What should the top three issues for the veteran's and the military be today?

For military, I would list the top issue as being pay
next, family housing, and third education opportunities.

For veteran's Access to the VA, and health care
next, concurrent receipt for all levels of disabilities,
and third, full COLA adjustments annually.

Let's hear from others on this, and let's get our issues prioritized and on some kind of unified agenda.

Im with you Pken, I just need to know when and who to vote for.

Boo Hoo!! You've got a pretty good benefits plan, and it's getting better all the time. If you wanted to get rich you shouldn't have joined the military! And that's historical. In the past, wealthy people were able to buy their way out of the military, or conversly to purchase a commision, gaining social status.
Any adgenda, or platform must have a broader nature. What do you think about American sociaty? And its place in the world?

You have great benefits and I have great benefits, but those veteran's that must live with the injuries/disabilities that they recieved while on active duty aren't always getting a fair shake. Read the article in the May copy of "Legionaire", The America Legion's magazine.

What you imply by your Boo Hoo remark is "Hurray for me and screw you!" We must take care of our own, and they need our assistance. Believe me, no veterans are getting rich. Some are dying, waiting to get medical care appointments at the VA.

If we are ever to get veteran's issues to pass congress, we must be united with an agenda. My purpose was to gather information and ideas for such an agenda.

This is The American Veteran's Party Discussion Board........Is it not?

I'm with you pken. There was a time when these so called "benefits" were referred to as "entitlements". Somehow it has turned back again.

David

I am a Veteran and a volunteer at the Waco VA Hospital. I know many folks who could use more timely and consistant health care. Thousands of our Vietnam vets have been succombing to Hepititis C, that they contracted during that time. The problem has become epidemic. This ailment, among many others that the military is resposible for- are not being addressed with enough emphasis. I, persoanally, have Health Care thru work, but God help me if I'm too sick to work!! Then who's going to treat me? I believe Veterans Health Care is a major issue for the American Veterans Party.

I think its high time our government stops wasting money on these social programs for people that dont work and redirect the money to our heros that scarificed themselves in the military. I hate seeing a disabled vet not get the help he needs why some welfare hog is a wal-mart spending all are hard earned money.

Sergeant,
I suggest you make a copy of your "boo Hoo" posting and retain it during your military career and after you have retired. You may have a completely different perspective if you are disabled on active duty and have to retire. No sane person comes into the miltary to "Get rich" but in defending the nation they should get fair treatment in salary and benefits. I suggest you go to a big VA hospital and look at the patients and talk to them and you may get an unpleasant surprise. There will come a day when you will be amazed at your present opinion.

quote:

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Originally posted by SFCJonPaton:
Boo Hoo!! You've got a pretty good benefits plan, and it's getting better all the time. If you wanted to get rich you shouldn't have joined the military! And that's historical. In the past, wealthy people were able to buy their way out of the military, or conversly to purchase a commision, gaining social status.
Any adgenda, or platform must have a broader nature. What do you think about American sociaty? And its place in the world?

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I was in the A/F 1953 - 57, crew chief on a RB-47E. Never got to ride along. Only 2 states, Texas & Kansas, Only up to A/1C,
Now you people are right. We are treated like ****.
I have panic disorder. it is like P.T.S.D even though I was never in harms way. I thought the air force would be a good place 2 B but it wasn't. If you are not a drunk & not in the in crowd you are going to be treated badly. case in point, I was an assistant to the assistant crew chief in 1954 an a A/2c. Sac came down with an order that all crew chiefs had to pass the 7 level test to crew. We all took it. I passed but the assistant didn't. The crew chief was promoted up & the assistant was to take over. So I was called in to the office & was told that the assistant would crew but use my name. I told them that wasn't going to happen & I wanted a transfer to Lincoln Nebraska A/Base. I didn't get that but I did get a transfer to a Preventive maintence Squadron which in the A/F is considered a low job. It wasn't bad because it was more or less an 8 to 5 job.
This is what I have been working on but haven't had much luck.
We need to be able to use our own doctors.
So they should give us a card like medicare which I am on because of disability & 68 Ys/O.
In my case I would use medicare, then the V.A. card. This would free up the over crowded V.A. system & keep the rural doctors on the job in these small towns. The Gov. spends money to keep dr.s in small towns so why not use the veterans to help them out. I am married to a RUSSIAN & I think they have the right idea on education.
You go to school for free as long as you want up to the highest level. Then when you graduate you serve 3 years in the military. This means every body, males & females. They have a fast turn over & to many in but they do a lot of things besides fight. The strange thing is. If you graduate as a Dr. U may end up as a mechanic.
I also try to get a law passed that you can't run for political office unless you are a veteran. This would keep out a lot of people & reduce a lot of people buying the election.
Bob Dole should have been elected & we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today. I think the politicians should not run anyone for president.
Let Bush suffer. If I was him I would try to be defeated which I think he will. REX,POORLAND OR

