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on duty at the VA hospital my brother goes to. He needs a a cardiac cath done they can't do it until the middle of January. They tell him it is not life threatening. They better be right. He had five by passes twelve years ago. He has prostate cancer that went into the bone. He has had back surgery. He is 100% PTSD. Excuse me. My personal opinion. He deserves better treatment and so do all the other poor bastards that are standing in line. Milwaukee VA is handling not only the the Vets in that area but also those coming out of North Chicago and Iron Mountain. And they have no money to hire the docs they need. The guys are told that the money is moving south along with the Vets. But my bro tells me that his friend in FL also with AO cancer is having the same problems getting proper care. I am too tired to figure out how many presidents and administrations we have been through since 1967 but they all look the same to me and they all sing the same song...


Tommy
by Rudyard Kipling

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here." The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die, I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:


O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play, O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.


I went into a theatre as sober as could be, They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;They sent me to the gallery or round the music 'alls, But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside"; But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide, The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide, O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap; An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.


Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, h'ow's yer soul?" But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll, The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll, O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you; An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints, Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;


While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind", But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind, There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind, O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all: We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational. Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.


For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!" But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot; An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

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