DoD: Guidance for Upgrading Discharge Requests
Mary sent us a press release from the Department of Defense regarding upgrading discharges for troops who claim they had PTS at the time of their discharge.
The Department of Defense announced today that it has issued supplemental guidance to Military Department Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NR) when considering petitions regarding discharge upgrade requests by veterans claiming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“This is our responsibility and the right thing to do for veterans,” said Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. “This new guidance reflects our commitment to those who served our country during times of war many decades ago.”
Recent attention has been focused upon the petitions of Vietnam veterans to BCM/NR for the purposes of upgrading their discharges based on claims of previously unrecognized PTSD. In these cases, PTSD was not recognized as a diagnosis at the time of service and, in many cases, diagnoses were not made until decades after service was completed.
This supplemental guidance was issued to help review boards ensure fair and consistent results across the military services and ease the application process for veterans who are seeking redress. It is not intended to interfere with, or impede the boards’ statutory independence to correct errors or remove injustices through the correction of military records.
BCM/NRs fully and carefully consider each petition brought by every veteran. This includes a comprehensive review of all materials and evidence provided by the petitioner.
For more information, the department’s supplemental guidance can be found at this pdf link.
Category: Military issues
Yeah, totally, I…um have caught the PDST and it was real hush hush..I was THERE MAN!!
But you probably don’t know about it cause it was like Laos or Burma or I got it going over the Hump to Macho Grande.
It makes me kick puppies and wet myself when the bushes rustle.
Over Macho Grande?
I’ll never get over Macho Grande
Someone had to say it
Don’t call me Shirley!
I will never be over Macho Grande.
I hate to be cold here, because some of our brothers and sisters in arms did/do suffer from PTSD.
But I can just see the avalanche of triggers that some may list as causing PTSD //SARC
There are some strange triggers. I know I go flat affect when I hear Amazing Grace. It really sucks in church. That’s probably my strangest, but I know that there are some out there that are far worse and far more common.
Believe it or not, but one of mine is candy.
I remember catching PTSD when I was in Osan Korea. I was semi shitfaced on my last day in country and was asked to write a quick review on someone’s performance while on the chow line. I dropped the tray and ran out of there screaming, and haven’t been able to write anything intelligent since.
Oh, I feel so left out. I just do.
Fuck this.
Either Honorable or pound sand.
What is happening is these maggots quit and now are pissed because they cannot get their “share” of compensation.
I did not do drugs. I did not commit crimes. I did not go AWOL.
To hell with these dudes.
Word.
Word up yo
I highly disagree with most people on here. I can tell you first hand that PTSD is real. I met other individuals who were wounded in country some of whom you could tell had severe issues.
A friend of my who lost both his legs got so wrapped up in his pain meds at Walter Reed it nearly killed him. He still had anger issues every time I talk to him. He’s not faking it.
I also knew guys who did their time in country and started having problems later on after the service.
I met guys who had problems in the service but in the infantry there is this bravado that it shows weakness to go to mental health. We had two Lcpls who failed drug test our CO let them out on General Discharges-Under Honorable Conditions. I fully agree that they deserve their benefits. They served in Ramadi at one of the worst times to be there and they deserve their benefits.
My experience at Walter Reed shaped me and I do not question other individuals who have been blown up, shot at, taken IDF, ect (you get the point).
I do agree that a lot of individuals who either never served in OIF or OEF play the ptsd card or better yet they did serve but never left the wire in country.
I will tell people that to this day when I wake up I still forget that my left leg below the knee is gone. Don’t judge unless you where there.
However I do know another individual who got caught up in Spice and was discharge, sent to the brig first, got in trouble in the brig and was kept in the Marine Corps for even longer. This individual claimed PTSD because his brother had committed suicide. I say throw him under the bus. He only deployment was a MEU.
I have seen both sides to the story. I have met guys who are legit 0311s who just feel on hard times after a deployment but my chain of command empathized with them and gave them the ability to seek help if they needed it. Most of the guys I went to Iraq with where on their 2nd or 3rd deployment.
I read your post.
You seem legit. Roger that. No issue with PH recipients.
That being said, fuck them (discharges other than HD).
A lot of us folks did not do drugs, no crimes, no AWOLS and no “Fuck them” attitude because they got “angry”.
Life sucks. Move on and adjust. Its tough, I get it and I know. But OTH, BCD, DD, etc……fuck them.
And have you seen the attorneys these days that hover over that bs to get paid?
I was asked to mentor in Veteran’s Court. No issue here. Then they told me (when asked) that they could not guarantee a HD Veteran.
Fuck that and then and they.
Enough said.
DRC, I totally agree that PTSD is real and is suffered by many. I don’t think anyone here is denying the reality of it. However I see a lot of posers now using it as an excuse.
What the Green Thumb said.
I caught the PTSD in the breakroom of my squadron. My first sergeant decided he needed to show off his skin tight long johns that supply issued him. All of us in the breakroom now have horrid flashbacks of that fateful day, not sure how I survived with my sanity.
OK, that is it … I am putting in for a “Most Honorable Discharge” because I did not:
1. Fail to keep my shit togther during bad times.
2. Crap on the CO’s porch.
3. Rape a fellow service member.
4. Launch a round or two after a beer or three.
5. Sell US Govt Mil Equip.
6. Barter secrets to the enemy.
7. Walk off a FOB and join the Taliban.
8. Roll a grenande in to a tent.
9. Like kids too much …
10. Protest in uniform.
Any questions?
Yea, where’s that e-tool you checked out of the arms room?
Weren’t you only on a ship? Never in direct combat? Therefore you’re irrelevant. No CAR? Even more you opinion irrelevant.
No CAR? Never been to Iraq or Afghanistan? Never fired a rifle at the enemy?
Any questions?
So, you never crapped on the CO’s porch… what about the XO’s?
Another reason to “catch the PTSD”. I have a brother in law who played that game….. He was in Aviation Ordnance, did most of his Vietnam time in Thailand loading up A-6 Intruders.
He did his full contract but got out on a General Under Honorable because of a Summary Court and some office hours.
Wondering if he is going to try to upgrade?