When I first was told about this and went to the shortcuts provided, read the article, then watched the movie clips, I had to stop a few minutes, take a break, and calm down. I can’t think of another time when I have been angrier about the United States Government Veteran’s Administration and how our returning wounded military men and women from Iraq are being treated. I think it is shameful, I think it is disgusting and I think this country needs to stand up and rake politicians and bureaucrats over the coals to insure that there will NEVER be another veteran who has to suffer or go through the humiliation of what you are going to read and see.

Dave

CLICK NOW To See How Wounded Iraq Veterans Are Getting Screwed

Holy ****. That PISSED me off.

What the hell can we do?

Welcome to a government in a system with free enterprise. It's probably along the same lines as getting disability. I have known several people that have tried to get disability and truly deserved it but couldn't get it until they hired a cut throat lawyer that would take a 1/4 of their backpay that they needed to catch up medical bills, etc. What makes us think as veterans that "signed our life away" that we would be any different? Unfortunately, it's a product of our government and free enterprise. Nothing is perfect. What's truly sad are the thousands of veterans out there that have come home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that the government on any level even recognizes as a disability. One of the better articles I read about it was a few months ago in Readers Digest.

I would hope that the same persons who have those little magnetic ribbons on their cars, trucks and SUVs, the ones that say "support our troops" finally get good and angry with our government about this case and others like it and not simply blame distortions by the mainstream media for "bashing the administration".

As Socrates used to ask the people of Athens around 450 BC, "what is justice?" Certainly those who made certain sacrafices in answering the call to preserve our freedoms deserve better. A hell of a lot better. They deserve justice for what they sacraficed.

Mark

All members of Congress get FULL benefits for life. The Prez gets FULL benefits for life. The VA hospital system is broken. I say write your Congress person, write the prez. I have. I bought helmet liners for my 2 grandsons with my own money. If the government can't provide them get MAD,

quote:

All members of Congress get FULL benefits for life. The Prez gets FULL benefits for life. The VA hospital system is broken. I say write your Congress person, write the prez. I have. I bought helmet liners for my 2 grandsons with my own money. If the government can't provide them get MAD,

Stormer, that is a myth. Members of Congress receive the same health and retirement benefits as any other government employee. Here is a link to a Fox news story on this : http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,308378,00.html

Our PR guy is trying to set-up and interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and I plan on getting it straight from the horses mouth. Until then, the video's that CNN has are self explanatory.

Dave

And WHAT, you think disabled vets from other eras have been treated better???-JRC

That's the point ..... I can personally attest to those in the Vietnam War..... and even though it has improved, it is a pittiful excuse that this country can go into endless debt to help others in foreign countries..... but can't do something as simple as providing for our military men and women who give them the ability to have FREEDOM.

Dave

HQPuke-Thanks for busting the myth that has been prepetuated for too long. Every member of Congress does NOT get benefits for life.

The VA doesn't have nearly the funds it should and the system is broken but that is what happens when politicians are allowed to use it for social experimentation. If there is one shining example of why government healthcare is a BAD idea, you need look no further than the VA medical/hospital system.

I know of one peace time veterans that is being treated by the VA for ASTHMA, which should have DQ's him in the first place, that receives a 15% disability check, free lifetime medical, AND a ...... wait for it...... handicapped placard for his card!

He smokes two packs a day and claims he can't walk from the parking lot to the store because his asthma is sooooo bad. This guy is in his late 30s and will be on the dole for the rest of his life. Served 3 years in peacetime Army.
I also had an Uncle (my father's sister's husband) that fell off a telephone pole at a Army base back in the early 50s. He hurt his back and never worked another day in his life except when he was working on his boat, dune buggy, motorcycle, camper, etc. all the while drinking beer from sunrise to sunset.

Unbelieveable - he couldn't work due to his back but he could ride a motorcycle or race dune buggies like a champ. He was on the VA dole for over 40 years. Served leass than 1 year in the Army.

Meanwhile, these guys that are damaged for life as a result of their military service in combat can't get the services they need. And I am skeptical enough to think the political answer will be to throw more money at the problem instead of correcting it.

Maybe troops should get a choice of GI Bill or longterm medical care in the event of a catastrophic injury or wound(s). What solutions will really work here?

I was at Fort Knox Kentucky yesterday, the whole base is being rebuilt with new buildings, new housing, new everything. I think there is lots of money out there, but its going to contractors not vets......lots of construction folks working on a Saturday, could that be time and half? is this happening all over the country?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: armyjunk,

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Stormer, that is a myth. Members of Congress receive the same health and retirement benefits as any other government employee. Here is a link to a Fox News story on this :

I'm not sure I'd entirely trust Fox, or any
other news, to provide accurate, unbiased info. Here are the facts...

--Members of Congress are eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program as are all Federal Employees. (military members are not...aren't we federal employee's?)

--Members of Congress, unlike other employees, have their premiums subsidized by taxpayers up to 75%.

--Members also have access to the The National Naval Medical Center for them and their family, free of cost.

--Members also have access to the Capitol Medical Facility, free of charge.

--Members of Congress may retire after 20-25 years of service (including any military time) with 80% of their salary and the benefits listed above. That is in contrast to a military retirement that pays 50% and uses TRICARE vs. FEHB.

