Veterans Day, The Other Side of the Coin. (Blue Water Navy)

VA Watchdog Organization - various ^ | Monday, 12 November 2007 | Various

[Right Winged American]

For Veteran's Day, I was going to post a number of these stories, which are gathered in a compendium of news from across the nation by Larry Scott and posted on his webpage; www.VAWatchdog.org . The motto of his website is "Keeping an Eye on the VA Because Somebody Has To!" I believe it would be worth your while to drop in and check the site out every once and a while.

These stories are all just the ones he's gathered from various News organizations over the Veteran's Day weekend, but they will give you an idea of the problems suffered by veterans of ALL wars from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the DoD's Military Hospitals, and about the current administrations, ah, less-than-well-funded- and staffed medical 'bureaucracy'. There are also a number of items pointing out the slow-footed funding of these desperately needed obligations to the men who risk everything to protect and defend the richest country on the planet.

While I appreciate the praise and the thoughts that were posted yesterday and today, I'm posting this for those who may not be aware of the difficulties suffered by those now serving, and those who have served before. Please take some time to become more familiar with the difficulties being experienced by those you praise at this very moment.

MONDAY -- 12 NOVEMBER 2007 -- VETERANS DAY (OBSERVED)

#16 - EDITORIAL: HONOR VETERANS EACH DAY OF YEAR -- RepublicanHerald.com: "So visit the local veterans memorials, attend the parades and thank them for their service. Just don't forget to support the programs they need to live healthy and useful lives."

#15 - VETERANS' SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN TRANSITION -- Recruitment grows in importance as core membership ages.

#14 - VA'S SUICIDE HOTLINE SERVES AS A BEACON TO VETERANS -- Calls are flooding the Canandaigua-based suicide prevention hotline created for veterans and their loved ones, at a rate of about 135 calls per day.

#13 - BATTLE FOR BENEFITS -- Badly wounded Iraq war veteran initially received only 10 percent disability. "I couldn't believe that they could even bring that to me."

#12 - NONPROFIT GROUPS FILL AID GAP FOR VETERANS -- "The government is really trying...but they don't have the resources to give them vans to get around and build them a handicapped-accessible house."

#11 - MORE U.S. VETERANS RETURN HOME, ONLY TO FACE A NEW ENEMY -- Finally, alone in an unfamiliar city but unwilling to return to a family he thought he would burden. he slept in his car.

#10 - VETERAN TORE THROUGH RED TAPE FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS -- "No one really sits down and tells you how it works. You've got to throw a lot of things at them, and have all your stuff together."

#9 - VETERANS FACE HEALTHCARE BATTLE AT HOME -- Many are uninsured and still can't get VA care. At this time, nearly 1.8 million veterans are uninsured.

#8 - BIOMARKER FOR PTSD AND WHY PTSD IS SO DIFFICULT TO TREAT -- PTSD is the most common mental health disorder among veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the profile of PTSD rises, new findings are increasing researchers' understanding.

#7 - AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN EDITORIAL: OUR CALL TO SERVICE -- For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute." But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot.

#6 - WASHINGTON STATE VETERANS FACE LONG WAIT FOR VA BENEFITS -- "I'm pretty stoic about it. There's not much you can do about these things. I'm not mad. I'm frustrated. Just give me an answer."

#5 - OLD SOLDIER'S MEMORIES ARE STILL FRESH -- Now that he has reached the age of 88, World War II veteran Wayne Hodges spends more time than he'd like cruising the Internet and riding his easy chair.

#4 - NEW WARS, OLD NIGHTMARES -- News from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan trigger post-traumatic stress among Vietnam veterans.

#3 - OPINION: AMERICA'S VETERANS DESERVE BETTER -- "Let's not repeat history. Let's get help to our older vets who need help. Let's give all of our vets the benefits they were promised. Let's see to it all of our vets receive decent medical treatment."

#2 - FEMALE VETERANS SAY MILITARY CHANGED THEIR LIVES -- "It was positive, but a lot has to do with the time I was in. I lost a lot of friends during Vietnam."

#1 - WORLD WAR II VETERAN WINS 14-YEAR BATTLE WITH VA -- "There's no communication to veterans, other than sending them a form. You don't know what you're really doing."

SUNDAY -- 11 NOVEMBER 2007 -- VETERANS DAY

#17 - VIDEO: AT THE WALL -- From CBS Evening News, Saturday, November 10, 2007.

#16 - VIDEO: THE SACRIFICE OF A SQUAD LEADER ON THE FRONT LINES IN IRAQ -- From NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Saturday, November 10, 2007.

#15 - A VETERANS DAY MESSAGE FROM VA WATCHDOG DOT ORG -- "It is illogical to put a cap on VA funding when it is impossible to put a cap on the number of those wounded and injured in service to their country."

#14 - A NEW VETERANS GROUP AIMS TO BRIDGE GENERATION GAP -- "I remember what it was like coming back from deployment, and how difficult it was. How alone I felt, and how much it meant to find people who were experiencing the same thing."