Dont american veterans deserve the same quality health care as members of congress? I Think so yet congress keeps short changing the Va by billions of dollars while enacting a bill to provide one billion dollars for health care for illegal aliens residing in the US. To me thats a Big slap in the face to those veterans that need health care. No Im Not one of them But I am a Veteran (6 years Air Force)And I belive all veterans have to stick to gether No mater what branch you served in.WE have to keep on congress's a** untill they give the VA the money they need. And dont forget Our POW\MIA's we must continue to fight to find out what happened to them.

what is this group and how do you get involved?
retired vet of 21 yrs us army.

I having read several of the comments, have my 2 cents to throw in. #1. No matter how bad the Demos scream-they lost the last election-get over it. (I'm a libertarian) #2. Wake up and smell the coffee-Bush and no other president in history has ever set any sort of financial policy-that is solely the responsibility and burden of Congress. You want to get the benefits upgraded-ignore the President and straighten out the Congressman of your district. You would do more good there, than getting a thousand presidents to back you. Hate to burst your bubbles-but read your bloody constitution. #3. Veterans have been getting the short end of the stick for almost the entire life of this nation-mainly because we don't stick together. Most veterans don't vote-politicians know this and take advantage of this. Threaten their jobs and see what happens. #4. Getting a set percentage of the budget like medicare and related programs will do much to improve the situation for the VA hospital-them not being able to count on set funding year after year is causing some of the current problems. Lastly, Read Kipling's Tommy Boy, the problems that Veterans are facing is very well put in it.

Isn't it interesting that not ALL Vets support each other?
I find it disgusting that any Vet should HAVE to PROVE his entitlement to benefits. The government is doing what it has always done...use and abuse. Our Vets and current military personnel give their whole lives to serve our country. The government only sees them as meat...yess, meat. The cost is only counted when expenditures are curtailing the Military Administration's trips, bennies, and pay. Does anyone really believe the military (any branch) gives a damn about any rank and file military person?
No matter what your political philosophies, the one common denomenator is the VA and military's refussal to be proactive...PERIOD

go on the net "veteransparty.com" and find the info. then do something. it is obvious that the present regime does not care about the disabled vets it is producing. the veterans service organizations such as the VFW, American Legion and so on are 501c tax exempt and that tax free status makes them beholding to the issuers of that status. If we do not get involved politically we will have less and less.
one prime example is the VA disability tax paid by retired military. it is spin doctored as concurrent reciept or off set but any taking is a tax and all the courts have so ruled. another example is Col Day meal of honor, exPOW and he can not be treated at Bethesda while Rhenquist of the supreme court is. this supreme court dude just ruled against Col Day's suit for medical he was promised.
remember rome fell when the legions were not cared for. you better believe these youngsters know how vets are treated.

pken,
I have been known to be in the pharmacy at the VA talking about forming a new political party, the "VETERANS PARTY". WOW, is this something that veterans have been collectively think about. I have heard it echoed by many vets. It would be interesting to see what kind of a candidate we could put up there. How many veterans are in the mix now? I started having impulses towards this idea a few years back when I was taking care of my brother Dave. He had done three tours in Nam as a marine and had Hep C and was going through liver failure. I was fighting the VA to get him on the transplant list with little success.
They were telling me he was an alcoholic and kept telling them he lived with me and I don't allow alcohol in my home. Then they started telling me they suspected he was an intravenous drug user, which I knew wasn't true. This went on until my 83 year old mother called our state's Senator and related to him tearfully about her experiences in this country. Her life as a young wife (1st Husband) to a Navy diver, who was deployed in the Pacific and whom she didn't see during that entire war. She related how she sent son after son to Vietnam and went from a redhead to white hair in seven years. Then the VA assembled the Doctors, Nurses and others involved to tell them put this guy on the list.
It was too late, Dave died a week after that meeting, they waited too long. The most horrifying period in my life was taking care of him as the VA wouldn't. I caught the blood he coughed up and went back to cleaning up after him. I loved my brother and when he died I was furious. Watch your mother cry and say " a mother should never die before her children". I cried and I still do because he was treated so poorly by the VA and the country his ancestors fought so hard to help create. I think a political party by and for veterans is a great idea. I would join.
pken you rock!

