Veterans in serious trouble

[mburbank]

Many of you know I try to do some advocacy work for disabled veterans. I say try because recent cuts in services have made it almost impossible to get any information or even contact a human being.

In particular, the Boston area combined it's two psychiatric facilities while cutting the total number of staff by over 50%.

On Oct. 29'th they discharged my good friend George, a Vietnam vet. George has been out of work for a year, and became homeless in September. He went to a veterans shelter, which sent him to the one psych facility the VA now has in our area. Despite overcrowding, George was immidiately committed for observation. During his stay at the hospital, I had regular communication with him when I could get him on the phone, and written permission from him to recieve medical information. Georges family is not involved, and though he once had many friends, I was the only person left in contact with him. Since his discharge he is unnacounted for. I cannot get any information on the nature of his discharge, wether he did it himself or if the doctors did it. So far I have been unable even to get someone to go through his files to see that I have legal permission to discuss George with them. All I know is the date he was discharged and that he has not shown up at a VA shelter since then. We have had several days bellow freezing in the last week, and Georges physical condition is almost as bad as his mental state.

Here's a quick article on the care and respect our president lavishes on the servicemen and womenj he values so highly.

President Bush's Stated Commitment to Veterans Not Reflected in Budget


President Bush often emphasizes his commitment to veterans, saying in 2001, "My administration understands America's obligations not only go to those who wear the uniform today, but to those who wore the uniform in the past: to our veterans."1

But the 200,000 veterans waiting six months or more for their first appointment at a VA facility would be denied access to VA health care under Bush's plan. Others would be charged $250 annual enrollment fees, doubled prescription costs and increased co-payments.2

The same day the President met with wounded soldiers and said that America "should and must provide the best care for anybody who is willing to put their life in harm's way,"3 the Veterans' Administration explained that it could solve the backlog problem by limiting enrollment. "VA would avoid very significant additional medical benefits costs and begin to bring demand in line with capacity, which will reduce the number of veterans on wait lists."4

The administration would also reduce costs by denying access to "better-off"5 veterans - those who do not have service-related disabilities and with incomes as low as $21,050.6

Estimates suggest this would likely more than triple the number of veterans denied health care by FY 2005 to more than half a million7, and the VA anticipates that 55%8 of veterans who already participate in the VA health care plan, numbering 1.25 million, may be unable to continue participation due to the enrollment fee.9

Congress has called for $1.8 billion beyond what the administration requested for FY 2004 funding beyond the White House request.10

While funding for VA 2004 remains unresolved, Congress sought to include $1.3 billion in veterans' health care and extending reservists benefits who have been called up in the $87 billion emergency funding bill. The administration "strongly opposed" the provisions, articulated in a letter from White House Budget Director Joshua Bolten, which were later stripped.11

[Mike P]

That article confuses me. It's basically saying that even though Bush says that we should provide care for veterans, those who are pushing the pencils are cutting the costs dedicated to that purpose, correct?

The conditions of vets is becoming quite worrying, though, considering how more often than not any vet after World War II seem to wind up on the street. This may be attributed to the high number of those who chose to go into the service instead of going into jail (the fact that this was an option sickens me, because the Armed Forces shouldn't be thought of as a punishment, or an easy way out) and the mental distraught suffered by the POWs and many others. Regretfully, I'm basically talking out of my ass because I have no idea how to help them, and even if I did, I doubt I could do much...

But best of luck in finding George, Mr Burbank, and I pray that you find him in a state of relative health and safety.

[ranxer]

It's basically saying that even though Bush says that we should provide care for veterans, those who are pushing the pencils are cutting the costs dedicated to that purpose, correct?

precisely mikeP .. bush is a puppet .. told to say one thing while the people who propped him up rape the country, its principals, and the rest of the world with the new american century doctrine of destroying competition through overt and covert operations using the concept of a war on terrorism. have you seen www.costofwar.com ?

my experience has been that if you question the government as a serviceman or ask for treatment for something like Depleted Uranium exposure you are discharged without coverage. there are many other factors of dissent that will get you discharged without support.. the support denial is not obvious, what usually happens is they 'lose' the records of service.. oops sorry we don't have you here as a veteran.. next!

i find it interesting that one vets site ive been familiar with has now disappeard.. www.gulfwarvets.com is no longer available.. i really hope they just forgot to pay their bills.. i visit many others that show a very different perspective than the papers stories about vets.
a website i just found is www.mfso.org
Military Families Speak Out .. i'm not familiar with it yet but it was recommended by an indymedia article.

[Anonymous]

You guys are missing the big picture, that is that if we eliminate the veterans, we won't have to honor them on Veteran's Day; we can just take the day off, guilt-free.

[Mike P]

That is a valid point. However, most people don't bother honoring them on veterans' day anyway.

EDIT: Also, and I should have said this before, ranxer, but I'm sure the reasons those sites you spoke of are simple run-of-the-mill reasons and nothing more.

[ranxer]

run-of-the-mill like covert government ops and government lies, treason, and deciept for gains of power? or some other run-of the mill reasons?

[george]

sorry about your friend max

this is just the same old bullshit though. nothing new. and entirely sad.

ranxer, it is too late to change things good buddy. the poison is just gonna have to run its course.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by ranxer

run-of-the-mill like covert government ops and government lies, treason, and deciept for gains of power? or some other run-of the mill reasons?

Run-of-the-mill like unpaid bills and stuff. I doubt the goverment cares about what's on the internet, and they wouldn't go out of their way to take down a site about anything. That's why we have private organizations speaking for causes like the Constitution, organized religion, and various other things.

[mburbank]

Well, I made a lot of noise and they found him. It was a best case scenario, in that lost turned out not to be 'out on the street' lost so much as administratively lost, ie he had ceased to appear in the paperwork. It still means my noise was effective in that while he had a roof over his head, he was not recieving medical or psychiatric services or meidcation and no one seemed to know. While he was at a VA shelter all of the clothes he was not actively wearing were stolen, and he's back in Psychiatric again, but at least I know he's alive and for the moment safe.

I know veterans vcare has always been lousy, and that this is nothing new. But all the VA employees who I've worked with, to a person, say they have never seen things this bad.

[Zhukov]

I have never known how bad things have been in the past, but I do know a few years ago police were called to break up a Vietnam/Gulf veterans union protest.


And since it was Rememberance day no long ago, the gvt decided to unveil a 9million dollar war memorial... in the UK. My uncle is supposed to reieve money because he lost a foot in 'nam, but a war memorial is MUCH better

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Zhukov

I have never known how bad things have been in the past, but I do know a few years ago police were called to break up a Vietnam/Gulf veterans union protest.


And since it was Rememberance day no long ago, the gvt decided to unveil a 9million dollar war memorial... in the UK. My uncle is supposed to reieve money because he lost a foot in 'nam, but a war memorial is MUCH better

Waitwaitwait.

The United States constructed a War Memorial in the United Kingdom? For nine million dollars? Or is it another goverment doing it? Because, you know, nine million dollars could do quite a bit in some areas of a certain country called the United States, and while memorials are nice and all, there are more constructive purposes than building statues.

By the way, I'm glad you found George, Mr Burbank.

[Zhukov]

I am from Down Under, mate.

I know there are better things than memorials, (compensation to vets maybe) - I was being sarcastic