The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > General > General Posts

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-17-2005, 05:52 PM
Robert Ryan's Avatar
Robert Ryan Robert Ryan is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 2,764
Distinctions
Contributor 
Default Poor Treatment of Vets

Just watched the ABC nightly news very disturbing article about the treatment of Irqai Vets who were in the Guard and Reserve. Guardsmen and Reservist who were injured in Iraq were given limited med treatment and then released from Activity duty, and discharged from the Guard and Reserve before all their medical needs were met. This is a disgrace. These men and women were ordered to active duty thus, placing them in the Regular Army during their tour. For the Army and our governemnt to do this to them is a travisty. I am proud that I served in the Army and Navy, but shame on the Army and our government for not meeting these veterans needs. A lot of these men and women who were injured cannot go back to their civilian jobs due to the nature of their injuries.
__________________

If your going to suceed your going to have to know how to deal with failure. (Joe Torre).
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2  
Old 02-17-2005, 07:15 PM
catman's Avatar
catman catman is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Frisco, TX
Posts: 2,907
Send a message via ICQ to catman Send a message via Yahoo to catman
Distinctions
Contributor VOM 
Default

Robert...this is a very common practice even with the Regular Army, their line of thinking is "That's what the VA is for" so a guy or I suppose gal now a days, can finish their treatment through the local VA. Happened to me in 1996, still under VA care.

Trav
__________________

Godspeed and keep low!
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-17-2005, 09:51 PM
locksly's Avatar
locksly locksly is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 513
Default

I just watched the news tonight and it had some horror storys about the injured soldiers coming home from Irak and the military discharging them injured and unable to work to fend for themselves . The Veterans Administration is not helping them either,as they dont have the funding to do it. I see people like Chris Reeds wife doing good work to help her injured husband and wonder why the injured veterans and other disabled people of Tennessee dont get more help. It is one thing to welcome the veterans home but another harder thing to really help them really come home.
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-18-2005, 06:57 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,932
Default

They've got to change the contract for enlisted/reserve personnel that should an injury result because of a wartime action or an on the job occurrence that the injured party is guaranteed one year of 100% free medical coverage. Those with more disabling injuries should automatically have free unlimited lifetime medical coverage.

To this these injured should received 100% of their rated pay until back on their feet and those who are forced to leave the service they should be compensated with their base pay allowances for the entire length that injury prevents them from getting backing into the workforce.

But this will take a special act of congress and with all the outstanding short comings we have they will not be receptive to this program.

Until they understand that lives are taken and wounded soldiers will surely become an issue during a conflict - they will have to pay the bill or find another way to keep out of the action.

Military enlisted programs will have to change or enlistment will drop off like a stone. We are all aware of the issues of fighting a war at home but taking another mans country is a whole new story. Terrorist will be taken out - one way or another. Urban fighting is the worst type and causes many more injuries.

Volunteers - bless their hearts - are the first normally to see action and the first to be wounded. Secondary lines form up and they are wounded. Before long you loose you best trained men through attrition. WWI showed us that.

The issues regarding our current Military Doctrine are in dire need of reform. We can't use our people like this over and over again. Without our Military and Government stepping up and taking responsibility for these men and women who were taken in their prime of life and are prematurely cut down or left disabled. I take a major exception to this and see severe short comings on the near horizon.

Such a waste of our finest and for what? I'm pro-active and I'm a Flag waiver - but I'll be damned if we can continue down these streets of destruction without some reform.
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-18-2005, 07:07 AM
SparrowHawk62's Avatar
SparrowHawk62 SparrowHawk62 is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Lower New York State
Posts: 1,254
Send a message via AIM to SparrowHawk62 Send a message via Yahoo to SparrowHawk62
Default

Baltimore Sun
VA's ability to treat post-traumatic stress questioned
Report to Congress focuses on troops back from Iraq, Afghanistan
Associated Press
Originally published February 17, 2005
WASHINGTON - Congressional investigators are questioning whether the Veterans Affairs Department can adequately help troops who return from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The agency said that it has treated 6,400 veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars for the disorder and that, overall, its health care system has provided such services for 244,000 veterans.

But the Government Accountability Office, in a report yesterday, said it is not clear whether the VA can meet the demands for treatment from veterans of the two most recent wars.

Agency data for the 2004 budget year show that fewer than half of those using VA health care are screened for the disorder, according to the investigative arm of Congress.

If veterans returning from combat do not have access to these services, "many mental health experts believe that the chance may be missed ... to lessen the severity of symptoms and improve the overall quality of life" for those with the disorder, the report said.

The VA contended that the report did not accurately describe the type of services for post-traumatic stress disorder that the agency has provided over the past 20 years or its ability to provide services in the future.

"We take exception to this report," said Dr. Jonathan Perlin, the VA's acting undersecretary for health. The report says the VA is a "world leader in PTSD treatment," Perlin noted.

The report was requested by Illinois Rep. Lane Evans, the House Veterans Committee's ranking Democrat.
Some experts say about 15 percent of military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan could develop the condition.
Symptoms include intense anxiety, insomnia and difficulty coping with work, family and social relationships. If the disorder is not treated, it can lead to substance abuse, severe depression and suicide.

Investigators said the VA has partially put in place 14 of the two dozen recommendations from an advisory committee that Congress created; the VA says it has completed seven.

The delay "raises questions about VA's capacity to identify and treat veterans returning from military combat who may be at risk" for developing the disorder and maintaining treatment for veterans already receiving help, according to the report.
__________________
"I fly this plane for my country, when it stops flying it's not my fault, it's the countrys." CDR Fred "Bear" Vogt. The Last Skipper of VF-33's, F-4's.

A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it. -- Author Unknown
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-18-2005, 05:03 PM
MORTARDUDE's Avatar
MORTARDUDE MORTARDUDE is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,849
Distinctions
VOM Contributor 
Default

I have talked to quite a number of Reservists and National Guardsmen that served in Iraq during my 2 long stays at the VA. They were all resentful about their treatment in Iraq and afterwards.

Larry
__________________
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Poor ol' Joe! SuperScout Political Debate 0 08-04-2006 01:33 PM
Should be getting better treatment melody1181 General Posts 0 05-15-2005 11:21 PM
Poor Choices? HARDCORE General Posts 0 12-19-2004 09:17 AM
Poor-Poor Saddam?! HARDCORE Political Debate 0 05-06-2003 05:04 PM
My poor 401K took another hit! Boats Vietnam 2 09-03-2002 01:47 PM

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:24 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.