Combat Injuries: Providing Medical Care for all Veterans
Abstract
Throughout multiple wars veterans have been inflicted with injuries, illnesses and disorders as a result of combat action. Sometimes these conditions have latent periods, which prevent immediate treatment. During these periods, a service member can be discharged under less than honorable conditions without having identified the combat related injury. These injuries range from exposure to Agent Orange, Gulf War Syndrome, Post~traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. Legal precedent confirms that these injuries do not justify pardoning the infractions that led to the discharge. Unfortunately, due to the delayed onset of injury, those with less than honorable discharges are released from service before the combat injury sustained in the line of duty can be treated or identified. This results in combat injuries sustained under honorable conditions from receiving medical care from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The current system applies subjective standards for determining eligibility through regional offices and withholds medical care for service members released under dishonorable conditions but allows full medical benefits for honorably discharged Veterans who are incarcerated later for felonies. Although the individual broke their contract or political obligation to serve honorably, the U.S. Government is morally responsible for providing basic health care for the treatment of combat related injuries. This obligation extends to injuries incurred in the line of duty regardless of the service member's discharge status. This moral obligation is rooted in a promissory based obligation to the public and a principle based obligation based on honorable service at the time of injury.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 19, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA601106
Entities
People
- Steven M. Clifton
Organizations
- Marine Corps University