Ammend Behaviorial Health Policy on MEB and Chapter 5-17

127 Letters and Emails Sent So Far

Ammend Behaviorial Health Policy on MEB and Chapter 5-17

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, want to ammend the policy behind the medical review board and Article 5-17 for US Armed Forces Members.
It is our concern that service members facing the one year wait for referral for evaluation for a MEB may be risking their mental health and increasing their risk of suicide. Chapter 5-17 revokes te service members and their dependents rights to benefits such as tricare services. We are concerned with having to face the wait time and remaining in service and exposed to service related stressors that a service members suicide risk may be increased, but if the member is concerned with keeping the benefits he/she is entitled to by serving our country he/she must submit his/her self to this risk. We are requesting that the policy for Chapter 5-17 be ammended to allow a service member to kepp his/her benefits and that the wait time for referral to MEB be reduced and reviewed. Behaviorial Health Disorders and discharge are a person to person illness and not all members can safely wait for a MEB nor should they have to lose their benefits after serving for them honorably. Many service members who are affected by behaviorial health problems and the MEB versus Chapter 5-17 problem have recieved their behaviorial health problems as a direct result from serving the armed forces ex: PTSD.

Enter Your Name and Submit to Sign

don't show my name

Add your public comments (optional):
View activity report
People signing this petition:     Browse all signers
I'm an E-5 in the army with about 15 years of outstanding service and multiple deployments. I have been seeing counselors since 2005 right after my 04 deployment to Baghdad Iraq. Since that time I've had many doctors tell my I'm suffering from sever PTSD, even been on profile for it, and that I should see about MEB'ing out of the army. In the past few months I was reassigned to a new doctor who I've seen twice for less then two hours and even though she increased the dosage of my medication she has told me that I don't qualify for an MEB and has advised my commander that he consider a 5-17 as an option to transition me out of the military. I'm pretty confused about all of this at this point.
I am getting chaptered under 5-17 and they are just trowing me around and not letting me know any info thats going on. i agree 100%