Evening star., 1944-11-05
Districts Demands
For Medical Records
OF Veterans Attacked
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.

The District governments prac-
tice of asking veterans to provide
their service medical records was
assailed last night by Col. Paul H.
Grifnth, chief of the veterans per-
sonnel division of National Selec-
tive Service, who said he had been
Informed that one Of the three Dis
trict policemen still awaiting re-
instatement was refused his old Job
because of his Army medical rec
ord.
Col Griffith said he had been in
formed the veteran had been told
to get his Army medical record and
that he had failed to be reinstated
after the record was provided. Col.
Grifath said he understood the
mans record showed stomach ul-
GERS which no longer bothered him.
Both the Army and Navy, Col.
Griffith pointed out, try to keep the
medical records confidential by Civ
ing them only to the veterans on
receipt of signed request, and
even then some information may be
withheld. Selective service has on
cially condemned the practice of
employers demanding service med
ical records before rehiring return
ing employees.
Calls Practice Unfair.
I'VE don't pretend q veteran
shouldn't have to pass an examinA-
tion," explained Col. Grifith, but
employers have no way of getting
the record Of a non-veteran com
parable to the service medical record
OF veteran. Therefore. We think
its unfair to ask a soldier for his
record.
Its illegal for employers to get
records from the armed forces and
If they get the veterans to procure
the records and then disqualify them
because OF the records and not be-
cause Of a physical examination, we
certainly think it's detrimental to the
veteran"
Col. Griffith declared a number of
cases had been reported where vet
Grams had been denied their jobs be-
cause Of information in service rec
ords. He disclosed the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee believes the
practice is serious enough to ask
Selective Service to prepare legisla-
ton making it q misdemeanor for
an employer even to ask for service
medical record.
Admits Records Requested.
DR.. John A. Reed, chairman OF
the District Board of Police and
Fire Surgeons, admitted that I'VE
get the medical records whenever
we can" He said the men are told
to get the records themselves.
Asked If he knew the practice
was counter to selective service and
Army and Navy policy, DR.. Reed
referred the reporter to Commits
sioner John Russell Young. A
spokesman for Commissioner Young
had referred the reporter to DR..
Reed.
A spokesman for the Civil Service
Commissions Veterans Service Sec
ton said it was "a matter of policy
with the commission not to seek
service records although employing
agencies may give returning vet
Grams physical examinations. This
spokesman said it was very foolish"
to judge these records since they
determined mans qualifications
for military and not civilian service.
If a man had disqualifying defect,
the commission oficial said, an
examination would bring that out.
A second policeman, who has
been awaiting reinstatement since
June, said DR.. Reed had told him
his reinstatement wouldn't be con-
sidered until he obtained a complete
record of his medical history and
reasons for his discharge from the
Navy Department.