Rep. Courtney Improves State's Role in Armed Forces Discharge Process

Press Release

Rep. Courtney Improves State's Role in Armed Forces Discharge Process

After a multi-year lobbying effort by Connecticut Veterans' Affairs Commissioner Linda Schwartz, Congressman Joe Courtney has secured a future role for the state veterans' affairs agencies nationwide after the passage last week of H.R. 1585, the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill includes language inserted by Representative Courtney that will ensure that States have both timely notification and contact information for wounded troops returning home from their military service.

"This is an important step forward in ensuring that states like Connecticut are a full partner in the care of our returning wounded heroes," stated Courtney. "Our servicemen and women should no longer be asked to risk their lives in combat only to be forced to battle a bureaucracy when they return home."

Congressman Courtney initiated the effort to step up state help for veterans in March when he successfully offered an amendment in the House Armed Services Committee during consideration of H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act. The amendment would require the Department of Defense to notify State based Veterans Affairs departments or agencies when a discharged service member returns home. The Wounded Warrior Assistance Act was passed as part of the conference report to the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, which has been approved by Congress and must now be signed by the President. Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman also advocated for states to have a role in the separation process.

"This authorization is an important step to assure wounded and disabled troops will receive the entire spectrum of support and services offered by state and federal agencies. The men and women who put their lives on the line deserve only the best America can give. We appreciate the work devoted to this effort," stated Dr. Linda Schwartz, Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs.

Under current policy, State veterans affairs departments currently receive the discharge paperwork for those transitioning from DOD to VA care many months after a servicemember is separated from the Armed Forces. To fill this gap, state veterans affairs officials are often forced to resort to tracking down returning wounded veterans through news clippings, tips and word of mouth. For example, the only timely information that Connecticut's Department of Veterans Affairs often has about the return of wounded service members is a grassroots program that relies on information provided through a hotline.

Section 1614 of the conference report requires the Department of Defense and the federal Veterans Affairs to jointly develop and implement improved processes, procedures and standards for the transition of recovering servicemembers from care and treatment as they transition from the Department of Defense to the Veterans Administration by July 1, 2008. While this section does not prescribe the specific processes and procedures to be implemented, it does list a series of elements that must be included in the transition process - including a requirement advocated by Congressman Courtney which requires the new transition plan to incorporate state veterans agencies:

"procedures to ensure that, with the consent of the recovering service member concerned, the address and contact information of the service member is transmitted to the department or agency for veterans affairs of the State in which the service member intends to reside after the retirement or separation of the service member from the Armed Forces."

Congressman Courtney introduced H.R. 3191, the Wounded Warrior Information Sharing Act, which requires specific and immediate guidelines for including state veterans' organizations in the separation process. Congressman Courtney's bill now has bipartisan 40 cosponsors.

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