Vets Poised and Waiting

military.com ^ | January 28, 2004 | John Youmans

[milbuf]

Blame congress for vet benefit loss. Kerry is Jane Fonda's shadow. While he protested he gave support to the North Viets and cost us many good people. Kerry is a traitor.

Milbuf Viet Nam 68-69 ( across the road from Kerry's base at the same time.)

[There's millions of'em]

There are vets on both sides of this issue, nothing new about that.

I do wonder how JFKerryHeinze plans to balance the budget, as he promises. Seems like all he does is make promises to spend more money.

[airstrike]

If all this support was really there, they would. It isn't. Vet's poised and waiting to vote for Kerry? No way. Vet's know a phony when they see one. Kerry is the biggest phony in this thing. Oh, forgot about Rev Sharpton. And Clark. Dean? Edwards! What a crew. Kerry still wins as most phony.

[Eva]

Obvious spin. I don't think that there are many veterans that would support this Jane Fonda spokesperson.

[over3Owithabrain]

This should help - courtesy of FReeper Solson:

The Department of Veterans Affairs will receive a record budget of $64 billion for the current fiscal year, up $4.2 billion from the previous spending level.

"I'm grateful for President Bush's leadership in ensuring that VA can honor our nation's commitment to its veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. "I'm also appreciative of the support Congress has shown when it comes to taking care of veterans."

The budget for fiscal year 2004, which began Oct. 1 comes as VA is putting the finishing touches on the administration's proposed budget for fiscal year 2005, which will be formally unveiled Monday.

Among the major items in fiscal year 2004 budget are $28.4 billion for health care, up $2.9 billion from the previous year, and $32.8 billion in benefits programs. Other budgetary categories include:

* $143.4 million for the National Cemetery Administra-tion, an $11 million hike over last year, plus nearly $32 million in grants for state cemeteries;

* Full funding to expedite the handling of veterans' claims for disability compensation and pensions -- a total of $1 billion for all programs;

* Nearly $176 million for health care and other programs to assist homeless veterans, an increase of over $22 million from fiscal year 2003;

* $101 million to support state extended-care facilities, $3 million more than last year; and

* $522 million for construction, plus the authority to transfer another $400 million to health care construction.

"This budget will ensure the VA is able to meet the needs of the latest generation of combat vets who are now returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, while continuing to care for those from earlier conflicts," Principi said.

source: http://www.dcmilitary.com/army/pentagram/9_04/national_news/27317-1.html

[ScreamingFist]

Horse hockey. The only vets poised and waiting for Kerry are those that tossed their metals over the White House wall after Viet Nam.

[mabelkitty]

Make sure you enlarge the cover of Kerry's book and show it to the Marine Corp League.

I'm sure those wallflowers will remain silent.

[jeterisagod]

The VA press release is a rosy picture--one that covers over many of the problems with the budget.

If you look at appropriated money, it provides a 1% increase over last year's amount. That will probably not cover the cost-of-living adjusment in salaries alone.

Further, it more than doubles the copayment amounts and imposes a yearly enrollment fee for veterans just to access the health care system.

Bush may support the military, but his budget proposal could certainly do more to reduce the many months most vets wait for health care appointments.

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

Totally agree. As a Viet Nam veteran, retired Marine Colonel with 28 years service, it is my opinion that Kerry's actions after the war and his hypocrisy since, make him UNQUALIFIED for the presidency.

Semper Fi,

[SpinyNorman]

Does the author mean Chinese communist veterans?

[GailA]

If all the support was there then why did edwards get the biger percentage of the Vet vote yesterday in SC? My friend the USN Chief, retired says hanoi john belongs in a TIGER CAGE". He's a Vietnam Vet.

[GailA]

Full Accounting for Missing POW/MIAs

John Kerry and Senator John McCain chaired the country's most thorough investigation into the fate of POW/MIAs in Southeast Asia. Kerry has personally pressed Vietnamese officials to cooperate in ongoing efforts to get answers for families. And he also sponsored POW/MIA Recognition Day. Kerry's Senate committee pressed for unparalleled declassification of documents, increased excavation work in Vietnam, and gathering of testimony from 144 witnesses. According to the Boston Globe, "the effort produced real answers for the some 120 families who had lived for decades without knowing whether a loved one was still alive in Southeast Asia."
......................................................

Does any one recall reading something about hanoi john voting or acting against MIA/POW in Nam?

[jackbill]

I don't understand how Bush can promote the military but neglect the veterans.

Somebody prove me wrong........please!

Perhaps you should do a little research. The number of veterans continues to decline, yet spending for "veterans' health care" is skyrocketing. Why?

Because several years ago the flood-gates were opened and now every veteran can get prescription drugs for a very small co-payment. In order to get the drugs prescribed, the veteran must see a VA doctor. That's why there are waiting lists for vets to see a doctor - so they can get their subsidized drugs.

I have a number of friends who are retired professionals, who have winter homes in Florida, take cruises annually, etc., etc.. They served two years during peacetime and are now sucking off of the government teat.

I served my two years in Korea. The taxpayers paid for my college education and I was able to build a nice career. The taxpayers don't owe me anything more, but I might appreciate a gravesite in a veterans' cemetery someday.

[jwalsh07]

Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs January 1993 Final Report.

The Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs published in its January 1993 Final Report (page 6) that American servicemen were left behind alive and in captivity.
Kerry's Select Committee staff, in order to soft pedal this abandonment, added in the report "We acknowledge that there is no proof that U.S. POWs survived."
Kerry's "no proof" assertion, was an outright lie. It was an effort by Kerry's pro-Hanoi staff to bury our POW/MIA's and further open the doors to trade with Vietnam.
Kerry maintained there was "no proof U.S. POWs survived," but never produced evidence proving the left behind POWs were dead, or who was responsible for their deaths or where their remains were located.
Kerry never demanded that Vietnam explain.

[jwalsh07]

The taxpayers don't owe me anything more, but I might appreciate a gravesite in a veterans' cemetery someday.

My Dad and my Uncles are all buried in veterans cemetaries. When I go, I simply want my kids to get my flag.

[gatorbait]

You already get disability and your retirement, that was signed into law last year by Bush and it was not Kerry's idea.

I think the rub was removing drug addiction as a disability. Also they finally went back to review the disabilities,removing those who were questionable. The ignorance surrounding this issue is appalling.

[dozer7]

"What a crock. I'm a vet, and I guarantee you that the veteran's vote will go overwhelmingly against Kerry."

Amen

I did two tours from 68 to 70. I still see a lot of my peers and not a single one plans to vote for any democrat. My sons are in the Marine Corps and have no plans for voting democrat. I would vote for gonad the barbarian first. A crock indeed.

regards,

the dozer

[U S Army EOD]

I can certainly understand that Kerry would be interested in the drug addiction part.

[gatorbait]

Kerry maintained there was "no proof U.S. POWs survived," but never produced evidence proving the left behind POWs were dead, or who was responsible for their deaths or where their remains were located. Kerry never demanded that Vietnam explain.

His actions, along with recognition for PDVN ensured tha tany left living were shortly dead. Note, one of the first things the little bastards did was tear down the Hanoi Hilton, which had been a shrine..Wonder why?

[jeterisagod]

There was a proposal to eliminate substance abuse as a secondary condition (meaning you couldn't be compensated for it unless you were being treated for another disease, such as PTSD). That never went anywhere and was not part of the Concurrent Receipt debate.

DoD did create a special compensation program, akin to concurrent receipt, which provides compensation for illnesses directly related to military service, such as gunshot wounds, broken bones, etc. These are entitled to a special compensation program which reduces, but does not eliminate the disability/retirement offset.