Injustices
I usually don't write anything political on my blog, mainly because I hate politics. However, there are injustices where our Veterans are concerned and I cannot ignore it. The VA hospitals and medical facilities are jokes, triple booking appointments so there's no way they get the health care they need. Vets can't get their medications as doctors prescribe, they get the "next best thing" or what is "available" even if it's samples of medications that have expired (which happened to my dad). It's disgusting, all of it.
The main reason of this post is to call your attention to one incredible man, Monica's son Joshua, who went through two tours of Iraq and has been home for over a year, but he's suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and the VA is not helping him. There are countless others in the same situation since ONE in THREE soldiers suffer from.
The media and government show us what they want us to see, they're not showing us the whole story of the horror of what is going on in Iraq. The media is also too busy with their so-called-journalism that will bring in ratings rather than the truth, those who need help, and what is important.
Please stop by Monica's blog and see what she's going through to get her son help, not only for him but for all Veterans and Military personnel. Also, Skunk Feathers wrote one hell of a post that you should read too.
No matter what country we live in, there are similar situations. We, as humans, need to put a stop to how our Military, both active duty and retired/discharged, being treated as they are. They fought for us - our lives - and now we need to return the favor.
Karen
8 Comments
Reader Comments (8)
Thank you.
I have been reading about this a lot lately, and am outraged! I didn't want to send our troops over there in the first place--but feel AWFUL that they are not getting the true support they need when they return.It is unconscionable.
I don't like to do too much politics either. Any positon you take probably offends half of your audience, so it is risky for viewership. I always felt sorry for Vietnam vets, who didn't get any recognition because we didn't "win" the war. All because it was an unpopular war. The treatment of Iraq vets is disappointing, given what they sacrificed for us.
Monica's experiences are worth relinking, which I will do. Walter Reed patients are under sanctions for talking to the press. I guess its bad for wounded veterans to exercise free speech.
I can feel how passionate and worked up everyone is over this issue. Skunk and Monica are on my regular read list so I have already read the posts you mentioned.
As a veteran myself and because so many of our friends are also veterans we have lived with it for so long our perspective is different. When you fight and fight for years like we did. We each had to fight the battle for ourselves and some had to file suit to finally obtain the benefits they deserved.It took a friend of ours,Danny,a fully disabled vet 17 YEARS! Many of us have been dealing with the VA for over 30 years. I have heard even longer for others. If you fight long enough and hard enough then you CAN get your benefits. Sadly, many give up on the process.
Huggles and Love
Raggedy
I just said what came to mind after reading Monica's post; as for alienating readers...if they don't like what they read, they don't have to visit, be it humor or otherwise. What I don't like is how the VA is proving the bureaucratic antonym to what veterans need, and proof -- if any was really ever needed -- that bigger government only gets you things like the VA.
Back off my soapbox now, and it's Monica who's carrying the ball on this 'un...and with good reason ;-)
Glad to see you're posting again hon! ~S~
My good friend's husband is in Iraq right now and his camp gets rocketed several times a month. He talks to her (whether it be through IM or phone) almost daily and on one occasion, he told her "I'm never going to be the same when I leave here."
I ache for her, for him, the soliders in Iraq, the soldiers who have that impending deployment hanging over their head and for our veterans.
The government asks so much of these men and women and give them little in return. It's disgusting. The least we can give these soldiers is easy access to excellent medical and psychiatric care. They peform their duties to the best of their abilities, the least our government can do is return in kind.