via MAL Contends

The Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council released an anticipated report entitled PTSD Compensation and Military Service on May 8.

The report came as criticism has mounted over Veteran Administration (VA) Sec. Jim Nicholson’s tenure at the VA that saw budget shortfalls, a backlog of 600,000 disability cases, staffing shortages at Vet Centers, security breaches, alleged neglect of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) cases, and even the criminalization of the VA benefit process.

After a storm of veterans’ and Democrats’ denunciations, on Nov. 10, 2005, the (VA) announced that there would “no across-the-board review of (PTSD) cases,” reversing its controversial plan to review 72,000 PTSD cases.

“The process of gathering evidence to prove PTSD disability is extremely time-consuming. It requires the compilation of medical records, military service records, and testimonies from other veterans who can attest to a person’s combat exposure. I cannot fathom why the VA would require veterans to go through this emotionally painful process a second time,” said Sen. Barrack Obama (D-IL) on August 10, 2005.