E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSPresident Barack Obama addresses the troops in Afghanistan, thanking them for their sacrifice and accomplishments.
President Obama may face challenges to deliver on his promise that the U.S. will look after troops and their families as combat operations in Afghanistan come to an end.
“When you get home, we are going to be there for you when you’re in uniform and we will stay there for you when you’re out of uniform, because you’ve earned it,” he told troops at Bagram Air Base on Tuesday.
Fulfilling the president's promise will require the cooperation of a system that is already strained by current demand for veterans’ services and benefits.
Of the 91,000 troops currently in Afghanistan, 23,000 will return to the U.S. by the end of the summer; the remaining 68,000 will gradually come home through December 2014. Many of these veterans will immediately require mental health, disability, education, employment and medical services, but these resources are under varying degrees of strain.
A recent analysis performed by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, for example, found that 49 percent of veterans receive a comprehensive mental health evaluation within 14 days -- it took an average of 50 days for the remaining patients. As of March 31, the VA was considering 897,556 claims for disability benefits; nearly 590,000 of those had been pending for more than 125 days.
“The concern is always there -- will they be able to meet a growing demand when there’s already so much work to be done -- but we’re encouraged by the signals we’ve seen so far from the administration,” Jay Agg, national communications director of the advocacy organization AMVETS, told msnbc.com.
Among those positive signs, according to Agg, is the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which the president signed last November. The bill includes tax credits for companies that hire unemployed veterans and veterans with disabilities related to their service. The unemployment rate for veterans who served since September 2001 was 12.1 percent in 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In an effort to reduce the unemployment rate among veterans and their spouses, job fairs sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are being held around the country in partnership with NBC News. NBC's Chris Jansing reports.
Agg also cited the administration’s recent move to protect the VA budget from automatic cuts that will be triggered should Congress fail to reduce the deficit this year.
Lawrence J. Korb, a senior fellow for the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, said that with the current VA funding intact, the challenge will be serving a population of veterans that keeps getting larger. In 2011, the VA provided specialty mental health services to 1.3 million veterans.
“It’s going to be a question of capacity,” Korb said. “Do they have enough doctors and people?”
The agency announced last month that it would add 1,600 mental health care clinicians nationwide to its work force of 20,590 in order to counter a shortage that has led to long wait times for appointments and evaluations.
In a national speech to the American people, President Obama says, "I'd like to tell you how we will complete our mission and end the war in Afghanistan. Watch the entire speech. NBC's Brian William anchor NBC's special report.
Ray Kelley, legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, is “cautiously optimistic” that the VA will be to meet the demand of returning veterans. Kelley says the agency’s funding must increase even as Congress looks to slash federal spending.
“You can’t have more people coming into the system needing care and flat line the service,” Kelly said. “It’s not that we can cross our fingers – we have to insist that budgets continue to grow.”
The VA’s budget has increased annually since 2009; the president has proposed allocating $140.3 billion to the VA for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The department estimates about $53 billion of that would pay for medical care and that 610,000 patients seen will be veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Kelley believes Congress – persuaded by public sentiment – will find a way to continue funding services for veterans, particularly the VA.
“You’d be hard pressed to find an American who would say, ‘No the VA is getting too much money,’ Kelley said. “The public will is there to take care of veterans.”
Rebecca Ruiz is a reporter at msnbc.com. Follow her on Twitter here.
More from msnbc.com:
- President walks fine line in Afghanistan
- Navy family starts unique deployment ritual
- Marine who criticized Obama on Facebook: I wish I could take it back
- Army program aims to predict soldiers' resiliency
Leave a Comment:
I have maintain all along that if you really wanted to see what Government health care looked like, just go visit a VA facility and talk to the Veterans. Maybe some would have changed their minds about supporting Government run health care if they saw it first hand.
The VA can take their priority groups and shove it. ALL Veterans need access to healthcare as promised. The VA is charged to do that but it is never fully funded to make it happen!! Current waiting time to get an appointment at the clinics around Tampa is over 3 months. They claim its due to the "snow birds" but its May and they are long gone. Just more lies...
I fully expect the VA system to be eventually dismantled if Obama- care is fully implemented. And then everyone can enjoy the benefits of Government run healthcare.......