Thanks for the info and corrections. I was angry and when I get angry I get facts mixed up. I have to calm down and read what is written.

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Originally posted by pachesma:
And WHAT, you think disabled vets from other eras have been treated better???-JRC

Yes.. the ratings system goes back to the end of WWII and yes, it was stated that vets since WWII has had to deal with the same BS but it just never made it to the living room like it has today. The problem isn't just the local branch/regional office. They get their marching orders from the top. The ratings system is so out of wack, one person with the same disablities in Texas might not get the same rating as one from Clearwater Fl. Now, had you watched the show, you would have heard that vets as far back as WWII have had to and still are dealing with this crap.

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Originally posted by armyjunk:
I was at Fort Knox Kentucky yesterday, the whole base is being rebuilt with new buildings, new housing, new everything. I think there is lots of money out there, but its going to contractors not vets......lots of construction folks working on a Saturday, could that be time and half? is this happening all over the country?

Doesn't mean a thing. Selfridge ANG base, outside of Detroit, just got a 1mil + dollar med facility, new firestation and million dollar main gate. This, while they were talking about closing the base. This while they are selling off part of the base to the local township. And this while the MWR is shutting down next year Doesn't mean the base will be there next round of BRAC(SIC?) closings. And doesn't mean the px/comm will be there this time next year. I keep my motorhome on a storage lot on the base. I was told as of next June, I have to take it elsewhere.. Time to suck up to the local CG Airstation, maybe they have a spot for me...

TC1- Your right, I didn't see the show. the reason I asked that question is because this thread appeared to be focusing on the returning Iraq Vet. They have combat injuries, some of them horrendous, and should be dealt with, both financially and medically, quickly and with the best medical skill and technology available today.

Other than that, this is the exact same VA that other era disabled vets have been dealing with for decades.

VERY substandard healthcare with a disabilty compensation system that both pays you inadequately and takes forever and a day to get anything out of.

A schedule of rating disabilities from right afta WWII, thats needs to be totally overhauled & rebuilt.

Its not just the disabled vet from Iraq getting the short end of the stick from the VA, its ALL disabled vets from ALL eras that gotta use the VA.

I've been in the VA system since 2 weeks afta I got outa the USCG in 1981. I'm now a 100% totally and permanently service connected disabled vet. And yes, I got my injury peacetime, on active duty doing my job, out in the middle of Lake Michigan. The 18 months I spent in SE Asia in the USN I didn't even get a hang nail.

For YEARS I been telling the unknowledgeable what an absolute horror the VA is, their response was usually "the gov't would NEVER do stuff like that to a vet".

Welp, here it is. The National Shame, the US Dept of Veterans Affairs. And its got NOTHING ta do with funding or money, except to the point of it being HORRIBLY mishandled.

WHY does the VA have SO MANY supervisors, managers and Directors???

Do we remember this??

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-05-15-va-bonuses_N.htm

The VA mgmt team gave out (mostly to itself, they "voted" on their own bonuses) almost four million dollars in bonuses for a collective NOT well done job.

Thats the culture thats in the VA, thats the mechanism thats in the VA. SCREW THE VETERAN, we get ours first!!!

VA got plenty of money, its just the top echelon of their employees, all them supervisors, managers and directors, take the lions share of the money. There's more "pork" in the VA than there is at a hog farm.

Why is it that ALL THE CLINICS I go to at my VAMC(Jamaica Plain, Mass) are 100% staffed by residents for your appointments?? One staff Doctor overseeing 4 to 6 residents. Residents that might have the schooling, but have ZERO "real world" knowledge or experience??

And thats the way its been for a LONG TIME.

But the spotlights on the VA now. And its only gonna get brighter as more and more of these young men & women come back from "the sandbox" with injury & issue.

And I think that spotlights gonna reveal ALOT of corruption, and ALOT of "how NOT to do things right". Job security and grabbing as much as you can is priority #1 with these VA "leaders", NOT taking care of our military sick, wounded or injured-JRC

quote:

Originally posted by JekelKat13:
Holy ****. That PISSED me off.

What the hell can we do?

You can join a veterans group - any or all that you are eligible for. The VFW was founded to get Congress to give some benefits to the Rough Riders. It still took them and other organizations over 30 years to get a VA (1897-1931). It's through these organizations that your voice can be heard in Congress. Numbers count. Join - Join - Join.

I was so friggin angry when this was brought to my attention I wanted to take my classic DR 2 X 4 and beat the living crap out of those idiots who are trying to save the government money by denying benefits and coverage to troops who obviously sustained their injuries in battle but have all these BS excuses now that they are NO MORE GOOD TO THE WAR MACHINE and just want to toss them in a pile like they did so many of the Vietnam Veterans.

Every hear of Ron Kovic or "Born On The 4th Of July" (the movie about Ron Kovic)?

The Story Of Ron Kovic

For those of you that are uneducated about the history of the United States Government and the Veteran's Administration using soldier's as an expendable pawn and piece of meat that can simply be tossed aside when they have no more use for you, OPEN YOUR EYES!

TC, I saw that new gate and its a nice one and all those vacant houses on base. Lots of money for what they wanna spend it on.....