OIF & OEF Vets seek VA HEALTH CARE

[Gimpy]

1 in 4 Iraq and Afghan War Veterans Seek VA Medical Care


On May 19, 2005 the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reported one in four Iraq War and Afghanistan War veterans had already sought medical care from VA.

Out of the 360,000 discharged veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), more than 85,000 visited VA hospitals or clinics for physical injuries or mental health counseling as of February 2005.

This figure excludes OIF and OEF veterans who sought medical care outside of VA.

The disturbing report of OIF/OEF veterans seeking medical care at VA was reported on page 10 of a prepared statement submitted by VA?s John Brown, Director, Seamless Transition Office, before the House Veterans? Affairs Committee (HVAC).

However, Brown didn?t share the statistic during his oral testimony on May 19. The HVAC posted Brown?s testimony here:

http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/s...05/jbrown.html

The same HVAC hearing featured the General Accountability Office (GAO) criticizing DoD and VA for failing to share information about OIF and OEF service members so VA can help them transition to a VA medical center and then to civilian/veteran life.

Sadly, DoD?s bureaucratic problems are hurting wounded veterans trying to reintegrate into society.

http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/s...-19-05/gao.pdf

The number of VA hospital and clinic visits far exceeds the nearly 13,000 wounded reported by the Department of Defense (DoD) for both OEF and OIF. Here are DoD?s official casualty counts (this web site is updated every day) reporting more than 1,800 deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as nearly 13,000 wounded:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf

However, the count of 85,000 VA hospital and clinic visits makes more sense based on the 55,000 medical evacuations from Iraq alone in the past two years, according to this DoD press release:


http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2...0511_1025.html

Veterans should be asking the tough questions:

What injuries and illnesses are these veterans reporting?

How much does it costs taxpayers each year for medical care?

Recent press reports confirm one million service members deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. If one-quarter of one million seek medical care, that means 250,000 combat veterans may go to VA hospitals and clinics soon.

Is VA performing extra screening for psychological issues among these war veterans?

Are some VA hospitals, especially those near military bases, impacted more than others?

Another serious problem is facing our Nation's veterans.

According to this news article, young veterans have almost twice the unemployment rate of non-veterans of the same age:

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.or...rticle&ID=3110

More veterans have medical problems, readjustment concerns, and unemployment. These problems may adversely impact those veterans for the rest of their lives. However, the U.S. Senate recently voted against providing VA with any additional funding to care for our recent war veterans. Here?s an article describing the recent votes:

http://www.marinetimes.com/story.php...925-782283.php

If veterans don?t demand action to resolve these critical issues now, the long-term consequences for veterans, their families, and our Nation will be enormous well beyond the 1,800 killed, the nearly 13,000 wounded in action, the 55,000 medically evacuated, or the more than 85,000 who sought VA medical care.


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