The Department of Defense needs to reevaluate discharge policies and streamline screening processes for soldiers who suffered a traumatic brain injury or have post-traumatic stress disorder, the government accountability office said on Tuesday.
The GOA found that of 91,764 service members separated for misconduct between 2011 and 2015, 57,141 of them had been diagnosed for PTSD or TBI at least two years earlier, accounting for 62 percent of separations for misconduct.
Servicemembers discharged with the reason “separated for misconduct,” as opposed to “honorable discharge,” make them potentially ineligible for VA health benefits, the GOA said in a statement.
They further highlighted that policies to address the impact of these disorders are inconsistent across the Navy, Army and Marine Corps, with either different parameters for screening for these disorders or no screening program in place at all.
The GOA recommends the DOD address the inconsistencies in their separation policies.
• Laura Kelly can be reached at lkelly@washingtontimes.com.
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