Army changes discharge policy after lacking documents for 73 soldiers

The Army does not have proper documentation to confirm that 73 soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries underwent required medical exams before being discharged, it said in a letter to Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

As a result, the Army now requires separation authorities to document in writing the results of a soldier’s medical examination and pledges to update any applicable policies to specify documents required for separation packets.

{mosads}“The Army remains confident in the administrative processes that define misconduct separation procedures,” Army Secretary Eric Fanning wrote in the letter released Thursday by Murphy’s office. “The results of the multidisciplinary review demonstrate that separation authorities are reviewing and considering whether a soldier’s history of PTSD and/or TBI may have been a factor in the misconduct that led to the soldier’s administrative separation.”

In a statement, Murphy said he was grateful for the Army’s response.

“I took up this fight because I can’t stand the idea of a brave soldier risking her or his life for this country, suffering the wounds of battle, and then being kicked to the curb as a result of those very same wounds,” he said. “I’m grateful the Army took our concerns seriously and has made internal improvements to ensure that returning soldiers with brain injuries or PTSD receive the health care, benefits and respect they deserve.”

At issue is an October 2015 report from NPR and Colorado Public Radio that alleged the Army has discharged more than 22,000 soldiers since 2009 for misconduct after they returned from Afghanistan or Iraq and were diagnosed with PTSD or traumatic brain injuries, or TBI.

After the NPR story, Murphy led a group of 11 other senators in asking Fanning and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley for an investigation.

Fanning pledged an investigation in December, and his recent letter, dated Aug. 25, summarizes the results.

From January 2009 to July 2015, the Army separated 469,294 active-duty soldiers, 67,697 of whom had a behavioral health diagnosis in their records and were separated for misconduct, Fanning said.

Of those with a diagnosis, just 3,327 were subject to the law that requires medical examinations before separation because they were deployed within 24 months of their separation, Fanning said.

Of the soldiers subject to that law, 2,933 were given an honorable discharge. The remaining 394 were given an other-than-honorable discharge.

From the 394 soldiers, the Army investigation found that 73 cases had insufficient documentation to confirm that their separation complied with the law requiring a medical exam.

Those 73 cases will be referred to review boards to determine if the soldiers’ discharges should be upgraded, Fanning said.

The Army is also cooperating with a Government Accountability Office review of the same issue, Fanning said.

“We look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in the fall of 2016,” he wrote. “The Army remains committed to the health and well-being of our soldiers, and to providing appropriate due process for all soldiers.”