In a more than 4,500-word investigatory piece that was also broadcast on the “All Things Considered” program, Daniel Zwerdling of NPR (10/28) and Michael De Yoanna of Colorado Public Radio outline the cases of several soldiers with mental health issues, which in conjunction with secret recordings by soldiers and data from FOIA requests, indicate that “the Army has been pushing out soldiers diagnosed with mental health problems.” According to NPR, data show that 22,000 soldiers have been “separated” for “misconduct” after returning from war zones and being diagnosed with mental health issues, thereby becoming ineligible for medical benefits. Some have claimed the reason is that “it takes less time and money to get rid of problem soldiers on the grounds of misconduct.”
Related Links:
— “Missed Treatment: Soldiers With Mental Health Issues Dismissed For ‘Misconduct’,” Daniel Zwerdling, NPR, October 28, 2015.