Update: 20% Air National Guard benefits claims denied

Melissa Blasius
October 9, 2024
ABC15 Arizona

PHOENIX — The Air National Guard pilot, who first blew the whistle to ABC15 about denials of servicemember’s medical benefits claims, has now been discharged with medical retirement.

Christine Kjornes was promoted to lieutenant colonel upon her retirement in September. She had spent two decades in the Air National Guard when a health condition impacted her ability to fly military aircraft in 2021.

“I never wanted it to end this way,” Christine Kjornes said.

Since the condition developed while she was attending a year-long military training program, Kjornes applied for line-of-duty benefits to cover her medical care and pay.

She filled out the required LOD determination paperwork. It was approved by commanders at the training base, but processing was delayed at the 161st Air Refueling Wing in Phoenix. When her paperwork was forwarded to the National Guard Bureau headquarters, the claim was denied.

In 2023, the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records found she was “the victim of an error or injustice,” and ordered that she receive back pay and benefits. She told ABC15 that the National Guard fully compensated her before her retirement.

“Even though this was probably the hardest thing that I've had to fight in my military career and stand up for, I think my timing was great and being able to use it and help other people,” Kjornes said.

After ABC15 aired Kjornes' story, we connected with airmen across the country. Their local commanders also had approved their medical claims, but they were later denied during a second review at National Guard Bureau headquarters.

“We just had a sense that it wasn't right,” said Lt. Col. Rich Cullen, a Washington Air National Guard member, who had several claims approved, then denied.

“It's either incompetency, apathy or corruption,” said Lt. Col. Mitch Hall. “You kind of feel abandoned.”

Our ABC15/Scripps News investigation found a 2023 policy change that made the second layer of LOD claim review mandatory for all Air National Guard members.

Military officials told us they expected to make the process more "effective and efficient " and to "ensure" "accuracy," but the changes also resulted in an increase in denials.

Since last November, the Air National Guard says it overturned local wing commanders' approvals more than 20% of the time. By the end of August, there were 185 claims where service members were denied medical care and benefits.

Kjornes encouraged other servicemembers to “keep that determination and do not give because in the end, it'll be worth it.”

Since February, ABC15 and Scripps News have asked the Air Force about service members' LOD benefits complaints.

In July, the Air Force told us its inspector general is trying to "accelerate resolution" of many of these disputed medical claims and is putting a "fresh set of eyes" on other claims to "determine if errors were present" in the original medical determination.

Last week, the Air Force said the process was ongoing to identify and correct any potential systemic issues.

“Until I see that these numbers are changing and people are getting these LODs and their benefits,” Kjornes said, “I'm not convinced that the Air Force really has fixed the problem.”

ABC15 shared the results of our investigation with members of the US House and Senate Armed Services Committees, which has the ability to further look into whether service members are treated fairly on medical benefits claims.

According to an Arizona National Guard spokesperson, a state-level inspector general investigation is nearly complete on Kjornes’ complaint that there were delays and errors in processing her LOD paperwork at the 161st Air Refueling Wing.