America has problems, but America is NOT THE PROBLEM!~
Treatment at home
Published on August 4, 2007 By Moderateman In US Domestic

Inspired by another article.

The President's Commission On Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors — led by Sen. Bob Dole and former Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala — has just reported back on their findings on how this nation cares for its wounded heroes.

The short answer is, we don’t. WE SUCK, WE IGNORE, WE JUST HAVE NOT BEEN TREATING THESE men and women coming home with missing limbs, brain damage, eyes gone, we NEVER HAVE. WHEN THEIR time is done and they come home all FUBARED they get a half hearted thanks from America, Some Americans are reviving that wonderful tradition from the Vietnam war, of spitting or cursing these wounded war vets. This is the treatment and thanx they get for the sacrifice they have freely given of themselves.

The presidential commission was very politically correct and would not name names or blame anyone for the disaster that we witnessed a few months ago at Walter Reed. Only seven people were fired. Many more heads should have rolled over this one, to have our walking wounded left to their own devices to live in mouse and roach infested buildings is just deplorable and a disgrace on the American people.

Can we just stop all this bull? Can we just look straight into the camera and say, "We suck, we apologize and now we are now going to fix it?" And, perhaps give the wounded warriors, and you, their families, a free cell phone with unlimited minutes ... one that has one number to dial, that is manned by U.S. citizens — not Pakistanis — who will answer and help you with you medical issues? Can we give the press complete open access to the problem as they uncover it? Can we not just look in the camera and say, "In 30 days I will come back out here and keep coming every 30 days until every damn service members medical problem is fixed?"

We had a deal with these soldiers — you fight for us and we will take care of your wounds. That means all of your wounds — physical and emotional — that you got while serving, for the rest of your life, quickly and efficiently. The soldiers kept their end of the deal they always do. We have been lying scum-buckets. We have used soldiers for backdrops to make political points — we have said how much we love soldiers … basically a “thanks for your service.” I gotta tell you, when you are missing a body part, or have such emotional and or mental problems that you lose your family, "thanks" just does not cut it.

We can go to the moon, we can go to Iraq, we can worry about Lindsay Lohan’s life, we can cry with Paris Hilton … but how about we fix this massive betrayal of our service men and women. Not tomorrow. NOW DAMN IT NOW!!!


Comments (Page 1)
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on Aug 04, 2007
It is shameful. Our veterans deserve much better. Have you seen the movie The Ground Truth? I will admit that there is a definate anti-war spin which becomes more obvious as the movie closes but it is veterans of the Iraqi War talking about their experiences there and then coming home.

Some of it just makes you sick like when they diagnose these soldiers as having a personality disorder instead of PTSD. If they say it was a pre-existing condition (PD) and not combat related (PTSD), they don't have to give them VA medical benefits. It would be one thing if this was rare but it seems that someone gave the order to do this as often as possible. 22,000 troops have been discharged with PD (formerly known as Section 8 discharge).

I guess having the commission was step number one. Now we just have to keep making noise and see that something is done. This makes you want to ask the question on the Youtube debates. How exactly do the current candidates feel about how we are treating the returning wounded and what would they do to improve the current system?
on Aug 04, 2007
We had a similar issue surface in UK recently - details dont matter here - suffice to say, it took a National campaign to sort it out. Frankly I felt both ashamed that people could act in that way, and wondered why the Hell did I stay in the Army for 25 years if that foul disrespect for the injured soldier takes hold. In this case, common sense prevailed, and a major outcry sorted out the NIMBYS.

To ask a soldier to go fight, then spend your time moaning and fighting National Establishments as to why they were sent, then on top of that ignoring their genuine needs as a casualty, is so devoid of Integrity I dont know where to begin. In fairness most in UK (as I am sure is the case in the US) support the guys, and react angrily if short comings in health care surface, and thats great, but like in the US, many times in UK it reaches the Public after the event, when they have already suffered unnecessarily.

I dont ask for anything special as such for them, just a fair deal. If you are going to ask someone to go out and potentially get his brains blown out, or limbs shattered so others can continue in a cosy existence - then:
- Dont moan they should not be there. There is nothing more devisive and destructive to a soldier in a fire fight and friends being killed around him, to hear his Government or People are saying they are wasting their time there. Dont play domestic politics with their lives.
- Any wounded soldier, especially VSI, deserves to be given the best treatment possible, you owe him dammitt, dont mess with domestic budgets so they get marginalised.
- Say thank you to them when you meet them once in a while. They dont ask for bands blaring and fireworks displays all day every day, dont over doit - but if they are putting their lives on the line for your quality of life - cut the garbage about "thats what they are paid for" - a simple thank you or a simple act of kindness goes a long way with them.

Equally true - of course - of all those who put their lives on the line for us like Police & Fire Service to name but two, however this thread is about soldiers so I kept away from that.

Last but no means least - how would you feel in their place ?
on Aug 04, 2007
What should we do about it? Quit acting like our bodies know the difference between war trauma and civilian trauma and close the VA Medical "care" System completely!!!

Instead of making us vets travel up to 100 miles for follow up treatment, set up a payment plan so we can go to our own doctors and local facilities. It would cost a lot less and we would get better treatment.

