Last November, Klobuchar and 11 of her colleagues sent a letter to the U.S. Army calling for a full U.S. Army Inspector General investigation into allegations of wrongful discharge of servicemembers with mental health disorders and expressing concern that the dismissed soldiers did not receive the critical retirement, health care, and employment benefits that they need and deserve

In response to the letter, the Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning has conceded that the Army did not have proper documentation for 73 discharged soldiers who were recently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and referred those soldiers to an Army Review Board to determine if a higher discharge is warranted; In addition to reviewing past discharges, the Army committed to changing related procedures and practices going forward

WASHINGTON, DC – Following efforts from U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, the U.S. Army has announced that it will update practices and procedures for discharged servicemembers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Last November, Klobuchar and 11 of her colleagues sent a letter to the U.S. Army calling for a full U.S. Army Inspector General investigation into allegations of wrongful discharge of servicemembers with mental health disorders and expressing concern that the dismissed soldiers did not receive the critical retirement, health care, and employment benefits that they need and deserve. In response to the letter, the Secretary of the Army Eric K. Fanning has conceded that the Army did not have proper documentation for 73 discharged soldiers who were recently diagnosed with PTSD or TBI and referred those soldiers to an Army Review Board to determine if a higher discharge is warranted. In addition to reviewing past discharges, the Army committed to changing procedures and practices going forward.

“When we ask our young men and women to fight in defense of our nation, we make a promise that we will take care of them when they return. Our veterans returning home with PTSD or brain injuries should not be subjected to wrongful discharge and stripped of the benefits they earned and greatly need,” Klobuchar said. “As a nation, we have an obligation to support those who have sacrificed for us. I appreciate that the Army heeded our calls for an investigation and are now taking measures to improve their procedures and practices. I will continue to fight for our veterans to receive the support they deserve.”

Last year’s letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Tim Kaine (D-VA).

Klobuchar has worked in a bipartisan manner to modernize G.I. Bill benefits for our troops and to strengthen funding veterans’ health care, including service related injuries related to Burn Pits and Agent Orange exposure. She is a co-sponsor of the Veterans Education Relief and Restoration Act of 2015, which would ensure that if a veteran is forced to discontinue school because of a college’s closure and the veteran did not receive transfer credits, the veteran’s GI Bill benefits will not be reduced. Klobuchar has also authored bipartisan bills on behalf of our nation’s veterans and their families to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, expand job training and employment opportunities, cut red tape and wait times for veterans scheduling appointments at VA Medical Facilities, and to reduce veterans’ homelessness.

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