Categories: Fedweek

Concerns Raised Over Employees Sent to War Zones

The House Armed Services Committee has expressed concerns about how federal employees who are injured or become ill in combat zones, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, are treated medically after returning home. The report says that about 10,000 federal employees have served in those countries in the last seven years to support security, political, and economic development—a number separate from the many thousands of employees who have been mobilized into active military duty and sent there. A report said that civilians face challenges in receiving proper medical treatment for their wounds, approval for admission to military treatment facilities and help with the process of filing workers’ compensation claims once they return. While returning DoD employees are eligible to continue receiving care at military facilities, there is a "lack of understanding" by those facilities regarding that policy. In addition, non-DoD employees are not eligible and they may not get the specialized care for combat-type injuries since civilian facilities lack the expertise that military facilities have in those areas, committee members said.

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