US ‘betrays’ its own soldiers

The Colorado Springs Gazette published a comprehensive account in May which showed a growing number of wounded and mentally ill American soldiers are being kicked out of the service for misconduct related to their wartime injuries, often with no benefits.
 
“It’s a betrayal by the government of our young men and women,” Fetzer said.
 
    “As a former Marine Corps officer, I’ve been profoundly disturbed by this report of the Army improperly discharging wounded and ill soldiers from its conduct which is or appears to be a strategy or policy for depriving them of lifelong medical treatment,” he added.
 
 
The Gazette investigated a series of incidents in each such soldiers were mistreated.
 
In one instance, Kash Alvaro, who was diagnosed with PTSD, was harassed by his unit at Fort Carson in Colorado, was thrown in county jail without his anti-seizure medication, and was finally forced to sign paperwork for an other-than honorable discharge, which would deprive him of long-term medical and disability benefits.
 
The Gazette found that there were several other stories like Alvaro’s.
 
“This, I am sorry to say, is completely wrong, it’s completely inappropriate and unfair. We send these young men and women off to combat to place their lives and bodies in jeopardy. Many suffer severe emotional as well as physical injuries if they’re not outright killed,” said Fetzer.