Former JBLM soldiers honorably discharged, years after U.S. Army punishment for combat trauma

A U.S. military review board granted honorable discharges to two veterans who served in Washington, years after the Army punished and kicked them out for behaviors directly related to their combat trauma.
The veterans, Kord Ball and Jeffrey Smith, were featured in a 2018-19 KING 5 investigation after they received “other than honorable” discharges for misconduct that Army doctors said was a symptom of their severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The reporting showed how Army leaders failed to act on the advice of their own medical experts, who warned against punishing the soldiers as they noted medical conditions caused the former soldiers to break the rules. Despite those warnings, KING 5 found, commanders kicked the soldiers out as troublemakers instead of using a medical separation process that would guarantee their access to long-term resources.
The veterans were featured in a KING 5 investigation after receiving "other than honorable" discharges for behaviors Army doctors said were caused by severe PTSD.
READ MORE: www.king5.com/...

[@MrCox2121]

Young Soldiers are held more accountable than the Colonels and Generals who lost the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

[@LIZARD909ALIEN]

I was treated like I was lying & trying to make the military look bad by the VA reps & companies I worked for, for over 22 years until the VA finally corrected a horrible mistake by US Army staff.

[@kfs4869]

And the military wonder why there is a shortage of people volunteering for service, 🤔. Our service men and women deserves better.

[@Madronaxyz]

General Burleson, the general who chose that unfair punishment, just resigned. I wonder if the general who chose that unfair punishment, just resigned. I wonder if this had anything to do with that.

[@martinoneal316]

Those are 2 veterans that have been have given what they shouldn't have had to fight for in this country after all they fought for in foreign lands... the word "inequitable" cited in both cases was too mild for me..our veterans get treated shabbily to often.. when there is no reason for not helping them...and yes I am a veteran...

[@slutmagic383]

the reason was they made mistakes and broke rules. there are standards. they didnt follow them. they were punished. why should tax payers have to pay for the garbagecan soldiers that break rules, do drugs, drink and drive and then blame it on trauma and still want benefits..

[@DunkInHerDonut]

⁠@@slutmagic383because they volunteered to fight while some people were able to see their families and friends everyday during war time. While we all make mistakes, their sacrifices and time served should not be forgotten or wasted. Ukraine right now are forcing their men to fight while most Ukraine men are unwilling to volunteer. If they were slacking and drinking and smoking without being an asset to the military I can agree with you. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@slutmagic383]

@@DunkInHerDonut what does ukraine have to do with US veterans who broke rules, some of which included drunk driving and cried about it for so long congress changed their discharge to honorable... ukraine has nothing to do with that. how would you feel if this guy killed your family member drunk on his way back to base then cried and blamed it on ptsd trauma.. people need to be held accountable. this is a horrible precedent. this man needs to be shamed.

[@martinoneal316]

@@VoteForWomensRights so is yours

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

Good job media. More of this and less biased coverage. Thx

[@jgeorge883]

People need to do better, at all levels. Thank you for reporting this

[@Theortricesiii]

That sucks.

[@panelvixen]

In Iraq a squad leader was transferred for having assaulted another squad leader, twice. Assistant squad leader was demoted and transferred for having been caught with a soldier not his spouse, twice. Tiger took over and things improved as best as he could've. I think he did a good job considering all the situations he had to deal with.

[@irishmike519]

As an army veteran that served in the early 70’s, I know that the army does what’s good for the army and not for the soldier. In the 70’s drug and alcohol use was rampant and though counseling is available, they would punish you first and maybe help you later. Thankfully I got an “under honorable conditions” discharge, I was still booted out with less than six months to go!

[@christosphotiou3896]

I feel for that soldier and he was betrayed by his country

[@9983sp]

Read the charges: 1. Drunk on duty 2. Missing movement 3. Army Substance Abuse Program failure They gave him a chance, and he blew it.

[@paulsaragosa371]

Us military experience in the world s combat veteran who has been there I was thrown into the prison of thy federal and state prison s

[@michaeljacobs8458]

Ya know what the problem is ?!? bureaucracy

[@Entrepreneur4Class]

🇺🇸WA is reliving it’s Glory years

[@Madronaxyz]

This is not about Washington state. The army is a national institution. And behavior like this in the army is independent of which party is in the white house.

[@snowscout1018]

Should do a story about the amount of rape and sexual assault going on at jblm over the last couple years... That's a national news story waiting to be plucked. Failure on the most senior levels. But Noone wants those discussion s though.

[@kreneeh79]

Agree 💯