Army report praises Madigan commander, despite PTSD complaints
Dec 3, 2012, 8:45 AM | Updated: 10:36 am
An Army investigation praises the commander at Madigan Army Medical Center, south of Tacoma, Wash., which came under fire for the way it diagnosed soldiers with possible post-traumatic stress. (Photo: A car bomb detonates in Iraq. - Associated Press)
(Photo: A car bomb detonates in Iraq. - Associated Press)
Despite coming under fire for the way it diagnosed soldiers with possible post-traumatic stress syndrome, an Army investigation praises the commander at Madigan Army Medical Center, south of Tacoma.
The Army report found that Col. Dallas Homas “did not exert any undue influence” over the Madigan forensic team, which had final say over behavioral health diagnoses. The Tacoma News Tribune obtained a summary of the report, which concluded Homas “acted appropriately enforcing medical guidelines.”
Critics suggested soldiers were given clean bills of health because of the perceived high cost of a PTSD diagnosis. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. called on the Pentagon to review military standards for disability evaluations. Eventually, the Army re-examined 150 patients who were evaluated at Madigan over four years.
Col. Homas was relieved of his command for six months last February and reinstated to his post at Madigan in August.
