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Military Update:
Veterans? disability panel to avoid debating genetics


By Tom Philpott, Special to Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, October 27, 2005



The Veterans? Disability Benefits Commission unanimously has voted that a veteran?s genetic makeup, which might show predisposition to certain illnesses before entering service, is not a reasonable topic for the commission to study in its review of ?service connection? and disability payments.

During an Oct. 14 public hearing in Washington, the commission also rejected, on a 10-1 vote, a proposal to study whether veterans? disability benefits should be reduced at some ?normal? retirement age to reflect the typical income drop of most American workers as they retire.

The two votes came as commissioners shaped research questions they want answered by staff or through contracted studies to be conducted by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science and by the Center for Naval Analyses over the next year or more.

?If you cannot determine at time of entry into service what the genetic makeup of the potential serviceman is, how can you, when the serviceman leaves in two years, three years or 20 years, base disability benefits on the genetic issue?? asked retired Army Lt. Gen. James T. Scott, commission chairman, in summing up the panel?s decision not to delve into genetics.

Some critics contend that the veterans? disability compensation system is overly generous because it assumes that any disease or ailment that surfaces while a service member is on active duty is ?service-connected? and, therefore, compensable, even if family history is suspected to be a factor.

?We?re not going there,? said Commissioner Rick Surratt, a Vietnam combat veteran and deputy legislative director for Disabled American Veterans, after the vote, which he agreed was significant for veterans.