Soldiers Complain: PTSD Diagnoses Changed by VA

The Army is refusing to release the results of a recent investigation to determine why soldiers’ PTSD diagnoses were changed at one Army hospital facility — and whether PTSD diagnoses changed by VA were altered inappropriately.

A memo revealed that a forensic psychiatrist with the Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington state had warned colleagues against rubber stamping PTSD diagnoses because such a diagnosis could lead to an award of significant disability benefits from the federal treasury. Shortly after, several soldiers complained that their PTSD diagnoses had been amended. This led to a Washington senator to push for an investigation to determine the reason why diagnoses were being changed.

DoD Investigates Why PTSD Diagnoses Were Changed

The Department of Defense (DoD) subsequently conducted an investigation into the Madigan cases. Several news outlets in the Seattle area have attempted to obtain the results of that investigation under the Freedom of Information Act. However, to date, the DoD has refused to release the results. It is not entirely clear why the results of this investigation are not being released.

PTSD afflicts an extraordinarily high number of U.S. soldiers. A recent report from the Congressional Research Service shows more than 130,000 new cases of PTSD have been diagnosed in the past 12 years, and that number may be low compared to the number of veterans actually suffering from the condition.

More Information: PTSD

• What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
• Symptoms of PTSD
• Veterans’ Disability Compensation for PTSD