Kelly

That is the way things are headed. Soon they will try and cancel that day all together. Most feel that saying thanks for your service should be sufficient compensation for living the rest of your life with medical problems. I say, KISS MY A$$ to that. Either everyone do time in the service or recognize those that have. Way too many Americans are content on saying "thanks" once a year and feeling like that is showing enough support. They can kiss my six as well. Sorry to vent.

Thanks to all who signed to this point. We know the bennies arent the greatest thing going, but it's a start. Most may never use any of the facilities but being recognized for the sacrafices would be appreciated by many. One day out of the year (Veterans Day) is such a crock. One day out of 365 someone does something for Vets and these days it's a small parade and day off. The day off is more important to most then the fact that people had to die to get that day. It's a crying shame. Thanks again.

That has to be one of the stupidest replys ever. Only 12, I dont know how your math works, but mine starts at 1 and goes up. Would you like to sign it where there is a 100 or a thousand. Check back later for a higher count. This petition was started a little over a week ago what do you expect. I think the negative side has been covered already. Sign the damn thing or STFU. You wont sign, but ask for others to back something else, theres Polish logic hard at work.

Thanks Jim. We have to start from somewhere. I will send this info out as far as I can. It would be appreciated if everyone sent out the link so it spreads everywhere. In time, hopefully before the current sponsors and co-sponsors of this bill retire or die this petition will have enough signatures to send to them. http://www.petitiononline.com/vetpet/petition.html

For those who wont use the facilities anyway, that is not the point. Sign the petition for those that when they get these benefits, can feel like the government gives a crap about them. Bitching about what is, was, should be or isnt, is just wasting your breath. Bashing any type of vet is just what I was talking about before. If you get a leg blown off on day one of combat or serve x amount of years and come out worse off after the first time you said "I swear to support and Defend" should have the same benefits as those that made it 20+. Most disabled vets would trade all the checks and all benefits to not have to suffer every damn day with problems that were caused by military service. I know there are diabled vets out there milking the system, but screwing over the rest is wrong. Sign the petition, write your congressman or get off the pot. http://www.petitiononline.com/vetpet/petition.html

Vic, we should be more like a familiy but we are fighting a war against government to get things we feel we are entitled to. The retirees want concurrent receipt and the disabled vets want anything that shows the federal governement care at all. In fighting for what each group wants, we tend to fight against each other. Just like the different Departments ie Dept of the Navy, Dept of the Army.... fighting for money from congress and in doing so tend to fight amongst each other to get what they want. And we all know that the Air Force always wins. Just kidding AF.

I know Rick. I was just making a point that it is not "just" a retirement benefit. There are circumstances where others are entitled use of the facilities. One of those circumstances should include disabled vets.

Ok, when I said that Com and PX was not a retirement benefit I was stating that it was not "just" a retirement benefit. I was a DoD civilian working in Germany when I got out. I had an ID card and used all the facilities on base including medical. As a pay patient, but the VA covered that. For those civilains working in the Hospitalsor in remote locations, they also are authorized PX and commissary use. As are all civil service employees elsewhere allowed to shop in the exchanges with a dollor limit. Point being that for something that is said to ge a retirement benefit there are sure a lot of other people using the facilities already. I see that the point I was trying to make that retirees and disabled vets fighting between themselve is going to carry on right here. When I started this petition and asked for help passing it on to others I was not looking to start a conflict between retirees and other vets. All I asked was that if you are interested in the cause was to please pass the word about the petition. If you don't agree with the House Resolution of other versions of legislation, please don't sign, but I am sure you know someone who agrees with it. Be a friend to them and give them a chance to fight for themselves. They will fight for you if you need it. Retirees are getting the shaft on a daily bases and it is so wrong in so many ways. This country was defended by ALL vets not just retirees and half of the vets (disabled vets) are getting the biggest shaft. Ask a disabled vet about heathcare. Hell, MEDICAID recipients that dont even know what a uniform looks like get better health benefits then disabled vets. Gentalman, please pass this petition on whether you agree or not, let those what to fight for themselve have the chance. It will only benefit all vets in the end. Rambling from here on. One last note. Congress debated contracting out the exchanges and commissary to contractor to boost sales that have been hurting DECA and the exchanges or the year due to the local ecomony selling larger volume at lower prices. This debate is not dead by any means. http://www.house.gov/hasc/openingstatement...-03johnson.html In case you have not been in a PX/BX lately, most of the items in there are luxury items that the base CO's spouses select from the PX/BX system for sell. Most if not all are higher priced them the local Wal-Mart. The only attraction the PX/BX has is the DPP charge cards that get the servicemembers deep in a financial hole earily in their careers buying over priced and extravegant items that they do not need.

Jim, you are a wise man. I like you thinking. I have seen many variations of this type of legislation. From all disabled vets to 70% vets. With and without space A travel. I do not really care what level disability level they decide on, as long as the disabled vet is recognized as earning something more the a pat on the back on the way out. My father retired after 26yrs. I have been in or around the military my whole life and know for a fact that benefits for retirees has dwindled to almost nothing. If we do not fight back a little harder, you can bet retirees will end up getting the shaft even harder. Tricare, in a few years it will stand for "Tri and get Care" as a retiree. Concurrent receipt has been on the front burner for a while now. I am guessing that if retirees helped the disabled vet that does not have 20+ years out with a small bennie, there would be more non-retirees standing up for those that should be getting concurrent receipt. Right know, do you think any non-retired diabled vets care whether a retiree gets concurrent receipt, not likely. We all need to stick together like we thought we would if we were in a fighting position watching each others backs. I don't know how the retirees and other vets became enimies with one another. We all shared a bond that a civilian will never know, that bond now broken because we are fighting different battles with the VA and the federal government. They are different battles, but the same war.

They are not called retirement benefits and have no idea where you got that from. You san that someone who served two or three years did not deserve the right. If a servicemember is medically retired with less then 20 they are entitled to PX and commissary privileges. I case you have not seen the prices in either the commissary or exchanges, they are higher then on the economy, so shopping on base is not saving the vets or for that fact the retirees in the commuity any money. Funds faised are fed back into MCCS which is a benefit for active duty servicemember serving now. Seems like a win, win to me. I am a disabled vet and a DoD civilian and work with MCCS and know for a fact that they can use all the funds they can get. I work on a small air station and go in our commissary regulary and have never seen all of the registers open, not even on paydays. There is no justifition for not allowing vets who may or may not have pulled the trigger in defense of this country the right to patrons in the same facilities they utilized while wearing a uniform.

I have started a petition to forward to our elected officials to urge them to get off their sixs and get this legislation passed. Please sign this petition and let your fellow vets know the petition is out there. Thanks http://www.petitiononline.com/vetpet/petition.html