Army sued over discharges of soldiers with addiction issues

By DAVE COLLINS
Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A new lawsuit is accusing the U.S. Army of violating veterans’ rights and its own regulations by refusing to give soldiers with alcohol and drug problems honorable discharges that would qualify them for federal benefits. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in Connecticut by Army veteran Mark Stevenson. The Stratford, Connecticut, resident is seeking to force the Army to upgrade the discharge statuses of himself and other veterans who were given less-than-honorable discharges because of misconduct related to their substance abuse. The Army declined to comment. Stevenson is represented by a Yale Law School clinic that has successfully sued the military over less-than-honorable discharges given to mentally ill veterans.