A disabled veteran waits 400 days, on average, just to find out the date of his or her discharge and the amount of the veteran’s disability benefits. While they wait, veterans are in limbo, wondering how they will find the financial means to take care of themselves and their families.
According to a recent article, the Army alone currently has more than 11,730 Guard, Reserve and active duty soldiers who are going through the process of determining disability and discharge. More than a thousand soldiers from the three branches enter the new system each month, faster than troops are completing it. Experts like Army Maj. Gen. Gary H. Cheek, the outgoing director of military personnel management, believe that the system is flawed and should be changed. Will Congress act?