Ft. Carson sent ailing GIs to meet deployment goals

January 17, 2008
Ft. Carson sent ailing GIs to meet deployment goals

COLORADO SPRINGS — Fort Carson sent soldiers who were not medically fit to war zones last month to meet "deployable strength" goals, according to e-mails obtained by The Denver Post.

One e-mail, written Jan. 3 by the surgeon for Fort Carson's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, says: "We have been having issues reaching deployable strength, and thus have been taking along some borderline soldiers who we would otherwise have left behind for continued treatment."

Army IG's report points to faulty rating of wounded soldiers

March 13, 2007
Army IG's report points to faulty rating of wounded soldiers

ARLINGTON, Va. — An Army Inspector General's report released Monday details shortcomings in the Army's system for rating how wounded soldiers are.

Among the findings: The Department of Veterans Affairs system for disability ratings needs to be updated to better represent how soldiers are injured, the report says.

The Army Times has reported that critics claim the Army is deliberately giving wounded soldiers less of a disability rating than they deserve to save money, but the Army has vehemently denied this.

Poll: Bush Does Not Support Wounded Vet

March 13, 2007
Poll: Bush Does Not Support Wounded Vet

A poll suggests a vast majority of U.S. citizens believe the Bush administration is not doing enough to help wounded Iraq veterans.

The CBS News/New York Times poll found that 76 percent of respondents -- including a majority of those who identified themselves as Republicans -- are critical of the administration's policies towards wounded vets, CBS News reported Tuesday.

The poll follows a week of Congressional hearings regarding poor treatment of veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

Additionally, a 59 percent majority of respondents continue to oppose President Bush's decision to send 24,400 additional troops to Iraq. However, the number of respondents supporting Bush's decision, 36 percent, is a 7-point increase from a January poll.