Discharge Of Soldiers With Mental Health Issues Questioned

11:15

December 09, 2015

Frank Costabile, a former Fort Carson Army private first class, was discharged with an "adjustment disorder" after serving in the war in Afghanistan. (Michael de Yoanna/CPR News)

Last month NPR revealed that the Army has kicked out tens of thousands of soldiers who came back from the wars with mental health problems, on controversial grounds that they committed misconduct. As a result, those soldiers lost crucial benefits.

Today we take a look at how important those military benefits can be to someone suffering the after-effects of war. As Michael de Yoanna of Here & Now contributor Colorado Public Radio explains in a collaboration with NPR, the kind of mental illness that the military decides those vets have can make all the difference.

Here & Now's Eric Westervelt then speaks with Daniel Zwerdling in NPR's Investigations Unit.

Read more via Colorado Public Radio
NPR: Army Says It Will Review Cases Of Dismissed Soldiers With Mental Health Problems

Reporter

Michael de Yoanna, producer and reporter for Colorado Matters at Colorado Public Radio. He tweets @mdy1.

Guest

Daniel Zwerdling, correspondent in NPR's Investigations Unit.

This segment aired on December 9, 2015.

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