With the military fighting two wars, President Barack WASHINGTON -- Obama says the country has a "solemn responsibility" to ensure that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder get the help they need.
In his weekly radio and online address, Obama discussed new regulations that will be announced Monday. They are intended to make it easier for veterans with PSTD to receive government benefits. The new rules will not only apply to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but also those who served in previous conflicts.
The regulations drop a provision requiring veterans to prove what caused their illness. Instead, veterans would have to show that the conditions surrounding the time and place of their service could have contributed to their illness.
Veterans advocates and some lawmakers have argued that it sometimes could be impossible for veterans to find records of a firefight or bomb blast.
