COPIED FROM WWW.CJONLINE.COM @ TOPEKA KANSAS. NEAR FORT RILEY & LEAVENWORTH.
Letter: Take care of veterans
Published Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Sen. Sam Brownback met with us on the PTSD ward at Colmery-O'Neil VA Medical Center on Feb. 11. I sincerely appreciate his time and good intentions, but the ultimate purpose of the uninvited intrusion escapes me. Perhaps a photo-op?
Sen. Brownback is a public servant, a U.S. senator. That is, he serves the public, and I am one of the public. Therefore, it is important to me (and possibly him) to provide the following feedback.
In my opinion, the entire PTSD patient population here didn't appreciate the senator's performance, nor did many of the professional staff. And I am being charitable here. Some of us bared our souls, stories and traumas to a stranger and his entourage in the hope some greater good would come of it. At least one veteran walked out on Sen. Brownback, on the verge of tears because of his disrespect to Vietnam veterans. One had the foresight to decline his direct invitation to talk about his Iraq experience.

This is what I want from Sen. Brownback. Take on the task of getting the word out to veterans about the PTSD services of the VA. And do something to standardize the quality of VA care across the nation.

I was stunned to learn how VA services vary greatly in quality from one facility to another. For example, some VA facilities don't help PTSD veterans unless the PTSD is combat-related. This is unacceptable. All are equally worthy as we still relive our service traumas without choice.

I should be able to walk into any VA facility in the U.S. and get the same quality of care for the same services offered. Just because it has never been done doesn't mean it is impossible, right?

JAY HARDEN, Topeka KANSAS

"I was stunned to learn how VA services vary greatly in quality from one facility to another. For example, some VA facilities don't help PTSD veterans unless the PTSD is combat-related. This is unacceptable. All are equally worthy as we still relive our service traumas without choice."

This is unfortunate but it's happening. Don't know if it's true with all VA facilities but where I am, the first words I hear on a recording prior to talking to a real person is, "...the dept of veterans affairs is offering enhanced health benefits to returning combat veterans..." I guess they feel, this is first priority they are most concerned of? I could be wrong but that's the way I see it and it's a travesty!

All VA medical facilities are to treat PTSD from any military related source. Please advise me which VA facilities refuse treatment for MST etcetera. I will make inquiries and give results.

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBarker:
All VA medical facilities are to treat PTSD from any military related source. Please advise me which VA facilities refuse treatment for MST etcetera. I will make inquiries and give results.

The recording does not say specifics but just what I said. I assume it means anything medical and mental directly related to Combat? In my neck of the woods, there's no VA hospital, just clinics.

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBarker:
All VA medical facilities are to treat PTSD from any military related source. Please advise me which VA facilities refuse treatment for MST etcetera. I will make inquiries and give results.

The recording does not say specifics but just what I said. I assume it means anything medical and mental directly related to Combat? I believe a person returning back to the rear from a combat mission with wounds and or mental problems, in my opinion don't have to prove to the VA where they got it from because it's obvious? I think because of this critera, it makes it harder for non-combat vets with the same problems to get claims approved faster than combat ones? I might be wrong because to think like a bureaucrat is impossible!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ohana10,