I am a conservative and I do not like the over-spending that is currently going on.I like to keep all the ssd, military retirement, my va disability and my teachers retirement. But, alas, my military and teachers retirement are taxed at all levels. I will change my voters registration as soon as I legally can. I am steadily reaching my 63rd year and I'm getting very inactive. This may be what I need.

It is a good idea to get involved politically/.

Keep in mind that here are some very knowlegeable and malevolent people out there.
They have no love for GI's or our Country.

The ability to create a party (or 10) which splits off votes from one of the the major Parties that benifets from GI voters is why they would seek to create a Veterans Party.

That does not mean the Guy ot Gal whose original idea it was is bad. It just means such third partys are easily manipulated into helping the people the majority of members oppose.

Be politically active .

Definately Join the Americans Legion and VFW. If you want to associate with a "Veterans Party" have a good time but don't get hoodwinked.

PB

I have been involved in 3rd party politics and the starting of thise parties. It is easy to get registered as a party it is quite another to ever get listed on the ballot.

It iakes a Nationwide effort in every state, county, city, and District.

Once that is done you must fend off interlopers from the pother 2 parties that come in and foment distrust and anger.

The system is weighted to a 2 party system and all processes MUST go through them at some point, and if you not side with one of them they will do what they can to ensure you never make the numbers you need.

That being said... it is possible with money, visability, and a couple of stars to lead the charge.

This is a viable idea as the membership needed exsists at each level needed but would require a centralized effort.

A word of warning satay away from hot button issues that have been ued for decades to keep this country divided. Abortion, Gay rights, Rich vs. Poor, Focus on Local and National that unite people with a commen bond. As with this group your primary cause is Veterns, (I for one am interested in recognition for "Cold War Service" as being service in a REAL WAR, as noted in a recent artcle in Mil.Com 60 remains of missing in action folks were ID'd this year. We actually did die in war time service and many of us servied real time war fighting missions.) Taxes, Jobs, Retirement, Cost of Living, Loss of high paying american Jobs, are but a few others.

I am here and ready to help.

As Col. Moore noted "we dont fight for the flag, mom, or apple pie...we fight for the guy next to us in battle"

Brandon Moore
Tower Rat 1980-81

God bless you and your family Brother. We are treated like a pile of $H!T all the while the politicians are saying how much they support us. Screw them and the lawyers. All of them! We ALL need to stick together ALL VETS!!!

quote:

Originally posted by sargeant_green:
pken,
I have been known to be in the pharmacy at the VA talking about forming a new political party, the "VETERANS PARTY". WOW, is this something that veterans have been collectively think about. I have heard it echoed by many vets. It would be interesting to see what kind of a candidate we could put up there. How many veterans are in the mix now? I started having impulses towards this idea a few years back when I was taking care of my brother Dave. He had done three tours in Nam as a marine and had Hep C and was going through liver failure. I was fighting the VA to get him on the transplant list with little success.
They were telling me he was an alcoholic and kept telling them he lived with me and I don't allow alcohol in my home. Then they started telling me they suspected he was an intravenous drug user, which I knew wasn't true. This went on until my 83 year old mother called our state's Senator and related to him tearfully about her experiences in this country. Her life as a young wife (1st Husband) to a Navy diver, who was deployed in the Pacific and whom she didn't see during that entire war. She related how she sent son after son to Vietnam and went from a redhead to white hair in seven years. Then the VA assembled the Doctors, Nurses and others involved to tell them put this guy on the list.
It was too late, Dave died a week after that meeting, they waited too long. The most horrifying period in my life was taking care of him as the VA wouldn't. I caught the blood he coughed up and went back to cleaning up after him. I loved my brother and when he died I was furious. Watch your mother cry and say " a mother should never die before her children". I cried and I still do because he was treated so poorly by the VA and the country his ancestors fought so hard to help create. I think a political party by and for veterans is a great idea. I would join.
pken you rock!