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WASHINGTON - Two congressional committee chairmen said Friday they plan to investigate whether there were broader motives behind a Temple Veterans Affairs Department employee’s e-mailed suggestion to diagnose veterans with mental disorders that have a lower disability payout.

Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said he has asked the VA’s Inspector General to review diagnosis patterns at the facility.

The VA identified the sender of the e-mail as Norma Perez, who is a post-traumatic stress disorder team leader at the VA medical center in Temple. She is not a physician.

Temple-area veterans were not happy when they heard about the e-mail.

The Teague Medical Center psychologist obviously has never seen combat, said Jim Evans, junior vice commander and senior vice commander elect of VFW Post No. 4008.

“I think she spoke out of line and I think most veterans feel the same way,” Evans said.

Evans, who served in the Air Force from 1955 to 1964, said he hadn’t suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, but knew plenty who had.

“They’re still living with those memories,” he said.

Soldiers who have served their country and been put in harm’s way, Evans said, deserve all the help they can get.

At the Belton VFW Post No. 10377, Jerry Simpson Sr. wasn’t pleased with the information that someone on the VA staff would try to hinder a veteran receiving proper medical care.

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