RE: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,179143,00.html

A couple fo back ground notes:
1) I am not a Mental Heath Care worker,
2) I do have friends working in Mental Health Care both at Fort Bliss and Beaumont Hospital here in El Paso,
3) I have personally seen people seperating being told their problems were 'pre-existing' and therefore not subject a disability rating - even though anyone with common sense and knowledge of the persons working environment would see a cause and effect relationship between the environment and the health issue.
Examples:
- Airborne and bad knees and hips,
- Artillery and Air Defense (heck, just about anyone in the military) - Hearing Loss and ringing ears,
- And my favorite - an individual that busted a shoulder, hips and knees in a military training accident being deinied a disability rating because the military lost the treatment records from an accident that happened over 20 years ago. This even though the military has paid for hip and knee replacement over the course of a 28 year career.

The military has long had an unwritten policy of determining that as many 'pre-existing' conditions are the grounds for dening benifits for seperating soldiers. This ignores the fact that activities in the military cause these 'pre-existing' conditions (which were probably minor to non-existant) to be a MAJOR issue for the seperating soldier.

In the case of Psych issues, we have two problems:
1) The majority of the Psych care billets were done away with in the late 80s, as they were not directly related to combat power, and since we had not been involved in a major shooting war, there was not a major need for them and they could be contracted out to civilians. If you take a look at the Army you would find that the majority of the Psych Billets left were shifted to the Army Reserve. (cost cutting)
2) You also have the gung-ho mentality that sees anyone suffering from 'Personality Disorders' as weak, whinnie, and not a team player. So rather than taking care of their soldier and making sure they get the help they need to be the 'Best that they can Be', those with problems are ridiculed, demeaned, put down for not being able to 's*uck it up' and be strong.

well if recruiters weren't so hell bent on making quota and just getting anybody who can stand tall to enlist and these people go off to war then it is the military's responsibility to care for them regardless of pre-existing conditions. i have no sympathy for recruiters who lie and twist facts so they can make quota. equally the DoD needs to go after recruiters and hold them accountable. want to close this gap then pay more attention to how recruiters operate.

when isthe recently new medical board is going to take effect for veterans from the army who was seperated with 20% or less,with service connected disabilities, i was in iraq in 2003, and was medivac, and was seperated with only 10% for ptsd, while the v.a rated me at 70%,plus 0%for traumatic brain injury, all which has been service connected, i was seperated in august 2004, and on that of that i was given a purple heart for injuries recieve in iraq. where is this new review medical board every one is talking about,help we are suffering out here, we got the shaft by the army

I think any time the military uses the easy way out, every one suffers. I know of one recent recruit that was in boot camp that fainted... not really a big deal, she was actually fine... but during interviewing processes, they decided that she had a borderline personality disorder due to the fact that she stated she did not think she wanted to stay in. So, basically, you have to be crazy NOT to want to be in the military! LOL! She would not have been good in the military... I would have to say most people in this world would not do good in the military. But does that mean they have to have a personality disorder? No, it just means they don't cut it for service. That is why the rest of us volunteer. So those who shouldnt' DON'T!

This is the main reason why I never went to sick call while on active duty for 20 years to get treated for depression. Just had to suck it up and ride it out for fear of being kicked out. Then when I retired, I went to VA and got 40 percent.

I am an Air Force Veteran who was separated from the Air Force for personality disorder. It was in no way a preexisting condition, it was an excuse for me to leave.

From day one of my first duty station, my supervisors required me to find my own way from the barracks to work. A distance of over 60 miles. I entered without a driver's license and with the intent plan to save up money for my first car while serving. As some of you might know, an E-2 pay grade is great for such a savings plan, but not necessarily if you spend it on a vehicle immediately.

At first they said to wake everyone else up in my squadron every morning to ask for a ride. Eventually I found others who were going in the same direction regularly and got rides with them, but their supervisors were lenient and didn't mind them being 15 minutes late while my supervisors demanded I arrive a half hour early.

My supervisors eventually punished me for being late because of them and the only way out of more trouble was to buy a vehicle. I asked for help with everything up to this point and received none and here I had to not only ask for car buying advice but also for driving instructions. My Boss's Boss was the first person I asked for this favor and he suggested I ask everyone else first. Everyone declined to help as usual. I got loud about the subject, but not indignant or disrespectful, and the next thing I got was a public reprimand for not asking him first... I chose not to correct him at the time.

So, I prolonged the issue by constantly getting backed up more and more in dept on an $8000 vehicle. Not a penny of help was given to accommodate wear and tear, gas, or the dept on the vehicle. I eventually heard word from above that discipline would soon be in order for not being able to pay off my depts.

No one I worked with was supportive or caring and my family back home was pretty much of the same attitude. I tried to climb the chain of command on the issue and made it to the wing commander. I heard warnings and insinuations that I would regret wasting more time from all of the superiors involved. Then one day, conveniently 2 months before my 3 year service mark, my commander offered me the chance out and it seemed like my only option to survive the long haul from my vantage point.

I told the psychologist evaluating me everything, but he only needed me to say that I was "stressed." I know I'm not the only one who went through this. Hopefully those of us who went through these problems will eventually have a chance at retribution. Seeing the personality disorder excuse lose credibility might be the beginning of that.