Is the army using "pre-existing personality disorder" to deny claims and insurance coverage? We hear about pre-existing from the insurance side of things, but has this extended itself to the military too when it comes to medical care after serving in the war? I would think something like this would have been recognized before deployment to Iraq with all the training one goes through, and upon return, I would almost bet you can talk to anyone who served a tour of duty during war times, the war also creates disorders in just dealing with the life and death situations. Sounds almost like another repeat of Viet Nam to a degree as these folks are the ones there for us and we should remember that. BD
A Quick Way Out
It is known as a "Chapter 5-13" — "separation because of personality disorder." The Army defines it as a pre-existing "maladaptive pattern of behavior of long duration" that interferes with the soldier's ability to perform his duties.
In practical terms, this diagnosis means the personality disorder existed before military service, and therefore medical care and disability payments are not the military's responsibility. But some veterans and veterans' advocates have been vocal in their belief that personality disorder is being misdiagnosed in combat veterans.
Veterans' Perspective
Donald Louis Schmidt of Chillicothe, Ill., was being treated for posttraumatic stress disorder after his second combat tour in Iraq. His commanders at Fort Carson later decided he was no longer mentally fit and discharged him with personality disorder.
"They just slapped me with that label to get me out quicker," Schmidt said. He said superiors told him "'Everything will be great. Peachy keen.' Well, it's not."
The discharge left Schmidt ineligible for disability pay and benefits. He was also required to return more than $10,000 of his $15,000 reenlistment bonus, but he said no one explained that to him until it was too late.
A Whistle-Blower
On the day he was discharged in the fall, Town met with Jeff Peskoff, a civilian employee in the personnel office at Fort Carson in Colorado, and learned he owed the Army $3,000 to repay his enlistment bonus.
"At some points it looked like he wanted to cry and at some point he looked like he wanted to rip my head off," Peskoff said.
Peskoff, who served 10 years in the Army, including a tour of Iraq, recently quit his job in disgust and is now speaking publicly for the first time.
Some prominent people took notice of Town's case after he was profiled in a Nation article earlier this year. Musician Dave Matthews spoke about him at a concert this spring at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
ABC News: Rock Star, Politicians Fight Military Discharges
And then we have this story that emerged right about the same time...BD
Pentagon says more funds needed for mental health
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The military's mental health system fails to meet the needs of troops and is too short of funds and staff to help service members sent to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Friday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1526304820070615?pageNumber=2
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