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For many years the United States Armed Services have used physical disability boards, made up primarily of combat arms soldiers, to determine the disability awards given to soldiers who become disabled in the line of duty.  These boards wield much power, and although they have one physician and one lawyer as advisors, it is the “line” officers who make the decisions.

Recently The Nation magazine published an article entitled “Disposable Soldiers”, which details ways that the Pentagon is “cheating” wounded vets.  After reading the article, I became angry.  Here we go again, asking our soldiers to sacrifice their future, their families, and their life, without the support they deserve.  Will our country ever learn?

I remember about twenty years ago learning that the Pentagon had sent a “secret” memo to all physical disability boards directing them to avoid awarding disability to  soldiers, and instead grant them simple discharges without medical benefits.  If the data clearly indicated disability, then award the smallest possible rating, but reject for any justifiable reason.   At the time I was astonished to read the memo, and even more astonished to learn that many physical disability boards actually followed the guidance.

I grew up thinking that my country appreciated the sacrifices made by soldiers, and learned the words of Abraham Lincoln when he asked that we honor and support those who gave their life for us, and their widow and orphan.  Lincoln meant his words, sometimes the Pentagon ignores them to save money.

Sadly, this practice is still happening.  With our Armed Forces smaller than our global responsibilities indicate, soldiers are being asked to accept multiple combat tours and less time between those tours.  What makes this especially tough is that many of our soldiers suffer from PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder ) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury ).  PTSD can be caused by any stressful trauma such as being shot or having a friend shot while he is standing next to you.  TBI may occur with any sudden explosion strong enough to push your brain against your skull.  Todays combat situation in Iraq and Afghanistan put many of our soldiers in such situations daily.

Recently Col. Steve Strobridge of the Military Officers Association of America reported that the services are currently directly cheating some soldiers disabled by the war.  First, a Physical Evaluation Board finds a wounded soldier fit for duty, then the individual branch of the service gives that soldier an administrative discharge.  This obviously immoral action denies the wounded warrior of benefits upon the discharge.  So the soldier, who honorably served the country and was hurt in the process, is thrown out by ungrateful bureaucrats.

What kind of people cheat combat heroes?   Such actions are dishonorable and immoral.