Mental health dominates misconduct discharges

GAO report also says the Air Force and Navy fail to screen for PTSD, TBI before release

WASHINGTON More than three of every five troops dismissed from service for misconduct from 2011 to 2015 had been diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, drinking or other adjustment- related problems, according to a Government Accountability Office report Tuesday.

Of the 57,141 troops with such diagnoses in the two years before their discharge, almost one- quarter, or 13,283, received an “other than honorable” label, potentially disqualifying them for health benefits from the Veterans Affairs Department.

The GAO study also found that the Air Force and Navy failed to comply with Defense Department policies on screening troops for PTSD and TBI before discharging them.

Stress from repeated deployments and brain injuries from improvised explosive devices ( IEDs), the deadliest weapon in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, have affected hundreds of thousands of troops. PTSD and TBI became the “signature wounds” of the conflicts.

The conditions can affect troops’ moods, thoughts and behavior, according to the report. And their actions can lead to discipline problems and ultimate discharge from service.

In a written response, a Defense Department health official disputed the GAO’s statistics. For instance, Pentagon data showed that nearly 200,000 more troops were discharged during the period studied by the GAO, and the GAO inaccurately counted troops with PTSD and TBI, significantly overstating the number of troops with the conditions.

The combination of errors exaggerates the number of troops affected and creates “the false impression that the majority of service members administratively separated for misconduct had psychological health conditions that would explain their misconduct,” wrote David Smith, a physician and Defense Department official for Health Affairs.

The Pentagon did agree with the GAO’s recommendations to direct the Air Force and Navy to comply with Defense Department policy on screening service members for PTSD and TBI, and in training officers on how to detect mild TBI.

In all, more than 91,000 troops were discharged for misconduct during the period studied, according to the GAO. All but 2% of the 57,141- plus troops with behavior problems came from the enlisted ranks. They suffered from a variety of maladies, with adjustment disorders, alcohol and drug abuse and depression among the top issues. Many suffered from multiple conditions.

GAO investigators also found evidence that some may not have been counseled that they jeopardized VA benefits by accepting a discharge rather than facing court martial.

Stress from repeated deployments and brain injuries from IEDs became the “signature wounds” of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

TOR WAGER, AP Many troops dismissed for bad behavior had brain injuries, a GAO report shows.