Running head: PROBLEM DEFINITION DRAFT

Problem Definition #2
Shenique Wright & Natoya Scott
Georgia State University

PROBLEM DEFINITION DRAFT

2
Problem Definition

The particular issue addressed in the House Bill 743 (2016) is the problem of General
Education Development (GED) diploma issued by the armed forces not being recognized as a
GED being issued by the State Board of Education. This goes to say that when these individuals
leave the military that their GED is deemed useless. However, there is no evidence that states
that this is even a problem in the real world so with that being said we think that this bill is
invalid because of the lack of information. According to GoArmyEd (2013), the GED tests are
set by the state, but the requirements for the exam varies depending upon your state jurisdiction.
For example, states such as Missouri, North Carolina, and Alabama doesn't permit DANTES Test
Centers to administer the GED while others like New York and Georgia does.
When thinking about this as an issue, it is safe to say that because there is no apparent
problem, there was no motivation in making the proposed bill a law. One problem that we think
is a real issue within the Armed Forces is Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome among veterans.
According to the article in need of correction (2014), this can be defined as a psychiatric disorder
caused by exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence. The objective
indicators that PTSD exists in different states and communities are based on the information
presented by the VA. According to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2015), PTSD symptoms
have been detected among veterans that were involved in the different war. For example, close to
31% in the Vietnam war, 10% in the Gulf War, between 6% and 11% in the Afghanistan war and
between 12% and 20% in the war in Iraq.
The groups that would have been most affected by this problem if it were to be a real
problem are those that are enlisted within the armed forces of the United States of America. The
evidence in which supports this is based upon the bill. As mentioned before PTSD is a problem
that we think is a real issue and tends to have a significant impact on those within the Armed
Forces. Almost 30% of veterans which were seen by the V.A. are said to were diagnosed and
treated for PTSD (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 2015). The groups that are most affected
by this problem are those that have fought in combat. The problem impact people and
communities negatively mainly because these individuals do practically the same work as a
civilian which is needed to receive the GED, and they also have to defend and serve our great
nation. However, according to the bill at hand the State Board of Education does not recognize
their educational accomplishments when they are placed back into the civilian world. Based
upon our new problem, according to in need of correction (2014), this issue of PTSD affects
many veterans. This issue affects these veterans in a negative way than in a positive way mainly
because the rate of unemployment, violent behavior, alcohol use, drug abuse, family problems,
and homelessness tend to be higher.
Based on the House Bill 743, the problem is present in every community in Georgia and
seems to look the same for everyone enlisted in the Armed Forces. However, there is not many
results or evidence out there about this problem as addressed by the bill. The problem is not
necessarily the same for everyone mainly because everyone is affected differently by different
situations and environment (U.S. Department of Veterans Affair, 2015). People enlisted within
the armed forces are hardest hit by the problem at hand. These people are all affected similarly
because of their positions held within the military. The evidence that we have to support this
argument is our bill because it indicates that this is a problem. There are approximately
23,816,000 veterans within the United States, and about 7% of these veterans are females
(Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, 2008). Based on the problem

PROBLEM DEFINITION DRAFT

of PTSD in veterans, it is safe to say that for this assignment only veterans are affected.
Everyone service person is affected by PTSD differently. The severity of the symptoms and the
effects all depend on how they are treated, where they were placed and what impacts the
different situations had of these individuals (U.S. Department of Veterans Affair, 2015). A
similar problem in other states because if the bill is to become law, it would not only pertain to
the veterans in the state of Georgia. Based on our new problem of PTSD in veterans, the problem
does show up both statewide and nationwide with different veterans and not just in the state of
Georgia. However, in the state of Georgia in 2014, the veteran population was approximately
752,882 with 90,382 of these individuals being of the female gender (U.S. Department of
Veterans Affair, 2015). So with that being said the bill would be affecting almost one million
persons in the state of Georgia if it were to be passed.
The breakdown for Veterans in Georgia is as followed: 752,882
White 483,130
Black 243,661
American Indian 2,629
Asian 5,680
Native Hawaiian 497
Mixed Races 17,285