In a release, U.S. Senator Richard
Blumenthal, D-Conn., said that today at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, he secured a commitment from U.S. Secretary
of Defense Chuck Hagel "to reconsider the cases of Vietnam Veterans who
received other-than-honorable discharges due to symptoms associated with
what would today be classified as Post-Traumatic Stress."
A class action lawsuit has been filed in the matter by Yale Law School in New Haven.
See video here.
Here is more from the release, unedited here:
Blumenthal:
I
want to focus for the moment on one man, happens to be a resident of
Connecticut, Conley Monk, who enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
in November of 1968 at the age of
20, went to Parris Island, served in Vietnam from July until November
of 1969 where he was barraged by mortar fire, attacked by gorillas, gas,
subject to riffle fire. He received a high-proficiency rating for his
conduct and performance on the field. And some
months after leaving Vietnam began to suffer from anxiety attacks,
flashbacks, insomnia, symptoms that we now know are associated with
Post-Traumatic Stress, but of course Post-Traumatic Stress was not
diagnosed until 1980. He was involved in altercations,
other incidents, that led to his confinement to the brig and he was
given the choice to leave the military with other-than-honorable
discharge and he chose to do so.
The
fact is that there are thousands, we don’t know how many, of men who
were discharged with other-than-honorable status and have suffered this
stigma and shame and loss of benefits. In fact wounded twice, first on
the battlefield and then in civilian life. First by Post-Traumatic
Stress and then by an other-than-honorable discharge, which denied them
medical treatment for the very wounds they suffered
as well as employment benefits housing, other VA benefits. And to be
very blunt, Mr. Monk has sued you and your colleagues as did John
Shepard before him. I’ve been involved in supporting the legal action, which I hope can be
avoided by your engaging on this issue. As it happens,
you were very forthcoming in the confirmation hearing, Mr. Secretary,
and agreed to review this situation. I am asking you now to commit to
changing the system, because Mr.
Monk has waited for eighteen months for the Board of Corrections of
Naval Records…This system really needs to be changed and overhauled. I
would like your commitment that you will address this situation as soon
as possible…
Hagel:
…You have my absolute commitment. In fact, I asked my
General Counsel yesterday about this lawsuit… I took note of it. I
asked our General Counsel to get back to me this week on it. I will get
into it. I will get the specifics, or our staff, will get the specifics,
on Mr. Monk from your staff, but I’m already
addressing the larger issue and taken a look at it and I will do it
personally.
Blumenthal:
And
if I could ask since I’m going to be running out of time shortly for
the General Counsel could contact me and perhaps brief me further on
what steps you are preparing to take.
Hagel: He will. Thank you.
Footage of the exchange between Blumenthal and Hagel from today’s hearing can be found
here.
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