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I was wounded in 1971 an RPG or a Mortar landed behind my gun and I took allot of shrapnel in the upper part of my body, I recovered and to this day have yet to step into a VA facility. They owe me nothing! We have a VA hospital here my ex wife is a nurse there, my sister and her husband both retired from there and to hear the abuse stories they tell sickens me. It’s even worse now one of my buddies said almost 60% of his command in Iraq are going out claiming PTSD to get the lifetime benifits. Prescription drug addicts and alcoholics seem to be the mainstay for this hospital, maybe 10% have a real service related disability.

Although I was assigned to several Army hospitals during the Vietnam era (never having served in SE Asia,however) I'm *no* expert in such matters but I do have a tiny bit of knowledge on the subject.I'd encourage you to avoid judging *all* of the guys you've referred to so harshly...including the ones claiming PTSD.Might some of them be faking? Of course.But,IMO,it's very possible that some of them..maybe even most..are legit.You've served in combat,I haven't.But is it possible that the war *you* fought and the injuries *you* suffered are different enough than theirs that even you might not be in a position to *fully* understand what Iraq/Afghanistan vets have experienced?

I'm not slamming you here.Not at all.Just making a gentle suggestion.