The same VA system that Mitt Romney promises to GUT, slashing the budget for both disability compensation, pensions for those veterans whose disabilities are too severe to allow them to obtain sustainable employment, and cut the VA hospital budget by 1/4 when it takes sometimes up to SIX MONTHS to receive an appointment?
Imagine that, the warmongering party who sends our youth off to the Middle East to be maimed, psychologically injured or die wants these veterans to fend for themselves after making the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
They always want to put this on the veterans its not the veterans that is clogging up the system as a vet myself with a case waiting on a decision from the VA. It is the vets administration and its rating board and decision making process thats causing the back logs of from everything to treatment of the wounded to education and compensation. I have claims on file right now where the VA told me that yes they problems were service connected but they were not going to compensate because i did not file before 120 days after i got out. But thats not what the President said nor what they have stated on paper. They say if its in your medical records and a VA doctor says its still there your supposed to be compensated. Thats like a vet that still has headaches from ww2 from the shelling its in his medical records from the army but he just now asking for help. They are the ones that are backing up the system now my claim had to go to a lawyer then to VBA once they told me yes its service connected it should not have had to go any further. They are the ones that are responsible for this jam in the system not us vets not at all were doing what we were told to do.
Most of these problems can be solved by paying down the debt, but this is an election year! they need to do something like my comment #107 BOTH PARTIES TAKING THE CREDIT, AND STOP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD!
Why is it that Veterans who have been waiting years for this to happen do not believe a word of it. Speaking from first hand experience, I had a loss of hearing from Vietnam and went to the VA for possible hearing aids. The result: I was told I was not eligible for disability. I told the jerk I didn't go to the VA for disability, I came for hearing aids. He responded that I didn't qualify even though (1) he said I had a severe loss of hearing, and (2) I could come back in a few years. I have never been back and will not go back and I still do not have hearing aids.
The veterans affairs system isn't just "strained", it is broken. I feel for the veterans entering the system. They will be denied what they fought for. In addition, for those of us who have military retirement, the Obama Administration is raising the fees we pay to subsidize the medical care and prescriptions (TRICARE) that we are entitled to; not just by a little, but pretty substantially.
Veterans will never be able to collect on the debt America owes them.
So Bad is it broken! My brother could have been save if he had the "privilege" like most citizens, to pick a doctor, facility or whatever to get a quick and correct diagnosis of his condition. Soldiers should have priority health care, should not have to pay for health care-tear down the VA centers to fund this-and quit screwing around with the very people who sacrifice their life for our Freedon. We MUST protect our soldiers when they come home. I was so proud of my brother and I am steamed
I find it amusing that all these vets are offered therapies of all sorts for there injuries imagined or real but that won't heal the wounds but it's funny how a Disability check clears things all up.
for one thing the check doesnt clear things up but it does help in the long rung..guess you have to look at from our point of view to understand
Really, the check clears it up?
Does it grow a limb back?
Return your knees to full function?
Will the check clear up the permanent injury to your organs from some parasite, untested vaccine or food poisoning you got in the third world?
Will the check return the flexibility to your back and remove the pins from it?
Does that check remove a wheelchair from under your ass and allow you to walk?
Tell me about how the check repairs a traumatic brain injury.
The only thing that check really does is give a smug liberal a reason to gloat and mock those who provide his freedom. It helps you sleep far better than the rest of us.
Ranknfile and paidmyfee...do you kiss your mothers with your nasty mouths? are you that f*cking stupid that you cannot see the forest from the trees? I'm guessing the answer is yes to both.
The disability check doesn't cure the physical disability. A large percentage of returning combat veterans are unable to work and the check is sometimes the difference between having a roof over their heads and being homeless. I'm sorry, but it's not an unreasonable request to expect a little help from the taxpayers when a veteran gets his arms blown off in combat.
Now crawl back under your rock and shut the f*ck up (and enjoy those freedoms our combat vets were willing to protect on your behalf...including the right to make an idiot of yourself.)
Read my post,,simpleton.
Why don't you choke on my,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
paidmyfee...apologies...I re-read your comment and realized I took it out of context. I took two bullets in Desert Storm so I'm a little sensitive to negative comments towards combat vets. I didn't understand the spirit in which your comment was meant.
ranknfile...you can still go f*ck yourself for that comment.
I've stood on the tarmac in Baghdad as they loaded coffins of fallen soldiers on a plane home. We had medivac planes leaving every day from the base I worked on. There was not a single guy on those planes looking forward to a disability check.
