Bush is Screwing our Veterans

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Today, many of Bush's strongest supporters call the VA a welfare system. His critics claim he is working to dismantle the VA, to ultimately privatize its services. Bush, who sends soldiers to risk their lives every day in Iraq, strongly supports rescinding the lifetime healthcare benefits promised to WWII and Korean veterans. His proposed budgets, despite dollar amount increases, don't factor in inflation or the increasing numbers of veterans needing healthcare, and thus have repeatedly failed to fully fund benefits to the men and women who have served our country. Consequently, VA hospitals and clinics have closed, many veterans' healthcare programs have been cut back or eliminated, entire groups of vets have been denied eligibility for service, and those that are eligible may wait months and even years for appointments and necessary surgeries at the remaining VA facilities. But the president lectures us
about the importance of supporting our troops.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/edi...%2FOp-ed+pages

[loborugger]

How to put this...

I am no big fan of gov't. in most things that gov't does, it does more expensively, less efficiently, and with a lower quality of product than pretty much anyone else.

So, if they were to make VA hospitals go away and still allow vets to get health care (as promised) than I cant say its a bad thing. Afterall, look at the guys that are in VA hospitals. They arent the retired generals that went on to have great post military careers with good medical benefits. Its the guys that dont have a better option - or any other option.

In 1995, I severely injuried my knee. As a married college kid with no med benefits, I thought I would try the VA. They checked me out and said I was fine, maybe needed to strengthen the muscles around the joint (I could squat over 400 lbs at the time).

I went to the county hospital with the rest of the poor. They determined that I had torn my ACL - and they fixed it. The county hospital was better run, cleaner, and generally a nicer place (as hospitals go).

Thats my personal experience, and I know that many experiences are different. However, I doubt I will ever step foot in a VA hospital again.

How about you? You're a vet, right? Would you wanna go to a VA hospital? Would you go somewhere else if there was a choice?

We should definitely take care of our vets, esp combat wounded. If for no other reason than the younger generations will see the older generations wounded vets tossed aside like so much used chaff - and determine not to serve for that reason. However, if we can find a better way than the current system, I am all for it.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

I use the VA medical system exclusively. I was in Waco this weekend and needed to see a doctor for a piece of glass in my eye. Go to the VA hospital and no doctors on the whole campus. A nurse tells me they were forced to suspend all operations except 8-5 Mon through Fri.

We see how well privatizing our military is working.

[defenseman]

I have followed and checked on the medical coverage for the retired military for the last ten or fifteen years. It is not as good as advertised. When retired, a member of the military must pick up medicare part B in short order to ensure everything needed is covered. The decline of the medical coverage has gone down over the last 10 to 12 years , to be honest, Pres. Clinton reduced some of the coverage along with others. I do know of Pres. Bush attempting to reduce coverage. I do know that the FRA is working hard , and did during the Clinton regime, to ensure we do not lose our benefits. The VA, in some ways it's outstanding in others it's not. No different than any other organization in the US...dman

*ALOT of retirees from the military start a second career for a couple of reasons. One of the key ones is to get with a good company who's medical plan is very good because the coverage isn't the best for retirees. The bite of it is, I DO NOT have to work unless I want to once I retire. One of the reasons I will is to ensure I've got good medical coverage to be honest. And, of course, to stay busy...dman

[RaiderH8r]

I look at the VA as part of the deal made to those who enlist. If its a bad deal or too lopsided then change it at the table before they sign on the bottom line but to dicker with it after they've enlisted and served is just flat out, unadulterated BS.

The VA has a multitude of problems, as does any bureaucratic endeavor. But the magnitude and importance of the VA amplifies the bureaucratic problems exponentially. Vets shouldn't be put on a waiting list or have to f*** around. Their plans should be flexable. They shouldn't be traveling to a "campus" to see their dr, they should go wherever the hell is convenient for them and get treatment. I've got issues with how this outfit is run and funded. Always have, probably always will.

[defenseman]

Originally Posted by RaiderH8r

I look at the VA as part of the deal made to those who enlist. If its a bad deal or too lopsided then change it at the table before they sign on the bottom line but to dicker with it after they've enlisted and served is just flat out, unadulterated BS.

