocal PR campaign questioning the competency of the recruitment process regarding this could be an embarrassment that might make them think twice about continuing this despicable practice.

[Monkeyman]

5. Yep Larry Scott Va Watchdog is a friend and brother

We plus other are asking the same thing.

[EFerrari]

9. My first thought, too. I guess the pottery barn rule only applies

to oil fields.

And, btw, there are plenty of good treatments for most personality disorders. There have been for YEARS.
:mad:

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. This is how the Repugs

'Support Our Troops'.

[Monkeyman]

7. Yep and Bush as far as we can see ordered the VA and DoD to cut cost

One the backs of the troops they sent into this maze of lies

[Drum]

8. Kick and Reck for the vets!

:kick:

[karynnj]

10. This is despicable

As someone who has never been in the military and is not a psychologist, I doubt I completely understand this. Are they claiming that these people came in with personality disorders or that a personality disorder is not a disability?

This seems a tragic betrayal of the soldiers they put at risk for this war of choice. I was shocked when I saw the Hidden Wounds video on PTSD that NECN made. I admit that I only watched it initially because John Kerry was one of the people who spoke at the premiere - but the movie itself and Max Cleland's comments really made me see how devastating it is. Hearing Kerry's description of how skilled, reliable and good Del S. on his crew was, then hearing Del speak of what happened to his life nearly 30 years later was eye openning. That the government would missclassify people just to not pay for the care they need and recognize the disability they caused is immoral.

If others want a link to the video, surrounded by somehttp://ksgaccman.harvard.edu/iop/events_forum_video.asp?ID=2973 speeches, here's the link:

[Monkeyman]

11. Any Families Member needing info or help here a few links

http://www.vawatchdog.org
his email is on the site

email-- [e-mail]

http://www.vvaw.org

email Rick Wiedman VVA [e-mail]

or anytime email me

[benddem]

12. Monkeyman

are you planning to go to the DAV midwinter conference in Feb? Last year we met with congressmen/senators also went to the Senate Vets Committee...we obviously were shut out of Buyer's meeting. We need to support Boxer and Obama on this.

[Monkeyman]

13. We are forming a huge Veterans Block

DAV the only Veterans Org that said yes. About 100,000 Veterans want to meet somewhere in the middle of the Country. I will keep in touch and let you know when

[SoCalDem]

14. In an odd way this kind of makes sense to me..

bear with me:

In a volunteer military there WILL be cases of people with PD who would be interested in joining the military..

Depending on the disorder, a regimented way of life with strict discipline might be something some of these folks would gravitate to.

In a peacetime situation, the stressors might be low enough for these people do do just fine, BUT throw in a war, and "katie , bar the door".

In the non-military world, people with PDs often have a hard time maintaining jobs and staying out of trouble, but a military life might appeal to them..especially if they are "adventure-junkies" or "risk-takers".

Possible risk is one thing, but wartime is another entirely. Once in the most dangerous of circumstances, it might just send them over the edge, and if they end up wounded, the military would now have an "easy-out" to avoid giving them benefits.

The danger here is that these people ARE out, they still have their PD, and now they are likely to be unemployed/injured/ and angry as hell..

Look at all the family violence that we hear about after some soldiers come back.

Having a previously existing PD COMBINED with PTSD and physical injuries, could be the tip of the iceberg ..

[Monkeyman]

15. You are so right. Its is going to be worse then Vietnam

Families will be tore apart. Kids will die at the hands of police. They will be taken their own life's.. The Jails will fill up. They will not be able to be employed because what jobs are out there for them. Plus having these troops in combat put everyone there in danger. Discharging them without proof of previously existing problems is just a way to cut cost .

[mdmc]

16. discharge for being gay too

:kick:

[Monkeyman]

17. Again without proof but some bodies word