WASHINGTON, March 6 Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the problems of wounded combat veterans resulted from poor war planning.
Levin raised the issue Tuesday during the second day of hearings on problems at Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Levin said the Armed Services panel and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee would try to develop a plan to cut bureaucratic delays for soldiers injured in combat, including a review of the disability rating system, The Army Times said.
A review potentially could give thousands of service personnel who received a one-time severance payment when they were discharged from the armed forces a chance to get higher disability ratings and more payments.
During testimony, U.S. Army Surgeon Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley said Yes, Sir, when Levin asked: Would you say we have been shortchanging some soldiers?We are going to take every step we can possibly change to correct this, said Levin, who said operations in Iraq and Afghanistan had lasted far longer than expected.
Copyright 2007 by UPI
