Senator Hillary Clinton Reiterates Call for Army Investigation into Benefits Claims Of Fort Drum Wounded Soldiers

New Documents Suggest Army Advised VA to Stop Counseling Soldiers on Disability Ratings

February 7, 2008 -- Washington, DC – Following the revelation today of documents indicating that a team dispatched from the Army Surgeon General’s office in Washington appeared to advise the VA to stop counseling soldiers on disability claims, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today again called on the Pentagon to conduct an investigation into the possible obstruction of VA assistance for wounded soldiers at Fort Drum, home of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division near Watertown, New York.

In a letter today, Senator Clinton expressed her deep concern that we get to the bottom of these allegations as soon as possible and reiterated her call for the Army to conduct a thorough and complete investigation into the matter to ensure our men and women in uniform receive the benefits they need and deserve.

“Our men and women in uniform are not only deserving of proper treatment and care but effective and proactive handling of their medical records. We have a duty to get them the treatment they need and deserve. This starts with complete and thorough compilation of medical history and preparation of medical files fostering a seamless transition from one medical entity to another. If true, the disclosure that the Army is discouraging information about benefits from being shared with our wounded warriors is deeply troubling,” Senator Clinton wrote. “It is critically important that we get to the bottom of these allegations as soon as possible. Our men and women in uniform deserve no less.”

Today’s action by Senator Clinton comes amid a new report that documents have emerged contradicting the Army’s claim that they do not have a policy barring outside assistance in reviewing and/or assisting soldiers in preparing their benefit claims, that the Army did not tell the VA in Buffalo to stop helping Soldiers at Fort Drum or suggest to VA and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) staff to stop helping wounded, ill or injured Soldiers with their claims.

Upon first learning of these allegations, Senator Clinton immediately wrote to Army Secretary, Pete Geren, seeking an independent investigation into this matter.

The full text of Senator Clinton’s letter sent today to Army Secretary Pete Geren follows:

February 7, 2008

The Honorable Pete Geren
Secretary of the Army
Department of the Army
Washington, D.C. 20310

Dear Mr. Secretary:

In my letter to you dated January 29, 2008, I expressed my great concern regarding recent news reports that the Army was blocking disability paperwork aid to soldiers at Fort Drum. In response to my letter, I received a fact sheet from the Army which stated that there is not an Army policy barring outside assistance in reviewing and/or assisting Soldiers in rewriting their narratives, that the Army did not tell the VA in Buffalo to stop helping Soldiers at Fort Drum or suggest to VA and VBA staff to stop helping our wounded, ill or injured Soldiers with their claims.

According to a press report this morning, documents have emerged that make it appear that these representations were inaccurate. According to this press report, an Army Colonel dispatched from the Army Surgeon General’s office in Washington told the VA to discontinue counseling soldiers on the appropriateness of Defense Department ratings. If these allegations are true they are completely unacceptable and I reiterate my call that the Army investigate immediately and respond to these new allegations.

Our men and women in uniform are not only deserving of proper treatment and care but effective and proactive handling of their medical records. We have a duty to get them the treatment they need and deserve. This starts with complete and thorough compilation of medical history and preparation of medical files fostering a seamless transition from one medical entity to another. If true, the disclosure that the Army is discouraging information about benefits from being shared with our wounded warriors is deeply troubling.

It is critically important that we get to the bottom of these allegations as soon as possible. Our men and women in uniform deserve no less.

Thank you once again for your attention to this very pressing matter. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

cc: General George Casey, Army Chief of Staff

Source: Senator Hillary Clinton