During the Clinton admin, all kinds of changes occured to my retirement. Hell they tried to get us guys who were grandfathered "being entered service prior to Sept 1980" but were unsuccessful. The real targeted items though were the medical/dental coverage AND college funds AND a major change to employability following a military retirement. Oh yeah, didn't get paid once during the Carter years. Really enjoyed that one. They finally paid us about 5 days later...dman

* In addition, our pay was not in keeping with inflation. So, by the time carter was elected out of office, we were about 20% lagging behind the rest of the country as far as inflation. Talk about tight. We lived hand to mouth. Reagan upped our pay over a two year period to catch us back up, however, we are starting to slide again slowly. The real gotcha with Clinton was the way he sliced and diced spending by slicing and dicing the military. We were virtually handcuffed at times by his cutting of military spending. A commander in chief who made our military lives VERY, VERY difficult due to cutting our funding and a TOTAL lack of understanding of the mission of the military...dman

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by Bronco_Beerslug

I use the VA medical system exclusively. I was in Waco this weekend and needed to see a doctor for a piece of glass in my eye. Go to the VA hospital and no doctors on the whole campus. A nurse tells me they were forced to suspend all operations except 8-5 Mon through Fri.

We see how well privatizing our military is working.

Exactly.

When I got out, I needed some surgery and several months worth of serious physical therapy. I had no trouble getting access to any of these services, and the quality of care I received was very good. Of course, at that time, the VA was still fully funded. It was when Red Ink Reagan took office that things started to go down the tubes (not just for the VA, but for virtually every public trust fund that Reagan and Poppy looted while they were in office.)

It makes me sick that the guys who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan now are getting screwed out of these same benefits by crooks like Bush.

[SPfloppy]

Here is another little piece of info for ya's. The whitehouse balked at a pay increase at something like 4.6 for fiscal 07. The house was behind it. WTF?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by SPfloppy

Here is another little piece of info for ya's. The whitehouse balked at a pay increase at something like 4.6 for fiscal 07. The house was behind it. WTF?

So much for "supporting the troops," huh?

Funny - BushCo never seems to have a problem when it comes to funding yet another lucrative, no-bid contract for Halliburton, or when it comes to paying some private contractor ten times the amount of money a GI would get paid for the same job.

And just imagine how far all the money that has gone "missing" in Iraq could go toward pay raises and other necessities for the troops.

[spdirty]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

So much for "supporting the troops," huh?

Funny - BushCo never seems to have a problem when it comes to funding yet another lucrative, no-bid contract for Halliburton, or when it comes to paying some private contractor ten times the amount of money a GI would get paid for the same job.

And just imagine how far all the money that has gone "missing" in Iraq could go toward pay raises and other necessities for the troops.

I think it was because of a choice between more weapons or more pay for the troops due to a limited budget. They should just delete all the wasteful programs we have (like Lesco's prgorams) and give these guys a 10% pay increase every single year. They deserve it before any gov't employee (including teachers)

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by spdirty

I think it was because of a choice between more weapons or more pay for the troops due to a limited budget.

That was my point.

There are never any spending limits when it's time for Deadeye Dick's old company to get another no-bid contract - even if it means BushCo has to borrow money from China.

[spdirty]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

That was my point.

There are never any spending limits when it's time for Deadeye Dick's old company to get another no-bid contract - even if it means BushCo has to borrow money from China.

well...its ****** up. Sickening.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by spdirty

well...its ****** up. Sickening.

Yes it is.

What's really sickening is the way BushCo is privatizing the military (just like everything else in America.) We have private contractors doing jobs that troops can do just as well, if not better, and getting paid ten times as much.

[spdirty]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Yes it is.

What's really sickening is the way BushCo is privatizing the military (just like everything else in America.) We have private contractors doing jobs that troops can do just as well, if not better, and getting paid ten times as much.

Oh I know. In fact, I know people who got out and went to Saudi or Kuwait and basically do the same thing they did while in the af who get 6 figures a year doing it with a better work schedule and are probably safer. Sucks, and i wish it would change, but how do you pay all of our brave troops what they deserve? Because I think every single one of em should get six figures, personally, but it isnt really possible. Just the way it is i guess.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by spdirty

Sucks, and i wish it would change, but how do you pay all of our brave troops what they deserve? Because I think every single one of em should get six figures, personally, but it isnt really possible. Just the way it is i guess.

You start with "no more Halliburton sweetheart deals."

Then you take the fat paychecks the folks at Deadeye Dick's old company (and others) are cashing, and you spread that money around to the troops.

It might not be enough to raise anyone's pay to six figures, but it would sure help and it would be a start.

In addition, you make the government agencies responsible for losing all that money that went "missing" in Iraq pay it back to the treasury.