Discharged Upgrades Now To Consider PTSD

PTSD was not recognized as a diagnosis at the time of service of many veterans who were discharged for reasons that may have been related to this condition, and who therefore have received a reduced level of the benefits they earned by their service. Recently, attention has been focused upon the petitions of Vietnam veterans to Military Department board for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NR) for discharge upgrade on this basis.

In response, Secretary of Defense Hagel ordered that PTSD be considered in discharge upgrade petitions. If you or a veteran you know may have accepted less than an Honorable Discharge do to actions related to PTSD, you may wish to start an upgrade petition.

Start by reading the official press release:

"IMMEDIATE RELEASE Release No: NR-456-14 September 03, 2014
Department of Defense Announces Guidance for Upgrading Discharge Requests
 The Department of Defense announced today that it has issued supplemental guidance to Military Department Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NR) when considering petitions regarding discharge upgrade requests by veterans claiming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“This is our responsibility and the right thing to do for veterans,” said Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. “This new guidance reflects our commitment to those who served our country during times of war many decades ago.”

Recent attention has been focused upon the petitions of Vietnam veterans to BCM/NR for the purposes of upgrading their discharges based on claims of previously unrecognized PTSD. In these cases, PTSD was not recognized as a diagnosis at the time of service and, in many cases, diagnoses were not made until decades after service was completed. This supplemental guidance was issued to help review boards ensure fair and consistent results across the military services and ease the application process for veterans who are seeking redress. It is not intended to interfere with, or impede the boards' statutory independence to correct errors or remove injustices through the correction of military records.

BCM/NRs fully and carefully consider each petition brought by every veteran. This includes a comprehensive review of all materials and evidence provided by the petitioner.

For more information, the department’s supplemental guidance can be found at http://www.defense.gov/news/OSD009883-14.pdf."

Then review the official DoD news story for an explanation and the Supplemental Guidance at http://www.defense.gov/news/OSD009883-14.pdf. Then take over a discharge upgrade, perhaps with a local branch of your favorate Veterans Service Organization. It is never too late to get the right thing done!