DoD Overhauling Disability Evaluation System

[benddem]

since this came from DOD website, I'm not sure of its accuracy, but it is about time
By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2007 – The Defense Department is putting in place reforms to its disability evaluation system and working to ensure the decisions of the Disability Advisory Council are fast and fair, Pentagon officials said today.

The system is used to evaluate servicemembers’ disabilities and separate or retain them, as appropriate. Servicemembers who are separated with at least a 30 percent disability rating receive disability retirement pay, medical benefits and commissary privileges. With a rating below 30 percent, veterans receive severance pay, but no benefits.

In the past, each service had its own disability evaluation system. Now DoD has put in place an overarching DoD-level framework with a single information system, Pentagon officials said. Each service manages its caseload under that framework.

The war on terrorism has taxed the system, officials said. Medical and transportation advances have allowed more servicemembers to survive more serious wounds than in previous wars. In fiscal 2006, service eligibility board caseloads were 13,162 for the Army, 5,684 for the naval services, and 4,139 for the Air Force. In 2001, the numbers were: 7,218 for the Army, 4,999 for the naval services and 2,816 in the Air Force.

DoD officials acknowledge that servicemembers have complaints about the system. According to recent media reports, servicemembers have complained that the military services are not consistent in evaluations and do not follow the Department of Veterans Affairs schedule of rating disabilities. They say it takes too long for evaluations to be processed, the process is unnecessarily complicated, and personnel running the system are inadequately trained in its nuances.

http://www.defenselink.mil/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=3151

[Monkeyman]

1. I will check it out

[havocmom]

2. and with neglected highway system, too many disabled vets will have crumbling bridges for roofs

The corporate war profiteers need to be cut off the federal teet and money spent on PEOPLE who sacrificed for the military instead of fucking gadgets with high mark-ups.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Under this maladministration, reform = DESTROY

You can bet the new system will simply declare many more vets "not disabled" or their disabilities "not due to service".

[Monkeyman]

4. You got it just checked with the people I know

It goes along with the new way to say its non combat related.

[benddem]

5. crap

I thought maybe it was going to end the discrepancy between the services rating systems.

[Monkeyman]

6. I wish you where right

They just want a way to keep denying care

[Monkeyman]

7. Larry got it check it out

He gives a pretty good reason why it was done today

http://www.vawatchdog.org