Few injured, ill troops get disability pay they requested

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sun, Aug. 01, 2004


Few injured, ill troops get disability pay they requested

LARRY MARGASAK
Associated Press


WASHINGTON - The military's system for compensating soldiers who become sick, injured or wounded can be as unforgiving as the battlefield: Fewer than one in 10 applicants receives the long-term disability payments they request.

Nearly one-third of injured National Guard and Reserve veterans returning from the Iraqi and Afghan wars are being forced to wait more than four months to learn if they will even be compensated. That is a long time for soldiers who might not have other sources of income.

The Army knows that troops are unhappy. But military officials say soldiers do not understand that their disability system measures fitness for duty, not the degree of one's sacrifice.

Most soldiers applying for disability pay - 56 percent in the Army's case - are leaving the military with a one-time, lump sum payment that some say is inadequate.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news...
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[NMDemDist2]

1. this needs to get LOTS more attention

* has no respect for the people who make the greatest sacrifices for his "war on terra"

[louis-t]

2. Yet anyone who brings this up or

says bring the troops home is labeled unpatriotic. Oh well, long as Halliburton gets theirs....

[KT2000]

4. Bet Halliburton workers

are not getting much help with their injuries either. The RW mantra is that you brought it on yourself and you better take care of yourself.
RW has been successful at disabling workers comp across this country but it has not been enough - Ahnold is proposing the draconian model.

[Maeve]

3. Support our troops

Fund their recovery after their sacrifices. Is that too much to ask, Dubya??

[2Design]

5. Bush Results.....he says results count....this is his results.....Fire him

[Karenina]

6. Dead men and women tell no tales.

[leetrisck]

7. 4 months - no way - it's taking much, much

longer and always has and if they appeal, one is looking at years - trying to get a job, not physically able or you get a job of some sort and VA tells you to go to physical therapy 3 times a week in a town 3 hours away. I kid you not.

[bpilgrim]

8. "not the degree of one's sacrifice" -----------------> IMAGES

http://war.digitalmagicnh.com

peace

[Maeve]

9. kick