Michigan senator introduces bill to help improperly discharged veterans

U.S. Senator Gary Peters has introduced legislation to help veterans who may not be receiving all the benefits they are entitled to as a result of being improperly discharged from the military due to behavioral changes.

Peters, of Michigan, said the bill would ensure the fair treatment of veterans who were discharged because of behavior resulting from conditions such as traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder. A wide range of physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms can arise from such mental traumas, including aggressive outbursts, memory problems and poor judgment.

Peters introduced the bill on Aug. 3 along with several Republican lawmakers. “Service members suffering from mental health trauma should not lose access to benefits that they’ve earned through their service, and they should receive fair due process when petitioning for an upgrade of their discharge status,” Peters said.

The way service members leave the military can have a significant impact on their eligibility for benefits. When veterans are given administrative discharge rather than an honorable one, they often lose out on health, retirement and other benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would give veterans in such situations an opportunity to have their records reviewed.

“If they have good, solid medical evidence that they indeed suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, then they can get their discharge changed to an honorable discharge,” Peters said.

Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC fights for veterans rights. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To learn more or contact an attorney about your Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury, Mental Health, Sexual Assault, Hearing Loss and Tinnitus, Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability, Medical Malpractice, or Aid and Attendance claim, visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/ or call 800.693.4800

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