Those Poor Veterans
Warren Tindall's letter to the Times- Standard isn't as bad as many I've read. Most suggest veterans are victims of some kind, cast out on the street after their military service. He doesn't quite go there. In fact, he admits he's had useful and generous benefits:
"After World War II, thanks in part to a powerful Legion and VFW, we veterans received generous benefits. The G.I. Bill made it possible for me to obtain my degree and a long and useful career. Thanks to VA and CalVet loans, my family has always been well housed."
Yep, and they've gotten more benefits at the state and federal level since World War 2. So what's the beef? He makes vague reference to problems with the Veteran's Administration and suggests veterans join together to form a "voting block" towards solving them.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's mostly veterans running the V.A. and thus contributing to the problem. There's no need to form a larger group. Veterans already have generous benefits. What more could they possibly want?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 12:34 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
"What more could they possibly want?"
Well, for starters, how about not having thousands of them have to wait for months for a doctor's appointment (and at least 40 of them dying while they waited), because the VA medical system has been systematically starved for resources by the same politicians who love to go on and on about how they "honor our veterans." Just a thought.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/23/health/veterans-dying-health-care-delays/
I don't understand why so many veterans get health care for life. At least they seem to. Not only that, but they're often given transportation to those "horrible" VA health care centers.
I can understand vets injured in conflict having injuries taken care of (short of supposed PTSD), but just because someone spent a few years in the military shouldn't mean he gets taken care of for life. And, yes, I know one local veteran spokesman that has suggested exactly that.
They should get what their recruiting officers and our country promised them when they joined. Pretty simple concept really. I can't imagine you would enjoy the bait and switch some of our service men and women have experienced, Fred, since you are such a straight shooter libertarian and such....
I got everything I was promised, although I didn't ask for much, if anything. I just joined. Military folk get more than enough benefits.
Good for you, but surely you are cogent enough to admit everyones experience has not been the same.
Veterans must have a service connected disability to get as you say "care for life." The care then only relates to the disability. Not everyone gets "care for life." I believe you served in the National Guard for a short spell, Fred. I assume you are not disabled as a result of that service, so you could not just wander into the VA and get service. I think the issue that most people have is for those that are entitled to this benefit, then the Government has an obligation to adequately resource and equip it. They are clearly not doing that. There are not enough doctors at the Harris St. Clinic to service that population. In general, this post shows your disdain for "government perks." They do exist, and yes they are more generous than civilian job benefits. Unlike most jobs, a Veteran signed up promising that he was prepared to give his life. Now most do not have to make that sacrifice. There are a lot of extraordinary heroes, who were just ordinary people in extraordinary situations. I do think Veterans deserve to be treated a little differently. Clearly some gave more than others.
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