Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, almost 2 million American service members have served our Nation in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, many are returning home with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. An April 2008 study by the RAND Corporation found that nearly 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans had symptoms of PTSD or major depression.
The study also found that many service members do not seek treatment for psychological illnesses because they fear it will harm their careers. Of those who do seek help for PTSD or major depression, only about half receive treatment that researchers consider minimally adequate for their illness. If our government and the military fail to address problems associated with PTSD, the situation will only grow worse in future years.
Tragically, the worst cases can result in a service member causing harm to themselves or others. Most recently, a United States Army sergeant who had done at least three tours in Iraq had been charged with murdering five of his fellow service members at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. A defense official confirmed that the sergeant had been a patient at the stress treatment center where the shooting occurred. When some service members suffering from PTSD or TBI are not properly treated, they end up self-medicating or experiencing other changes in behavior. This can lead to serious legal issues and a threat of separation from their service without benefits or treatment.
One marine stationed at Camp Lejeune, in my district, fell victim to this problem and has been pending involuntary administrative separation due to misconduct. His fitness report shows that he was an outstanding marine prior to his deployments. His medical board report states, and I quote the board, ``His service in the Marine Corps caused his PTSD and indirectly his incidents and legal problems. The Marine Corps' failure to treat him in the past and treat him appropriately has done nothing but worsen the problem.'' Madam Speaker, that is not my comment. That is the comment by the Navy doctors at Camp Lejeune. If this marine would be administratively separated from service, he would have no chance of being eligible for TRICARE benefits. He would have difficulty attaining a job, and it is unlikely that a university would accept him as a student. Luckily, the Marine Corps has decided to give this marine another chance, and he will be transferred to a naval hospital for PTSD treatment.
However, this is not an isolated problem. Many service members may have already lost their benefits due to an administrative separation from the service. For this reason, I have introduced H.R. 1701, the PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review for Heroes Act. This legislation attacks this issue from two angles. First, it creates a special review board at the Department of Defense for service members who were less than honorably discharged. And secondly, the bill would mandate a physical evaluation board prior to an administrative separation proceeding if the service member has been diagnosed with PTSD or TBI by a medical authority.
Ultimately, this bill will help preserve the benefits of the service members upon leaving service. H.R. 1701 has already been endorsed by the National Association for Uniformed Services, the National Military Family Association, the Military Officers Association of America, the Air Force Sergeants Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the Marine Corps League.
Madam Speaker, this is a very impressive group of American service people who endorse this bill, H.R. 1701. I am grateful to have Congressman GENE TAYLOR as a lead cosponsor as well as BILL PASCRELL and TODD PLATTS, both cochairmen of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. I hope that many of my House colleagues will join as cosponsors of this important legislation for our Nation's military heroes, and I look forward to working with the leadership of the House Armed Services Committee to advance this much-needed change.
And, Madam Speaker, before I leave, I have done this so many times over the past few years, I ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform, and ask God to please bless the families of our men and women in uniform, and ask God in His arms to hold the families who have given a child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. And I close three times, Madam Speaker, by asking God, please God, please God, please God, continue to bless America.