If "ranknfile" spilled his coffee on his nuts at McD's he would be suing for what he "deserved". If he slipped in your yard,,,,,,,,,,,he would sue you into the poor house and laugh with his friends about it.
But God forbid your country has to pay you a little extra for injuries you received serving the nation. Somehow,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,this waste of oxygen and people like him attach NO value to what you have sacrificed to protect America.
The interesting part,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nearly every one of them is a democrat.
They claim to care about the poor and downtrodden,but the instant you join the military they could care less. Odd, since the bottom 50% of America serves far more often than the top 10% ever would.
You find a way to make my Heart Healthy again, and I will gladly give you this damn check!!!!
As a veteran I'm entitled to nothing, get that. All I want is to be fixed to where I can move about. Why should all of us have to go the VFW, DAV, or whatever. I was injuried in the military so with no exceptions they should take care of what got injuried no questions asked. Had over 20 ortho surgeries and need a hip now. Wow, what a nightmare this has been. 4 years of pain and no hip. Had both legs and back injuried in 1973. Get 50% disability which I am grateful for. I keep going to the VA with hope of someday getting pain relief. For the fellow veterans who get their needs taken care of, truely I'm glad for you. For those returning good luck and thanks.
I hope Obama did not make false promises to our troops, Like he did with the rest of the Nation in 2008, Which he is also doing now to garner votes, He is great at the lip service but putting the plan to work is a whole different thing with him.
US CITIZEN; The President will honor his promise if it does not get blocked by the congress who might block anything he tries to do to get votes!
US citizen, remember that no President can appropriate funds; that authority rests solely with the Congress. All a President can do is propose and watch as Congress disposes.
Bruce....better said: "....and watch as Congress f*cks it up."
This Congress, the House Republicans to be more specific will not give President Obama anything. They have Obstructed him at every turn just to put him in the Worst Light possible for the upcoming election, even if it meant people will suffer as a result of their obstruction.
The Republican Controlled House has the Power of the Purse and they were given the House Back by the Voters in 2010...
@ranknfile - It you are so amused by serious problems that we Veterans have, why don't you go suck on a banana!
I have buddy that had a leg blow off in Vietnam; years later he is ready to end his life. It would be nice if you would just say thank you and be on your way.
Fn A brother..well said...hard for people on the outside to understand the needs of vets....
@ VHNavy: If folks are going to make ridiculous comments like "ranknfile", then they are entitled to do so ONLY after they have walked a mile in our shoes.
Anchors aweigh my friend!
i look at it as we are just "in case of emergency, break glass" indivuals..nothing more than a disposable rag..pat you on the back, give you a few BZ's then stab that same back with little to no reach around
Semper Fi my friend
We can't take care of our vets, but sure as this is Thursday, Obama has promised big money to the Afgans.
He hasn't kept any of his other promises to this country, so why would sane person believe him now?
clark, first Obama didn't start these unfunded wars, Bush did.
Second, you could just as easily say Bush gave tax cuts to the rich so these programs wouldn't be adequately funded instead of Obama "promised" (not gave) money to the Afghans to avoid this sutuation in the future.
Think for a minute and put the blame where it belongs, Bush and the neo-cons. That's where it all started.
@Mark - Bush didn't start these wars. Since you seemed to have forgotten already, America was attacked from terrroists based in Afghanistan. Hussein ignored all warnings of the US and the UN to abide by UN resolutions. These idiots started these wars, not Bush.
I knew someone would come along and blame Obama's promises on Bush. Congratulations Mr. Mark, you win the prize for the day!
Mark....does it matter who starts a war??? F no...Obama is our CIC..take care of the people who make you look good while you take credit for actions done by other.....
better yet mark..go raise your right hand, say the oath of enlistment, then go get your T-shirt and wear it....come back after a few years and see if you sing the same tune
Few, nobody from Iraq attacked us, that's just a fact. War is, or used to be, an act of last resort, not a discretionary foregin policy subject to the whims of the president. We don't send our armed forces into harm's way without a real good reason and without a real good plan. The Iraq War had neither of these, obviously. It was an illegal and unfunded war, period.
Abide by UN sanctions? Israel, as well as many other countries, ignore them routinely. That's just an ignorant argument.
