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The report by the
U.S. Government Accountability Office will likely add to
scrutiny over whether the U.S. military is doing enough to care
for troops identified with mental health issues during their
service, instead of simply casting them out.
The GAO analysis showed that 62 percent of the 91,764
servicemembers discharged for misconduct during the fiscal years
2011 through 2015 had been diagnosed within the previous two
years with conditions including PTSD, TBI "or certain other
conditions that could be associated with misconduct."
Twenty-three percent of the servicemembers received an "other
than honorable" discharge, which made them potentially
ineligible for health benefits from the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
Veterans' advocates have long complained about a lack of support
for former U.S. servicemembers who do not have honorable
discharge papers, something new Veterans Affairs Secretary David
Shulkin has announced plans to address.
The watchdog said the Navy does not require medical examination
or screening of some sailors who are being kicked out of the
service for misconduct. It said the Army and Marine Corps "may
not have adhered to their own screening, training and counseling
policies related to PTSD and TBI."
(Reporting by Phil Stewart)
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