[Packo]

Actually, and believe me Gimpy, I am in no way shape or form defending these assholes, the push toward privatization at military bases started during the Clinton administration to get rid of GS employee's under VP Al Gore's reducing government employee program. They actually didn't reduce the number of employee's....just GS and WG employees were given the boot and Contractors hired at lower wages and benefits. The contracts go mostly to "minority" companies. My Deb was one of the ones to go through this as Head of New Parent Support. Since, 3 different contrators have gotten the bid, and each time they have to take a pay cut or benefit cut. It's how the companies are able to outbid the one that's there. Our whole public works department at the Naval Hospital is going "contract", getting rid of the mostly WG positions. I have been watching this for years and watching the quality go down. It's hard to maintain good employee's when every so many years a new contractor outbids the old and workers get no raises for good work and manytimes have to take a cut. What has happened is an outrage but more of the same crap we faced as veterans when we got back. Who here went through classes when ETS'ing to teach us our benefits? Ask just about any Vietnam Vet what most of the VA hospitals were like. Treatment for "PTSD", which was not recognized at the time, was large doses of Thorazine, and anti-psychotic used to treat major psychotic disorders. I'm not sure what the authors mean by "....witholding of information on Veterans benefits"? Before discharge it is mandated that each GI attend TAP, Transition Assistance Program, classes that has VA people attending going step by step explaining benefits and literally going through the medical record of each GI pointing out anything that can be claimed. It's one of the reasons the VA is so clogged as our new Vets are filing for things we didn't even know you could. Not that this is wrong, but the combo of all these claims and NEVER ENOUGH VA EMPLOYEE'S AT REGIONAL OFFICE LEVEL, have helped to overwhelm the system. Our Troops and Veterans have certainly been let down by the current administration and congress and there can be no excuse for that. I've seen the voting records. But I also say that this problem didn't start in 2000. It's been one the service organizaions, as you know, have been fighting for years. I will say this, I believed, "A promise made is a promise kept". Yeah, right, what a bunch of bullshit.

Pack