Blame Obama's promises on Bush, WTF are you talking about? Bush borrowed money from the Chinese to wage this war, he wouldn't even ask the rich to help pay for it, in fact he gave them a tax cuts on top of it all, first time in American history. The rich certainly didn't fight or die in that war, you'd think the least they could do is help fund it.
Bush created these problems, not Obama. You should at least be man enough to admit it.
The Few: Who asked for authorization to deploy US forces to Afghanistan? Who claimed that due to weapons of mass destruction America had to invade Iraq to effect 'regime change'?
America was attacked by a group of terrorists of which the vast majority were Saudi Arabians, not Afghan and certainly not Iraqi.
Not to denigrate members of the Corps, but I certainly hope that you, sir, are among the very, very few.
Amazing how every bad thing in the world is Bush's fault. Are you guys really that stupid? I'm glad we took out Saddam. I spent way too much time in the Persian Gulf because of that idiot. Good riddance. America was behind "these unfunded wars" at first, remember? Oh, and your savior Obama has seen fit not only to continue these wars but also to ramp them up! I guess that's Bush's fault, too.
Can someone answer me "WHY" my brother, who served in the Marines during the VN war had to drive over 40 miles to the nearest VA center to see a doctor (when he could get an appt) when their were doctors he could have seen that were, and I said "were" much closer to his home.?? He would be charged if he had to see a doctor in an emergency. He had told the VA to please do an MRI, he had cancer, he had a history of cancer which had gone into remission. He had been bleeding from his rectum, 3 colonoscopies were performed and my brother stated they could not find the cause. Finally my brother went to the local emergency room as he had not been feeling good at all, they did an MRI-he was full of cancer!!!!!!! I want someone to tell my why my brother had to DIE all because the VA refuses to update, treat and change the way our soldiers are taken care of. My statement: GIVE THE SOLDIERS THEIR HEALTH CARD WHICH WILL ALLOW THEM TO PICK THEIR OWN DOCTOR AND FACILITY AND GIVE THEM THE BEST #1 CARE THEY DESERVE. WE AS CITIZENS CAN-ARE WE STUPID TO LIMIT THE VERY PEOPLE WHO PROTECT US TO CERTAIN FACILITIES??? My neighbor who lives across the street is also a VN and he is being treated the same. He couldn't get the to the VA doctor until "weeks" after requesting an appt. There is only one MRI machine at that facility. He had applied for disability but was refused, now that he also has cancer-all over his body-he is slowly dying. I go over to see him and think of my brother and all the Vets who are being f----- by the very system that has a "DUTY" to make sure they have the best health care in the world. Sounds like the old time HMO to me.
@Fergieo - You have just layed out why the VA system is broken. And we want the government to run our healthcare system under the guise of Obamacare. Give me a break!
I wrote to President Obama and made suggestions regading the VA. I feel the VA should only be an administrative department and not be in the healthcare business. All the VA hospitals and facilities should be integrated into our healthcare system so that a Vet can go to the nearest medical facility to get treatment. The VA can handle the paperwork like an insurance company does.
I never got a response to my suggestions.
That should have happened a long time ago. I agree and it is long overdue. Where is the common sense?. I can't figure that out. Sometimes a college degree allows you to lose all common sense, at least it seems so to me. By the way, my friend JUST NOW STARTED RECEIVING HIS VA BENEFITS AFTER ALL HE HAS GONE THROUGH!!! He has only a week or two to live. I am watching him slowly die. This sucks
I was advised to contact my two U.S. Senators and Congressman to help with my VA situation. And no, I didn't send letters or call anyone in Washington, DC - every member of Congress and the Senate has a local field office in their state or district. These local staffers, in my case at least, were terrific at getting answers and solving problems.
As for funding for the Veterans Administration, can someone tell me what the House passed budget bill (Rep. Ryan's bill) really does for or to the VA? I've heard that the proposed budget cuts the VA and I'd like some backup whether it does or does not. Thanks.
Anyone who tells you their VA disability claim was handled promptly and with some respect for your service is a complete and total liar.
I quickly discovered serving in the National Guard is not considered military service by the VA. Having a complete copy of your medical record and providing them with copies of the pages in question, doctor's letter's, xrays, MRI's and medical history means absolutely nothing to the VA. They completely and utterly ignore everything you send them.
The conclusions they reach are so absurd and bizarre I wonder who's records they actually reviewed and decided my case on.
