Truthout: Pentagon May Be Shorting Troop Benefits

[babylonsister]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042307T.shtml

Pentagon May Be Shorting Troop Benefits
By Hope Yen
The Associated Press

Monday 23 April 2007

Washington - An injured soldier's disability should be determined by Veterans Affairs officials - and not the Pentagon - because the Army might be shortchanging troops, a presidential commission was told on Monday.

At a public meeting, the nine-member commission on veterans care chaired by former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala delved into ways to cut down on paperwork and problems in the disability ratings system.

Under the current system, each of the armed services assign ratings to service members when they become injured. The ratings determine whether the service member is discharged from active service and if so, the amount of disability benefits to which he or she is entitled. The VA operates a separate system to determine benefits for retired veterans.

Critics say the Army rates its injured soldiers at a lower level of disability compared with the other armed services and the VA so it can save on the costs of disability payments.

Veterans groups urged the commission to make a change so injured soldiers aren't underpaid disability benefits.

Such a proposal would be a major shift in how disability benefits are administered, with both critics and supporters acknowledging it would likely add significantly to costs since the VA takes into account all the disabilities a soldier has - not just one.

more...

[Karenina]

1. Not "may be"

unless it depends upon what IS means...

[babylonsister]

2. Sigh. I know. Of all the things to get worked up about, the treatment

the soldiers are getting (or not) is my Achilles heel. I cannot get over the idea that they're being treated as chattel instead of human beings. :(

[Horse with no Name]

3. Honestly I believe they are running the troops into the ground

Hoping to use them then cast them off.
I don't BELIEVE this administrations cares one smidgen for the troops.
I don't believe that they care if they live or die. IF they did, these crazy 4-5 deployments, stop losses, no concern for family issues would not exist.
Use-Abuse-Lose...that is the preferential method employed by Bush to the troops.

[babylonsister]

4. The less left alive, the less money spent. Sorry, but that's how they're

acting.

[Horse with no Name]

5. That's my perception as well. n/t