Posted on 08/31/2015 8:25:07 AM PDT by xzins
Retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson told the Dave Ramsey show on Wednesday that the Department of Veterans Affairs should be folded into the Department of Defense and VA facilities should only be used for specialized care like traumatic brain injuries and limb replacement procedures.
“The size of government has to be reduced significantly. There’s a lot of stuff that we’re doing that doesn’t make any sense. We have a Department of Veterans Affairs. We don’t need a Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Affairs should be in under the Department of Defense, and it should be smooth transition,” said Carson.
The Republican presidential candidate said the U.S. should also examine how it cares for soldiers and that they should be in a support system immediately when they enlist, especially when they go into combat.
“We need to be looking at the way that we take care of soldiers. You know 14 percent down recruitment for our voluntary Army right now. Why? Because they’re looking at what we’re doing to our veterans,” he said.
“When a person applies to the military, they should be in a support system immediately from day one, particularly when they go through combat, because that’s when all the trauma is occurring, and we should have people in place a year before their time of discharge to be working on their integration back into society,” Carson added.
“There shouldn’t be a period of unemployment when they come out of the military, and they should have a health savings account, which allows them to go to any medical facility in the country, and we should be delighted to take care of them,” he said.
“We should use the VA facilities for specialized care for traumatic brain injury, limb replacements, and research,” Carson added.
Okay, this could also be met by abolishing the VA and having special welfare/aid administered through existing civilian agencies.
They're already defined when they leave active duty military.
Are you suggesting going back every year and examining what is happening in vets lives years after military separation?
I’m with you. The DOD could enforce rules the VA can’t or won’t because it’s full of political bureucrats and appointments.
I see a lot of jerking knees in opposition to this simple idea.
How is it a different mission to care for your former soldiers, airmen, seamen, etc.?
This is like saying the DOD should get out of the logistics business because that’s not their mission.
And by the way, many "directors or managers of some high-end engineering firm in LA, Dallas or NY who oversees/ manages 95 or so people" could do a better job than Obama.
For many Vets their primary care is the VA. The VA has small -primary care- clinics that cater to regular check-ups and immunizations, more involved procedures are performed at VA hospitals. Vets are given cards that can be used at nonmilitary facilities with prior authorization. Some also are given access to active military base hospitals as well.
Carson is way off on this.
Thank you. That was something I wasn’t aware of, not following Carson as closely as others. So he does have “some” executive experience.
What new business(es) did he start?
What preliminary planning did he have to do to procure loans to start up his business?
What loans did he take out?
What property did he have to purchase or lease?
What remodeling and preparation work did he have to plan and pay for out of his pocket?
What consultants, tax attornies, contract attornies, and other top level staff did he have to hire and support on his dime?
What product did he create?
What marketing did he have to come up with.
What other CEO type decisions did he miss out on, by being a department head, instead of being the Medical Center CEO, or owning his own business?
How many jobs did he create?
How many households were dependent on his efforts to support their home?
As a department head he had to confront some cost issues, but was this his business concern?
If he failed would it have been his business on the line or would he simply have been let go, with no personal responsibility beyond that?
I recognize Carson was an intelligent man. I’ve not trashed him on that count or about his politics, which as far as I know, I agree with. And as for the work he did, I don’t have an issue with that as far as him going a good job.
The fact still remains, his executive experience is not at the level that gives me the assurance he’s truly been proven by trial by fire with his own financial solvency on the line.
Thank you for your response. This was a post I made on the same subject a few minutes ago.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3331269/posts?page=147#147
Thank you for your response. This was a post I made on the same subject a few minutes ago.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3331269/posts?page=147#147
I know your were arguing in support of my argument, so don’t think otherwise.
The primary mission of the various branches medical services is to maintain a healthy fighting force. Second to take care of family and last to take care of retirees.
Considering all the problems that the VA has with taking care of Veterans, which is their primary mission, where should vets fall out in the above paradigm?
And do you suggest that the military also take over the other VA programs, like home loans, burials, GI bill? That is part of the VA too. What happens to that if the VA is done away with?
The VA needs to do what they were created to do, take care of Vets.
This is like saying the DOD should get out of the logistics business because that’s not their mission.
You don't really mean that do you? It has been said that amateurs study tactics, professional study logistics.
Carson is not a conservative:
“Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson and Donald Trump were criticized by pro-life activists this week after they waffled on their positions regarding abortion, research on aborted baby body parts and funding Planned Parenthood.
After Carson indicated support for the abortion drug RU-486 in the case of rape or incest, Cavuto asked Carson, “At the point of conception do you see that as life Doctor?”
“Certainly once the heart starts beating, certainly at that point,” replied Carson.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3324910/posts
The VA is a microcosm of what the rest of us could expect from government health care. I agree with Carson. The vets would get far far better health care from the private sector.
No huffy, it was a factual comment.
I know of people in these positions, in the engineering aerospace industry etc. Just because they manage/oversee 100 engineers certainly does not mean they should be President of the United States. Again, what is more important is looking at who specifically are these people that have bought, funded and bankrolled Carson's campaign. The devil is in the details. This goes with the rest of the politicos who are selling themselves for cash.
Don't mistake someone being straightforward as being insensitive or huffy. Btw, using Obama as a benchmark for president is using the lowest benchmark possible. It's like saying Carson would be better than Anthony Weiner or Goofy. You or I could have done a better job than what Obama has done.
What you said.
And you were not simply mocking this candidate with a motive to discredit, like so many others seem to do.
Some folks have a hard time with truth and facts. They’re just blinded with political bias for whatever reasons. We see this everywhere.
Thank you.
Besides his medical career, he and his wife have a foundation that has funded the educations of many children. He also owns several large real estate properties. I’m not going to dig around any more on your behalf. Your tone is very dismissive of someone whose shoes Obama is not fit to shine, that’s all.
Devil’s advocate here. Dr. Carson has practiced medicine in the private sector for decades, and has achieved excellence. If a man with his background looks at the VA system and says, “I think I know a better way to serve the vets...” I am going to pay attention.
I think his point about allowing vets to use say Penn or Jeff here in philly would be better than the VA. Except for the trauma stuff. but Penn has like 20 people in their head trauma department. I think vets should be able to go to the best places to get care. free.
Well, this year I've had full body xrays, a pulmonology exam, hearing aids after visits (now being repaired), dermatology visit, eye exam, and a couple of sits down with a primary care doc.
I’m also retired commissioned active duty. I know that it isn’t just whether they have a line item that they cannot touch.
It’s when they go to fight for money what is going to be foremost as a priority. With the VA, the funding for veterans is the foremost priority.
With the DOD, winning wars should be the foremost priority.
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