I provided them a copy of my DD214's from all my deployments, copies of the orders that sent me on deployments, copies of medal citations, copies of letters from the VA reminding me of benefits I earned as a result of my service and a copy of a picture of me standing next to General Patreaus at the Al Faw palace in Baghdad and they still denied I EVER served in Iraq. They said, if I got a letter from someone who served with me they would reconsider my case.
I retired in 2009 and filed my claim FOUR months later with my VFW rep. They denied it because, "I waited more than two years after I got out to file the claim".
Even my VFW guy is confused and amazed at the gibberish they claim in their responses. Best of all,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,we are 28 months into the process and it is not resolved.
VA sucks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it is a shining example of what "Obamacare" will be for all Americans. You will die to save money and treatment for anything costing more than $500 dollars will not exist. Imagine seeing doctors who do not care,,,,,,,,never cared and never will care about you. The medical staff scored in the bottom 10% of every class they ever took and they are simply cashing a check.
The entire VA seems to be staffed with whomever had their license revoked in the other 49 states and they are working their last stop before practicing medicine outside a bar in Mexico.
28 months and counting and still nothing is resolved,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,VA sucks.
You know maybe the rest of the nation deserves Obamacare, then they will see what a broken system the government is capable of producing and then, and maybe only then, will we see things finally fixed.
Fixed" By that you mean deny health care to the poor? Not many poeple would describe denying health care to the poor as "fixing" the system.
You do.
I would love to see how smug and smart they are after a seeking help from a serious injury at a VA facility. They should make congressman go their for medical treatment.
My Dad served in the 101st and jumped into Normandy on D-Day in 1944. He had three combat related injuries. Five years after WWII they yanked his disability rating and called him back for Korea. Fifty years after that, they returned his 70% disability at 20% after he spent a lifetime with a limp and a back injury from being shot and blown up by those pesky Germans.
He worked his entire life and the only thing he really wanted was affordable prescriptions when he got old.
The only reason I applied, it was not "for the check". If you do not apply as soon as possible, they will ignore your requests for assistance later in life, if you do not do this ASAP.
Obama would not piss into the coffin of a dead vet on his best day, to assume he "cares" would be the height of stupidity.
No poor people in this country are denied medical care, air conditioning, housing, cars, computers, food, free educations, playstations or anything of the sort.
Go read the census sometime, "poor" in America means driving a five year old car, no HBO and steak every Friday.
The average poor person in America spends $1.87 for every dollar they report in income.
The average vet? Treated with disrespect by some smart mouthed liberal who spits, "thank you for your service" because he lacks the balls to say what he really thinks.
Apparently he cared enough to stop soldiers from dying Iraq when so many arm-chair GOP warriors were so anxious to keep them there.
People like you who claim Obama doesn't care for the troops as much as an idiot like BUsh who needlessly sent them to their deaths in Iraq are just f'n stupid, pure and simply f'n stupid.
Cheney wouldn't even serve in Viet Nam, Bush bailed out of his Guard service, yeah, real f'n heroes.
He "stopped soldiers from dying in Iraq" by following the plan Bush left him.
Keep ranting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it makes you seem,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,intelligent.
Tell us about Obama's service?
Joe Biden's service? He had FIVE draft deferments by the way.
Rahm Emanuel's time in the military perhaps?
The last time I checked Obama has only two vets in his entire cabinet.
Tell us all about your time in service,,,,,,,,,,,,,did you save John Wayne?
I have a sec,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you can call me names if you like. It makes you so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,tough.
Wow, after serving 6 years in NATO in Northern EU, I can see that I am very happy not to be part of the USA veterans. It is incredible how you always sit here on these blogs, and dish about western countries in EU about taxes and welfare.--You pay far more taxes here combined, than Denmark (at the top of the living standard) and you here get very little for everyone, not just veterans--why do they have to be separated from others anyway, and why do they have to have DAV help them with anything--like begging--but I see you have the same big problem in Sa n Fran and up and down the w coast.-I guess this must stem from the failed general medical system here,so at least on paper years ago the Vets had some medical.
Here you wait month and years for everything to do with the government That includes passport, and green card (even when US ask us to come here), in northern EU almost everything is done the same week--always, and they do take care of you regardless of how much money you have, or how well connected you are (the only thing that works here)( we call that corrupt)
And at the same time you get these mostly poor soldiers to vote republican (I have no idea why) so in the end the soldiers get nothing, they are supposed to suck it up and be a man sitting in countless vet homes like some encampment, with no life every day for decades.
