Comments on the Feres Doctrine

The Feres Doctrine prevents military personnel from suing the government for injuries that occur in service — even in peacetime. There is a good deal of literature and criticism on this subject. Here is a link to a comment by Jonathan Turley which includes useful links to other sources including videos. Last year, the doctrine got some attention from CBS news when it covered the story of a young marine who died of cancer after he was misdiagnosed by a government doctor. Here are two videos of the CBS stories on the case (after short commercials). The stories mention an attempt to pass legislation to eliminate, or at least amend, the Feres Doctrine. To check the status of the proposed bill go here.

Last March, Congress held a hearing to discuss possible legislation that would reverse the Feres Doctrine. The Congressman who proposed it told the panel the bill was needed to give soldiers the right to sue for medical malpractice that all others have. Here is a CBS report: