Make no mistake, the military brass recognize that many veterans of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”).  In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 5 veterans suffers from PTSD.

As such, it is difficult to reconcile a recent news report that US Army Doctors are trying to hold down the number of military service members that are diagnosed with “the Army’s top medical officer this week rejected assertions that commanders are discouraging doctors at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash., from diagnosing soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho in remarks to lawmakers in the House subcommittee on defense appropriations stated that “the Army is not putting pressure on any of our clinicians.”  According to the news release, Lt. Gen. Horobo had launched a review into “discrepencies between initial PTSD diagnoses at Madigan and later conclusions reached by a forensic psychiatry team at the hospital.”

“Officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are reviewing the cases of 14 soldiers who passed through Madigan with PTSD diagnoses only to have those results changed by the forensic team in such a way that the soldiers would receive less generous disability benefits in retirement. The review was first reported by The Seattle Times.”

Indeed, there are several investigation underway to determine if there is undue pressure on physicians to question PTSD diagnoses since it could lead to costly benefits.  SFTT trusts that these investigations will prove these allegations false.  PTSD is often difficult to diagnose, but our brave warriors an objective and comprehensive diagnosis and continuing treatment to deal with this  problem which is now reaching epidemic proportions.