The Senate Armed Services Committee, of which Senator Collins is a Member, recently held a joint hearing with the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to discuss the disparities that exist in the disability rating systems. Senator Collins questioned top military and veterans officials about this disparity, and she brought up the issue of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). TBI has been found to be serious and misdiagnosed injury among members of the military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Senators Collins and Hillary Clinton have cosponsored a bill to improve the screening and diagnosis of TBI.
In her questioning of David S. C. Chu, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Senator Collins said that her concern about the misdiagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury grew after she met with a Maine neurologist, who diagnosed a soldier who had served in Iraq with TBI, but had been misdiagnosed earlier with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. This neurologist described TBI as “a silent killer.”
Senator Collins said, “Our armed forces need to do a better job at screening for TBI as part of post deployment exams. What is being done to better diagnose this dangerous injury?”
David Chu responded by saying that the military is in the process of improving its screening to TBI and is working to revise post deployment exams.
Senator Collins, along with Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) have coauthored a bill that would authorize $3.75 million for the Secretary of Defense to implement an objective, computer-based assessment protocol to measure cognitive functioning, both prior to and after deployment, in order to facilitate the accurate diagnosis and treatment of mild and moderate TBI.
A joint Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs tele-health program would also be developed to facilitate the quicker assessment of TBI and mental health related conditions, as well as providing educational materials.
In addition, Senator Collins expressed concern that the disability rating system varied not only between the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, but also among the branches of the military. Senator Collins asked witnesses what was being done to address this disparity.
Chairman of the Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission, Lieutenant General James Terry Scott (Ret) responded to Senator Collins by explaining that his panel has recommended a study to examine how disabilities are determined, and that guidelines should be issued to help lessen the disparity.
Other witnesses at today’s hearing included Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England; Under Secretary for Benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs Daniel Cooper; Acting Secretary of the Army Preston M. Green, III; and Acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs Dr. Gerald Cross.
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