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BY AMY DOMINELLO
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – Some soldiers from Fort Benning and Fort Stewart in Georgia were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan despite medical conditions that could limit their performance on the battlefield, the Government Accountability Office has found.
The GAO looked into whether the Army has broken its own rules by sending soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan with medical conditions that could impair their ability, such as herniated discs, back pain or knee problems.
It found that about 10 percent of soldiers were deployed from the two Georgia bases and Fort Drum in New York with medical conditions that could require duty limitations. Government investigators were unable to determine whether the soldiers had been assigned suitable duties.
The report looked at the medical records of soldiers who were deployed between April 2006 and March 2007. The three bases send large numbers of soldiers Iraq and Afghanistan.
The House Committee on Armed Services requested the report.
Committee Chairman Ike Skelton. D-Mo., said in a written statement that the committee will continue its oversight to ensure that all service members are well cared for.
“The GAO report confirms that some soldiers have fallen through the cracks when the Army failed to properly evaluate medical conditions which may have restricted deployments or required light duty assignments,” he said. “Readiness requirements cannot be met by deploying injured or ill service members when their health limitations should prevent it.”
The deployment of more troops since 9/11 has meant longer and more frequent tours of duty as the military seeks to keep a strong force. Any impairment that limits a soldier’s ability is a risk to the soldier and the unit, the report said.
But the Army lacks key enforcement mechanisms to ensure that soldiers are medically fit to serve, the report said.
The report said:
- Three percent of soldiers diagnosed with an impairment did not receive required evaluations before deployment;
- About one-third of the medical files were incomplete;
- Seven percent of deployed soldiers had medical records that indicated they could not perform certain duties. However, they were not designated as such, possibly leaving their commanders unaware of the medical limitations.
The GAO, a nonpartisan congressional agency that audits federal programs, released the report Tuesday.
The agency said it found no evidence of widespread revisions of medical records, but some soldiers were reluctant to disagree with medical evaluations for fear of prejudicial treatment.
Auditors recommend that the Army develop better enforcement mechanisms and create ombudsman positions to help prevent soldiers being deployed with unsuitable medical conditions.
After reviewing a draft report, an Army official agreed with the recommendations and said the Army inspector general was already investigating the issue.
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com
On the Web: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08546.pdf
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – Some soldiers from Fort Benning and Fort Stewart in Georgia were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan despite medical conditions that could limit their performance on the battlefield, the Government Accountability Office has found.
The GAO looked into whether the Army has broken its own rules by sending soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan with medical conditions that could impair their ability, such as herniated discs, back pain or knee problems.
It found that about 10 percent of soldiers were deployed from the two Georgia bases and Fort Drum in New York with medical conditions that could require duty limitations. Government investigators were unable to determine whether the soldiers had been assigned suitable duties.
The report looked at the medical records of soldiers who were deployed between April 2006 and March 2007. The three bases send large numbers of soldiers Iraq and Afghanistan.
The House Committee on Armed Services requested the report.
Committee Chairman Ike Skelton. D-Mo., said in a written statement that the committee will continue its oversight to ensure that all service members are well cared for.
“The GAO report confirms that some soldiers have fallen through the cracks when the Army failed to properly evaluate medical conditions which may have restricted deployments or required light duty assignments,” he said. “Readiness requirements cannot be met by deploying injured or ill service members when their health limitations should prevent it.”
The deployment of more troops since 9/11 has meant longer and more frequent tours of duty as the military seeks to keep a strong force. Any impairment that limits a soldier’s ability is a risk to the soldier and the unit, the report said.
But the Army lacks key enforcement mechanisms to ensure that soldiers are medically fit to serve, the report said.
The report said:
- Three percent of soldiers diagnosed with an impairment did not receive required evaluations before deployment;
- About one-third of the medical files were incomplete;
- Seven percent of deployed soldiers had medical records that indicated they could not perform certain duties. However, they were not designated as such, possibly leaving their commanders unaware of the medical limitations.
The GAO, a nonpartisan congressional agency that audits federal programs, released the report Tuesday.
The agency said it found no evidence of widespread revisions of medical records, but some soldiers were reluctant to disagree with medical evaluations for fear of prejudicial treatment.
Auditors recommend that the Army develop better enforcement mechanisms and create ombudsman positions to help prevent soldiers being deployed with unsuitable medical conditions.
After reviewing a draft report, an Army official agreed with the recommendations and said the Army inspector general was already investigating the issue.
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com
On the Web: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08546.pdf