At least 8 California Army National Guard soldiers pulled from my company (including myself) have been refrad to our unit due to injuries while training at Ft. Dix and Camp Shelby for deployment to Iraq. None of us were returned with LOD papers work.

Our home unit has been helping, but the process is taking months (in my case even though I have been on the phone weekly and at headquaters weekly) to make process to just complete the LOD process. In my case it has been six months and my LOD has not been completed even though it is an informal.

The system is broken, but when the issue is brought to the state headquaters attentions, it is met with lies or ignored. We are not receiving medical treatment for the injuries incurred, nor are we recieving MCAP pay (which they can authorize before the LOD is approved).

I would like to know how many other states are having this same problem or if it is just California. I am on the verge of asking for a Congressional investigation on the issue. I have my own business, so I have been able to survive, but the young soldiers are being left out in the cold by the CANG.

This has been a huge problem especially for members of the guard and the reserves.

I can't tell if this is the case from your post, but many guard members have been hurt while on active duty orders and then sent back to their units. Once returned, they are being administratively separated for being unfit for further service. This is an illegal process.

If you are on active duty orders for more the 30 days and become hurt of ill by a condition listed in enclosure 4 of DoDI 1332.38, then you are suppose to go through a MEB/PEB to determine your status.

The guard in particular has been doing an end around on this process which violates both DoD and Army regulations.

Below is the relevant section from DoDI 1332.38

Send me a PM and I can perhaps help out by making a few calls.

Mike


E3.P2.1. Criteria for Referral.

Service members on active duty or in the Ready Reserve shall be eligible for referral
into the DES when the member:

E3.P2.1.1. Has a medical condition that is cause for referral into the DES as established by enclosure 4 of this Instruction or by the respective Service’s supplemental medical standards, and the member has received optimal medical treatment benefits;