#13 - CANADIAN ATOMIC VETERANS SAY GOVERNMENT IS WITHHOLDING INFORMATION -- The veterans, who have been fighting for 20 years for compensation for the illnesses they maintain are linked to the tests, say they have faced countless roadblocks in trying to obtain information.

#12 - FORMER ALL-STAR LOU BRISSIE IS STILL SOLDIERING ON -- The old man wants to make one thing clear -- He is not a counselor, a doctor, or an expert. He will not give a dissertation on politics. He doesn't know Generation Y from Preparation H.

#11 - VFW AND LEGION SAY THEY ARE PIVOTAL FOR RETURNING TROOPS -- "It's hard for them to talk. We just want them to know we're here for them."

#10 - BUSH AND DEMS TAKE BATTLE OVER VETERANS TO THE AIRWAVES -- President Bush criticized Congress for not having passed a funding bill for the VA, while Democrats used their weekly address to the nation to highlight their commitment to veterans by boosting the department's funding.

#9 - LATEST U.S. CENSUS BUREAU FACTS ABOUT VETERANS -- And, a brief look at the history of Veterans Day.

#8 - VETERANS CANDIDLY SHARE WAR STORIES WITH HIGH SCHOOLERS -- "You try to make the MREs taste good, but they just don't. Stay away from the jambalaya."

#7 - NIGHTMARES AT HIGH NOON -- Like most veterans, when the nurse asks me if I want to report trauma, I think to myself, "What good would it do?" So I say, "No ma'am, everything is fine."

#6 - FORMER EMPLOYEES AND VETERANS ALLEGE HARASSMENT AT MARION VA -- "It's unbelievable unless you've been in the situation that they put you through. And how these two individuals Reed and Halm survive doing what they do to veteran employees is not only despicable, it's unbelievable."

#5 - VETERANS RELIVE MEMORIES OF WAR FOR NATIONAL PROJECT -- "This is a generation that is humble. They went through the Depression and then World War II. They don't consider what they did a sacrifice."

#4 - SENATORS CALL FOR A POST-IRAQ G.I. BILL -- "We must put together the right formula that will demonstrate our respect for those who have stepped forward to serve in these difficult times. First-class service to country deserves first-class appreciation."

#3 - VOLUNTEERS HELP VETERANS GET MEDICAL CARE -- "We do it because we're all in this together. We're just out to help each other. When the guys say thank you, that means more to me than anything."

#2 - MOBILE EFFORT HELPING VETERANS -- Since it made its first public appearance at a picnic in June, the Vet Express van has served hundreds of veterans in dozens of towns.

#1 - RURAL OREGON VETERANS FEELING IGNORED -- "They can't wait. The VA process now is they are just put in the queue and wait their turn."

SATURDAY -- 10 NOVEMBER 2007

#11 - VIDEO: A HERO YOU'VE SEEN, BUT NOT MET UNTIL NOW -- From NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Friday, November 9, 2007.

#10 - EDITORIAL:  OUR VETERANS DESERVE MORE THAN A HANDSHAKE -- Tallahassee.com: "Vets did their duty. Let's do ours by insisting that they get the care they earned."

#9 - DEMS FAIL AT PROMISE OF VA BUDGET BY VETERANS DAY -- Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO): "These are the men and women we will honor on Monday, Veterans Day, with parades and accolades. But thanks to Democrats in Congress, we won't be honoring them with the spending bill they deserve."

#8 - THIS TIME, VETERANS RETURN TO WELCOME -- With lessons from Vietnam in mind, community groups, local businesses, and faith groups are helping soldiers shift back to civilian life.

#7 - HEALTH ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR COMPENSATION FOR VIETNAMESE AGENT ORANGE VICTIMS -- Calls for compensation to cover medical care and services, development of community support organizations, chronic care and medical equipment.

#6 - EDITORIAL: OUR DEBT MUST BE HONORED -- DON'T PLAY POLITICS WITH VETERANS' ISSUES -- The Independent Mail says, "And don't allow those in power to forget our debt to them. It is one we must honor."

#5 - RETIREE HELPS DOCUMENT VETERANS' STORIES -- From behind the lens of a video camera, Bob Garver has been transported to Normandy and Iwo Jima and many other places most of us have just read about in books or seen in documentaries.

#4 - EDITORIAL: VETERANS WITHOUT HEALTH CARE -- The New York Times says, "There is little doubt that lack of coverage was deleterious to their health."

#3 - MORE RESERVISTS REPORT JOB PROBLEMS -- "This is shameful because Iraqi bullets and bombs don't discriminate. Yet reservists face job discrimination here in America after serving in war."

#2 - SOCIAL SECURITY IMPROVES SERVICE AND EXPANDS OUTREACH TO WOUNDED VETERANS -- "While we can never fully repay them for their sacrifices, we can be sure we provide them with the quality of service and the respect they so richly deserve."

#1 - VA PLANS TO HIRE MORE RETURNING VETERANS TO WORK AT AGENCY -- "VA believes enhancing a veteran's opportunity for employment is not merely the obligation of a grateful Nation. It is good government and good business."