Anecdotal story: my nephew graduated from the Naval Academy several years ago. His take on these wars was that the officers like them because they get their "tickets" punched for promotion, but don't actually fight and die. Enlisted men are less enthusiastic for exactly the opposite reasons.
As a veteran, I believed that there was an obligation. We accpeted the risk of our obligation to our country and for that all we wanted was to be taken care of if the worst happened. Well, that is all these guys and gals are asking. They were put in harms ways. They did their duty as asked of them. Fix them and make them whole. Fair is fair. We asked them to fight and they did. They have injuries visible or not. Make them whole. Expand the system if that is what is needed. Our veterans should not have to beg for care.
America spends more on defense that the next 10 highest spending countries - combined! We have the highest level of combat technology but a health care system for vets and everyone else that is an embarrassment when compared to the rest of the industrialized world. Priorities, people, priorities!
This is just the typical wealthy wanting to use our working class military as cannon fodder, and throw them to the dogs when they get home. Time to draft. Let's put the sons of the politicians on the front lines in the next war!
I suspect we never would have had an Iraq War if the sons of the rich were required to serve, or if we as a nation were required to pay for it.
Neither of those happened.
Yeah, that worked out so well in Vietnam.
No deferrments - period. Make the rich powder puffs fight!
It most certainly did Pablo, it stopped a needless war.
Right wing is all patriotism and chest-thumping right up until they have to either fight or pay, and then all that false bravado evaporates quicker than the morning dew.
Huh?
You might want to explain that to the 100,000 people who died in the war.
The Vietnam War lasted 20 years.
My brother got drafted.
George W. Bush got to go play in the Texas Air Guard.
Bringing back the draft would make it exponentially easier for chickenhawk republicans to use our kids as cannon fodder.
There is no possible way anyone is ever drafting my son.
The GOP has a plan to address the overburdened Veterans Affairs Administration.
The will simply eliminate it.
Then it will no longer be overburdened.
But fear not fine soldiers, the GOP is convinced that charities will pick up the slack.
Thanks for your four tours in Afghanistan, here's your can of beans.
I fought in Vietnam, and love America dearly. And it is with this love that I say that it is time for the people of America to stand up and revolt. Not revolt against our government, but take back America from the wealthy greed that has diminished each of our lives to the point of struggle. The busting of unions, the working class' last stand for getting what is theirs has been destroyed, our jobs have been shipped out of country, the jobs that are left have been reduced to the point that they are filled by illegals, even Burma has national health care, our future security (SS) is under attack to pay for more tax breaks for the rich, education at our universities is beyond the reach of our middle class, unemployment checks are now taxed but we give four billion to ultra rich big oil. I want AMERICA back and intend to do everything in my power to undermine the filthy, disgusting, hell bound wealthy in this country.
Vets are second class citizens after returning home. I served my country proudly for 9.5 years. I gave up the use of my leg for the stars and stripes and Freedoms as a whole. I walk funny and have lots of equipment attached to my lower extremities to be able to do that. I do receive a pension and for that I am Thank-full. I am Thank full to every Tax payer out there for without them I would not have raised my children in a semi normal way. I submit to you, the reading public, DON'T by the Lie's. it takes 123 days to get a band-aid. If you have a financial claim it takes years. If you have a Directly related injury common sense is out the window, YOU MUST PROVE IT. Fact and point. loss of use of left leg with nerve severed at the knee. Causes for drop foot and a gape or limp. fact limping causes for lower back twisting and right knee strain. fact after three surgeries, THREE surgeries on my right leg not leaving me a leg to stand on during recovery I was still turned down for additional percentage for my right leg. After 5 years and yet another surgery I finally proved with 3 doctors testimonies that my right leg was failing because of my left leg injury. Yep not 123 days but more like 1800 days. Over 30 Dr. appointments and exams ( all related to the same claim ) total of 2 TWO denial letters that resulted in a total of 3 THREE Appeals. I won my case March 2012.
Don't think for one minute we are taking care of our Vetrans. And don't Think for one minute ANYONE is there to tell you what benifits you are
entitledto. It took me 15 years to find out I wasentitledto a small, vary small clothing allowance do to my Drop foot and brace tearing up my shoes.I am on the fence here, I thank each and every one of you who pay taxes so I may receive my pension. However I have worked 32 years of my life and still I hate to be the one bitching for entitlements. Never claimed food stamps and never took welfare. I hate the thought of someone else paying my way. That being said when I joined the service I had two good legs and two good arms. As it is I have two good arms. I would serve my Country again and would probably endure the same struggles again. I have no regrets, for what I did, I did for my children and my children's children.
