WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– U.S. Senator Michael Bennet’s bill to learn more about mental health issues in the military and their connection to certain types of discharges was included Thursday, May 22, in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2014, which was passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Some members of our Colorado veterans community have told us about service members who are losing their benefits because of behavior related to mental health issues,” said Bennet, D-Colorado. “However, we don’t currently have the hard facts to determine the extent of these discharges or the appropriate path forward. This GAO report will help us learn more about the issue and provide a foundation for potential policy changes.”
“We’re grateful to Senator Mark Udall, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, for working so hard to help get this bill included in the NDAA,” Bennet added.
Bennet’s bill stems from concerns brought to him by Colorado veterans, including some members of his Veterans Working Group, who believe some service members may be receiving less than Honorable discharges due to behavior related to mental trauma, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Frequently, a less than Honorable discharge can result in a loss of some Veterans benefits for the service member.
Bennet’s bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to explore whether service members are being discharged for conduct related to PTSD or other mental health issues. The report would seek information about protocols, training, counseling, and treatments that are in place.
The bill requests GAO to conduct an inquiry surrounding questions in four categories:
- Assessment Process: The GAO will report back on how each branch of the military is considering the effects of mental and physical trauma related to PTSD and other behavioral health issues for service members who are being considered for discharge due to misconduct. The investigation will also look into how the Department of Defense is monitoring compliance with these assessment processes.
- Training: The inquiry will seek information on training available to staff, including commanders, junior officers, and noncommissioned officers, on the symptoms of mental and physical trauma in service members and how to identify them.
- Treatment: The bill requests data on whether and how often service members discharged for misconduct receive treatment for mental or physical trauma related to PTSD or other behavioral health issues. It also seeks data on how many of these service members receive discharges that disqualify them from receiving VA health care or disability benefits.
- Counseling as Related to Benefits: Finally, the GAO will seek information on whether or not service members are counseled on the loss of VA health care and disability benefits prior to accepting a Chapter 10 discharge instead of a trial by court martial.
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Preceding provided by U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet
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My son, Sgt. Derek Tope, is a 3 time deployed (front line), decorated, combat injured, combat medic/infantryman.
During his service; multiple concussions were ignored, gunshot wounds were self treated, PTSD was treated with medication, and for more than 7 years he was prescribed percocet (as needed for pain) for chronic kidney stones.
In May of 2012 (just a few months out of his 3rd deployment) he was criminalized for a first time, non-violent incident. He attempted suicide the day after he was incarcerated.
Problems with the VA are just the outward indication of a problem that is originating in active duty medical mismanagement.
Most active duty enlisted military are discharged with limited evaluations or directives for continuity of care, and others are criminalized for behavior related to PTS/TBI.
Men and women who show signs of PTS/TBI are not identified by commanders for treatment; instead, they are seen as a burden rather than an asset and purged through criminalization or pre-existing behavior disorders.
My son has never been flagged for bad conduct. On the contrary, he has been praised for his exemplary bravery, attention to detail, and dedication to his men.
In March of this year, more than a year after he was incarcerated, he was finally taken to the TBI clinic at Balboa Hospital in San Diego for evaluation. His doctors immediately identified that he needed treatment for PTSD, verified TBI incidents, and started testing for Post-concussion syndrome—which they have now confirmed.
The military is criminally implicit in his medical mismanagement.