FRIDAY -- 09 NOVEMBER 2007

#9 - VA MOVES TO CHANGE DISABILITY AND COMPENSATION SYSTEMS -- Will solicit outside bids to award a contract to conduct two technical studies regarding the updating of disability and compensation systems.

#8 - VIDEO: IT TOOK 52 YEARS TO GET HIS MEDAL OF HONOR -- From NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Thursday, November 8, 2007.

#7 - "BLUE WATER NAVY" ARGUMENTS HEARD BEFORE FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT -- The Court is now posting MP3s of oral arguments. Hear both sides of the Haas arguments.

#6 - VA RESEARCHER: OBESITY FUELING DISABILITY IN ELDERLY -- Obesity is having an increasingly profound impact on the day-to-day activities and overall health of the elderly.

#5 - VETERANS' CHARITY INVESTIGATION PROMPTS STATE AND FEDERAL ACTION -- The undercover investigation exposed the truth about where your money to charity is really going.

#4 - VA RESEARCH: COLONOSCOPY CAN PREDICT ADVANCED TUMORS -- This information may help doctors determine how often follow-up colonoscopy should be performed.

#3 - UPDATE: VA REACTS TO HOMELESS VET STATISTICS, CLAIMS THEY ARE "DELIVERING" -- However, VA never claims they are truly meeting the needs of homeless veterans, because they aren't.

#2 - DOING HER PART IN WORLD WAR II -- "When we signed up for overseas duty, we had more training, dealing with back packs, climbing ropes, and using gas masks, but we never had any weapon training."

#1 - DAV REFUTES ADMINISTRATION'S CLAIM OF JUST 30,000 WOUNDED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN -- "That 30,000 number is a fantasy...202,000 have filed claims for VA disability...A quarter million have turned to the VA for treatment...Our government tried to do war on the cheap..."

[Right Winged American]

For more Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans/Agent Orange Info, go here:

http://bluewaternavy.org

Discussions/Forum about Blue Water Navy Vets, Here:

http://bluewaternavy.org/phpBB2/index.php

FreepMail me to join the Blue Water Navy ping list.

 

 

Blue Water Navy
Vietnam Veterans
of America

[PeterPrinciple]

The cause in good and it is good to be aware of it. But collecting articles from the msm in which I see homelessness and health insurznce coverage as the emphasis, lessens the credibility for me.

I will look on the site often and it has made me think that my mens’ group at church ought to be looking for a situation to help...................

Thanks for posting.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

The damned VA gets plenty of money......but they waste it, in terms of their health-care system.......but are quick to chime in with the politicians and media and lefties when crying for more.

To a very large degree, the VA is the largest medical laboratory in the world.....and every nickel to finance that aspect of it is taken from the appropriations that the general public thinks is for “care”.

Lifetime jobs for every VA employee with daily and post-retirements for every one of them such that UAW members would turn green with envy.......and many of them are slackers, and some are just plain mean or indifferent.

Medical Schools......at the major VAMC’s the place revolves around the needs of med students, interns, residents, and Fellows.........the sky is the limit as far as tests, therapy, etc, etc. The whole damn place is limited to the standard and routine protocols being taught in Med schools today........so it runs like a flow chart instead of a real old-time doctor who uses his wits and experience to arrive at a correct diagnosis and treatment plan in a timely and nimble fashion.

The VA LOVES all this PTSD/Suicide stuff we’ve been reading and seeing on the teevee this week.......MO MUNNEY!

IT WILL NOT CHANGE......IT IS A BEAST THAT THRIVES ON ITS MALIGNANCY!

I would trade my VA health care card for a Medicare (or even better, a MEDICAID) card in a second.

[flat]

DAMN men and women leaving a comfortable life in this the freest, SAFEST and most comfortabLe life On earth to face guns ammo rpg’s and ied’s for US...I.E.

people THEY DONT’ EVEN KNOW...!!!!

DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT?

GOD BLESS THEM EVERY ONE!!!

signed,

a GRATEFUL citizen...

AUU RAH!

[Right Winged American]

The cause in good and it is good to be aware of it. But collecting articles from the msm in which I see homelessness and health insurznce coverage as the emphasis, lessens the credibility for me.

I'd agree, but you will find if you follow the links on the Vet's stories back they come from small to medium size local newspapers, rather than AP or Reuters. One of the reasons they have such little impact is that you see them here or there in a town like Macon, Ga. or Greenville, S.C. or the like, and they're not picked up elsewhere. Not what I'd call the MSM.

One of the services the WatchDog provides is gathering the small, local stories up and putting them together in one place; his site is a resource for seeing the SIZE of the problem. The problem isn't the health care provided by the VA, it's the years-long effort it takes to be qualified. You really don't want to know how many veterans never even bother to try to get the benefits they earned by their service.

Not to mention the ones who die of their wounds or illnesses before they even are qualified by the process.

Sad..

[PeterPrinciple]

When I grew up, everyone knew someone who had been in WWII. I had an uncle who was a was in a wheel chair from being shot by a sniper on Iwo Jima. Sad to say, I know of no one who has served now. Let alone anyone in need. I suspect if I put some effort into it, I could find someone. The test will be if I do.