So Thank you again for your assistance,
The do nothing corrupt Congress should ensure that all vets returning from deployment are well taken care of and not pushed aside. They put their lives on the line for this country and the least they can do is have their back when they return from service.
Our foreign relations needs a major overhaul. Stop depleting our resources and giving major aid to other countries, looking for other conflicts to get involved in, sticking our nose where it does not belong. End the war machine and with the money saved put it back into this country starting with the Vets returning from overseas. They need first rate care, anything less doesn't cut it. As for the corrupt Congress, stop catering to special interest groups and get off your lazy butts and start taking care of the service men and women.
We desperately need term limits for the corrupt Congress!
I feel a little something for vets I hope your problems get sorted out.....Just as long as some of you dont go nuts on "civvies" .....which stereotypically alot do....
guess someone didn't take their think before they speak pill this morning...don't worry Orly we will get our "problems" sorted out..and as for you last comment i will not even comment on that one
Oh no I took my think before I speak pill, Im just stating the facts. <(^^)> Thats all. I can provide lots of Links if it must come to that.
Anyway good day.
well take your facts that you hold so dear to your heart and keep your mouth shut because you never know who might run into...
and a good day to you sir
I wonder just what the ratio is for Veterans going nuts on "civvies" as compared to non veterans just going nuts on anyone??? Get to know some Veterans, work with them, Orly. I'm sure that your local VA facility would be glad to have you donate some of your time to get to know the men and women who go there. I also have a feeling you might just change your mind.
OoOoOoOhhh nooooeees your sooooo scary. Your in the Military what am I ever going to do?!?!?!?
I dont fear men.
Bear's? Probably. But men, No.
Killing is easy as pulling a trigger, A third grader can do it.
If I have to kill to live, I'll do it. I'll deal with the pain after my enemy is in the dirt. No Hesitations.
GoodNight to you Sir. Last reply Im gonna make.
Take care, Have fun......./sarc
chefaz-1319563
Idk, maybe I will chefaz maybe I will...
Hi Orly. I hope that you do. ☺
Medical programs are insanely expensive and even taxing the rich more will add nowhere near to funding all of it. Just increasing the budget of the VA is not a solution since there is a huge deficit problem. The solution is to take money out of the defense budget and apportion it to VA. Instead of devoting the money to killing people, it should be devoted to helping people.
This is easy to solve, make the corrupt Republican corporates that put our soldiers in harms way pay for the help that they may need from the VA! It won't hurt the corporates filled OIL pockets one little bit!! They won't even notice it's missing!
'TR' - Democrats put us in harms way too...no one wants to make this political, all we ask for decent care with out all of the red tape..personally i could care less who fixes the problem, just fix it...I am tired of pundents of both sides who have never served using myself or my fellow vets as barganing chips in the wonderfull game of who is right and who is not....
All. Now I'm seeing the whole picture. Did everyone know that the regime that is in there now is wanting to tax the Social Security Checks that go directly into your checking account is going to charge a 1% tax on them?? Sit back Folks and do the math. After our Armed Forces put their life's on the line to fight for our Country to keep us free from Communist who want to take control our our Country are going to be scrutinised once again before they even get a chance to receive a Social Security Disability check for their service.,,:(
I remember after the Cold War Ended, the "Peace Dividend" came and went like a moth attracted to a lite bulb. They shut down a lot of bases and Military Hospitals and Clinics with them. When the Services cared for their own, it was much cheaper then Civilian Providers because they all had fixed paygrades.
After the Cold War ended and they shut down all the Hospitals, we promptly went into Wars that lasted longer then WWII. Now we can't afford to treat the new crop of Veterans or Retirees who were Promised No Cost Health Care for Life in Exchange 20 or more years of the Best Earning years of their Lives.
Go Figure!
Watch and Learn Future Recruits how your Predecessors are now being rewarded for their Sacrifices so that BANKSTERS and Millionaires can Live and Breath Free!
You can't get the Health Care you were Promised but you sure are welcome to fight for any McJobs waiting at Home for you...