Keep the research side, because they do a lot of good for both military and civilian healthcare development, but the VA health system has long proven it can't do the job!
on Aug 04, 2007
Keep the research side, because they do a lot of good for both military and civilian healthcare development, but the VA health system has long proven it can't do the job!


universal health care.


yes i use it too.
on Aug 05, 2007
Instead of making us vets travel up to 100 miles for follow up treatment, set up a payment plan so we can go to our own doctors and local facilities. It would cost a lot less and we would get better treatment.Keep the research side, because they do a lot of good for both military and civilian healthcare development, but the VA health system has long proven it can't do the job!


Good points Ted and good suggestion too!


I agree with you Elie, it sucks, we suck at taking care of our wounded. It pains me everytime I hear of an investigation into claims that our soldiers killed someone they shouldn't have. Do they think about the circumstances and the stress these soldiers are under when they try to do their jobs? Do they get any credit? No!
on Aug 06, 2007

Reply By: ParaTed2k

I agree.

on Aug 06, 2007
Sorry it took so long for me to get back to responses, but had a busy weekend.
on Aug 06, 2007

Reply By: LocamamaPosted: Saturday, August 04, 2007
It is shameful. Our veterans deserve much better. Have you seen the movie The Ground Truth? I will admit that there is a definate anti-war spin which becomes more obvious as the movie closes but it is veterans of the Iraqi War talking about their experiences there and then coming home.

Some of it just makes you sick like when they diagnose these soldiers as having a personality disorder instead of PTSD. If they say it was a pre-existing condition (PD) and not combat related (PTSD), they don't have to give them VA medical benefits. It would be one thing if this was rare but it seems that someone gave the order to do this as often as possible. 22,000 troops have been discharged with PD (formerly known as Section 8 discharge).

I guess having the commission was step number one. Now we just have to keep making noise and see that something is done. This makes you want to ask the question on the Youtube debates. How exactly do the current candidates feel about how we are treating the returning wounded and what would they do to improve the current system?

This must be a new and 'improved militart TRICK'

PTSD use to be called 'battle fatigue' as if you we tired of war and it was no big thing, then they called it, 'shell shocked' as if all the round going off around you caused you to be upset again no big thing, then in Vietnam they came up with Post traumatic Stress syndrome, this one cost the military big money as they could not wiggle out from under neath it So now instead of calling it PTSD something that happens as a direst result of trauma, be it physical or mental they sneak in and call it a "personality Disorder' something that should have disqualified you from military service in the first place.

on Aug 06, 2007

Last but no means least - how would you feel in their place ?
Reply By: ZydorPosted: Saturday, August 04, 2007

I saw right away the VA was a huge sham in 1966, so I have always had private insurance. It is disgraceful how we treat our military when their job is done, I see England is no better.

on Aug 06, 2007

Reply By: ParaTed2kPosted: Saturday, August 04, 2007
What should we do about it? Quit acting like our bodies know the difference between war trauma and civilian trauma and close the VA Medical "care" System completely!!!

Instead of making us vets travel up to 100 miles for follow up treatment, set up a payment plan so we can go to our own doctors and local facilities. It would cost a lot less and we would get better treatment.

Keep the research side, because they do a lot of good for both military and civilian healthcare development, but the VA health system has long proven it can't do the job!

This is a prefect description of what I did Ted, and one of the best overall Ideas I have heard in recent times.

on Aug 06, 2007

Reply By: foreverserenityPosted: Sunday, August 05, 2007
Instead of making us vets travel up to 100 miles for follow up treatment, set up a payment plan so we can go to our own doctors and local facilities. It would cost a lot less and we would get better treatment.Keep the research side, because they do a lot of good for both military and civilian healthcare development, but the VA health system has long proven it can't do the job!


Good points Ted and good suggestion too!


I agree with you Elie, it sucks, we suck at taking care of our wounded. It pains me everytime I hear of an investigation into claims that our soldiers killed someone they shouldn't have. Do they think about the circumstances and the stress these soldiers are under when they try to do their jobs? Do they get any credit? No!

without me getting all maudlin it can be best said by, take a 17 to 20 year old innocent person and suddenly have them kill anyone that gets in their way for months, sometimes years at the time, of course they are going to change, many times the change is NOT for the better either. Live with combat stress 24/7/ tour of duty see what it does to people inside their brains, it ain't pretty.

on Aug 06, 2007
I'm with LW. Pisses me off. Take care of these people. Free insurance. And if anybody messed with them, spits on them, or denies them healthcare, off to Iraq with them. And if they happen to get an arm blown off, they'll be glad for the better care they'll receive because people like them are all in Iraq now, and people who care about veterans are left to care for everybody.
on Aug 06, 2007

Reply By: little-whipPosted: Monday, August 06, 2007
This whole subject just pisses me right the fark off.

I too have pretty deep feelings about how our vets are treated on homecoming, the ones that are lucky enough to escape either loss of limb or some other body part, usually have head screwed up problems, the ones that seem ok usually are not really ok, till one day the climb up on a tower somewhere and start killing people.

on Aug 06, 2007

Reply By: JythierPosted: Monday, August 06, 2007
I'm with LW. Pisses me off. Take care of these people. Free insurance. And if anybody messed with them, spits on them, or denies them healthcare, off to Iraq with them. And if they happen to get an arm blown off, they'll be glad for the better care they'll receive because people like them are all in Iraq now, and people who care about veterans are left to care for everybody.

Free healthcare for life is a small price to pay for someone that gave what a combat vet gives up while fighting for Americas freedom, shit far as I am concerned they should have free housing too.

on Aug 06, 2007
Free everything for vets. Spaghetti dinners too, and not just on Veteran's Day.
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