Press Releases

Today, Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, made the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, on the Subcommittee's hearing titled "Overview of Military Review Board Agencies."

"I want to welcome everyone to the first hearing of the Military Personnel Subcommittee in the 115th Congress. I wish to congratulate the new and returning members of the subcommittee, and particularly congratulate our new Ranking Member, Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California. I look forward to working with each of you on the important issues facing this subcommittee.

The purpose of today's hearing is to receive an overview of the military review board agencies. The board for correction of military records and the discharge review board provide extraordinarily important services for our service members and veterans. These boards are charged with the difficult mission of correcting errors in, and considering mitigating facts and removing injustices from, military records. They receive thousands of applications each year that request everything from name changes on personnel documents to discharge upgrades.

Over the past several years, many have raised concerns regarding application processing, backlogs, and the approval rates for discharge upgrades. Many have also raised concerns about the treatment of applicants with PTSD or TBI who are seeking discharge upgrades based on mitigating medical facts in order to obtain essential behavioral health treatment. Congress has passed substantial legislation designed to help remedy some of these issues, and the services have continued to work to ensure that each applicant receives timely, full and fair, consideration of their case. I look forward to hearing whether these combined efforts have been effective, and if any additional legislation may be beneficial.

I am also interested to hear from the witnesses about additional challenges they face in the timely processing of applications, and what resources are needed to overcome these challenges. Finally, I look forward to hearing about ways to improve applicants' access to the boards by leveraging new technology like video teleconference.

We are joined today by an outstanding panel. We will give each witness the opportunity to present his or her testimony and each member an opportunity to question the witnesses. We would respectfully remind the witnesses to summarize, to the greatest extent possible, the high points of your written testimony in 5 minutes or less. Your written comments and statements will be made part of the hearing record.

Let me welcome our panel:
Ms. Francine Blackmon
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Review Boards

Mr. Robert Woods
Assistant General Counsel for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs

Mr. Mark S. Teskey
Director of the Air Force Review Boards Agency"