Do you know that our Troops are being denied medical treatment because of a Personality Disorder?

Question

Personality Disorder is a Disease that people are born with or start suffering early in life. But thousands of Troops upon leaving Iraq and the Service are denied Medical Treatment because they are diagnosed with Personality Disorders which are not considered caused by combat trauma. The unfairness is that all Troops are given complete medical examiations when they join the Military. To be accepted in the military means Troop is healthy, period. Being accepted in the Military means that anything that medically happens to a Troop during his or her time in the service is something new, something that did not exist before they joined the Military.
But the Military is denying benefits to Combat Veterans because they had Personality Disorders before they joined the Military. This is not logical, provable, appropriate or even legal in terms of the conditions of services. But, the United States Military is doing this to returning Combat Veterans who after combat have mental health problems.

Answer 1

What proof do you have?

Answer 2

Personality disorders have always been considered disqualifying conditions for entry into the armed forces. The Va has been forbidden by law from treating personality disorders, or awarding compensable disability for those cases, since 1981. I was a Navy Health Care Administrator when that law was passed as part of an Omnibus spending bill before Congress headed out of town for the Christmas and New Year recess.
Personality disorders also do not lend themselves to the treatment modalities used in treating pyschoses and neuroses.
As for the presumption of one being healthy just because the military permitted them to enlist, that isn't true either. In 25 years of service in the Navy Medical Department I handled thousands of pre-existing medical condition cases. In the majority of those cases it was found that the member lied on the SF 89 (Report of Medical History) to gain entry into the Navy or Marine Corps.
There is no quick exam technique which can be used to ferret out those with mood disorders, including personality disorders. So, until such a diagnostic tool is developed, we will continue the policy of preparing medical board reports and recommending the discharge of these individuals for a disqualifying condition which existed prior to entry and was not aggravated by service.

Answer 3

Believe it or not, you don't have to be "healthy" to join the military. In the sense that you state as there is nothing physically wrong with them. This is false. I had issues when I joined, but it didn't disqualify me. People can also get waivers for problems. The only reason someone will be denied entry due to a medical condition is if it does not allow them to perform the duties of a soldier.

True technically anything that is not found during MEPS, and found during discharge is service connected, but it has to be proven. There are two different stages of treatment, and I'm not sure which one you are talking about.

There is the issue of being treated while you are active duty which I believe they would at least attempt to treat. Then there is the VA which deals with treatments after discharge. I assume this is what you are talking about. When it comes to the VA you have to have evidence that something is wrong for disability, or to get life long care for a particular problem.

Also you kind of contradicted yourself. You said that this develops early in life, so in theory this would of been present before entering service which would not be covered. I don't know about this condition, only what you have mentioned.

Answer 4

Given my experiance with the coast guard i find this hard to believe. I joined the coast guard with a knee problem that was not holding me back from doing anything but was still considered there allready. I got hurt while in the CG and seriously aggrivated the problem i had with my knee. I was medically discharged from the CG and now have benefits from that discharge. Personality disorders are difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to decide if they truly exist of if the patient is being dishonest or not. I have known a few people that were discharged due to seriouse depression issues they recieved a full honarable discharge for medical reasons. If they pursued it i am sure they recieved medical care. But it is not there just waiting for you you must persue your own care and there is a lot of paperwork to do for it. I personally highly recomend the DAV they are good people and at least for me were very helpfull and made the system very easy for me to deal with. I am now a life member of the DAV when they helped me out they did such a wonderfull job i thought it was worth the 255$ for life membership.

Answer 5

Troops are being denied medical treatment for a host of excuses and are challenged on any medical claim, including those documented in their U.S. military medical file! The burden of proof falls on the individual and even where there is proof regarding an illness or injury within their medical records, the VA process of awarding claims, leaves nothing to be desired. Remember, the VA claimed "Agent Orange" did indeed cause cancer, when in contact with for prolonged periods of time. How long....never said, it was ignored until enough of those exposed to "Agent Orange", that came down with cancer at a young age, who served in Vietnam, died, thus denying those claims saying they must come in person to file a claim after deciding to accept "Agent Orange" claims years later! More than half of the Vietnam Veterans exposed to prolonged exposure of "Agent Orange" died before it was accepted as a medical claim, although the warning on the "Agent Orange" containers warned of prolonged exposure can cause harmful results! Those that say "Can you prove that?" know, these days it is hard to prove anything when who you are trying to convince is out to deny you a claim for anything, anyway?

Answer 6

You, my friend, are so full of...well, never mind.

I developed a Personality Disorder while in the US military and received therapy while still in the US military. Since my Honorable Discharge I've continued to get help from the Veterans' Administration.

So just what the bloody hell are you rambling about..?

Answer 7

The military only reacts to what you tell em at meps. Anything else isn't checked apon during entering. if someone is sick, they should just let em know ahead of time. cause when you're in the armed forces, and you're already at boot camp, there is no getting out easily.

Answer 8

The exam to join the military in time of war consists of a blood test, urine screen and having a flashlight shined at your butt crack.
Your use of the term 'personality disorder' sounds made up.

Answer 9

I wouldn't put it past them... and it doesn't excuse the military from needing to take care of each and every individual who has suffered some sort of long term damage as a result of their service. There's no excuse for that.

Answer 10

First, personality disorders are psychological, not "medical."
Second, you're making a lot of sweeping statements here. Where is your evidence for any of this?

Answer 11

Um...before you start going off lambasting someone for something they're "supposedly" doing, maybe you should check your facts. Your argument doesn't make sense, and it's not entirely true.