Just A Thought

[carlie]

I feel sure that just about everyone has seen the Wilfred Bromley (sp) commercial on TV that says,

"Attention Diabetics, Did you know that Medicare could pay for All of Your Diabetic Supplies,

Well they might, just call Liberty and Liberty will take care of it all."

Well -------------- I'd like to hear a commercial say,

"Attention all Military Veterans, Did you know that you might be entitled to many, many veterans benefits, Disability, Health Care,

Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids, Nursing Home Care, Burial, etc..."

"Veterans, if you are facing Home Foreclosure and your current Mortgage

is not under a VA Loan, you more likely than not can re-finance with a VA Home Loan Guaranteed, etc..."

I sure would like to see one or two repetitive commercials like the above.

If the VA was more sincere in being there for Veteran's, I feel they would make some commercial's like this.

jmho,

carlie

Edited July 1, 2008 by carlie
sp (see edit history)

[yoggie2]

Good luck with that Vern.

[Rockhound]

It's the same reason you here advertisements for free government programs or money that is free to the public, all you have to do is buy in to their speal.

Why doesn't the government have it's own commercial that tells you where to call or write for these programs. They would just as well you didn't know about them or make them easy to everyone in need to apply for them. The government doesn't really want you to have the money nor does the VA. In the governments place, the money not given out each year goes back into their general funds, since money in already ear marked and how much, for the coming year.

The VA uses it's extra money to pay bonuses and incentives to their work force, and helps to pay for those expensive conventions they have in Las Vegas that is now under investigation. What they don't spend on us, they spend on themselves and I'm not talking about the award money, I'm talking about the money that should go to Veteran programs, hospitals and such. More importantly, hiring more medical personel, to take care of the back log of patients and claims people to take care of the back log of claims.

Sorry Carlie, just couldn't help but say it.

RR

[Bill (USAF Retired)]

If the VA was more sincere in being there for Veteran's, I feel they would make some commercial's like this.

jmho,

carlie

I'm split on this one, Carlie -- yes. it would get the word out to some deserving Veterans...but it would also get the word out to many more nonveteran "Have Nots" who might raise hell about the benefits we rightfully earned. Those "Have Nots" have votes too, and eventually some Congresscritter will listen to them instead of us.

People are already really ignorant about the military -- I remember bringing in stuff from the commissary once and a civilian said "must be nice to have free groceries." I don't know if we want to fuel the fire.

[carlie]

free groceries -- man what an ignorant creep !

I hope you educated him a bit.

[Testvet]

Nice idea but then they might really have to work and unless Congress allocates special money and appoints an overseer to make the VA run the commercials it will never happen they have been told to reach out to certain groups of vets in the past and the VA just ignores it and doesn't do anything, the nuclear test vets from the 50s and 60s, the chemical test vets from the 50s, 60 and 70s, the biological weapons experiments from 1955 - 1972 etc the only outreach the VA has done since WW2 is the notification of the Iraq/Afganistan vets in the past 6 months.....

Edited July 1, 2008 by Testvet (see edit history)

[71M10]

What would commercials do for our wait-times??

Im already at 244 days and six months ago in a letter they told me they would be contacting me to set up a C&P exam for my claim. No appointment, no missed appointment, 800 number says file is pending (in the stack). I just submitted an IRIS on that one today, it will be interesting to see what they have to say. I imagine it will go something like this, "Due to high claim volumes there has been a delay in processing your claim. We will work your claim in the order that it was received".

I don't know how complicated a hypertension claim can be with an in-service diagnosis (already in c-file), and current treatment from the VA to include medication (i get to pay for...come on 50%SC). no smoking, alcoholism, horrible car or industrial accidents, worst non sc medical thing I got going is obesity but had that medical clasification in service (i know not a rateable condition) so I don't see where they think they are going to come up with a intercurrent cause. Furthermore since hypertension is on the chronic disease list I don't have to show continuity of treatment since I have an in-service diagnosis.

Oh well.......

If the VA was to do a commercial I think it would be more like the K-tel bedazaler.

Best regards,

Tyler

[MRRRR5]

I wish they would do the commercials, but as some have mentioned in their posts, they don't wont deserving Vets to know about their earned benefits.

During my retirement ACAP session, the VA rep asked, "Have any of you every seen a VA commercial or advertisement on TV"? He further stated "and you won't see one because if you don't know about your benefits, you won't get your benefits". :P

The VA employees who get those big bonuses get that money from what is called "hire-lag" dollars. Example, VA get authorization and funds to hire 100 C&P examiners and 100 rating officials for FY 2008 at $80,000 per annun.

However, the Medical Director and the Veteran Service Managers only hire 50 examiners and 50 rating officials for the entire FY 2008.

Where do you suppose the funds (hire-lag dollars) for the other non hired positions goes? Convention trips, award bonuses, more office furniture, computers, equipment, etc. I would venture to say that some of this is "calculated" on the part of those in charge of the hiring. ;)

[rentalguy1]

Why doesn't one of the SO's do this? Or, better yet, why don't they all get together and do this colloectively? It would drive up their memberships, becuase vets would need help filing those claims (until they learn what the VSO's are really like). Maybe we should all send in letters to the SO's to get a public awareness campaign going.

[cowgirl]

just checked, Wilford Brimley is still alive, but if his schedule is too full I vote Gary Sinise!! or Willl Smith!! or Willie Nelson or Tom Hanks or Oprah Winfrey or retired General Wilma Vaughn (ret) or one of our illustrious military supportive Senators Filner or Murray or Lee Greenwood - God bless the USA!

Bottom line there ought to be a veterans registration drive to make sure each vet is provided one on one assistance for counseling in VA healthcare offerings and specific GI benefits.

cg

Edited July 2, 2008 by cowgirl (see edit history)

[Ricky]

I'm split on this one, Carlie -- yes. it would get the word out to some deserving Veterans...but it would also get the word out to many more nonveteran "Have Nots" who might raise hell about the benefits we rightfully earned. Those "Have Nots" have votes too, and eventually some Congresscritter will listen to them instead of us.

People are already really ignorant about the military -- I remember bringing in stuff from the commissary once and a civilian said "must be nice to have free groceries." I don't know if we want to fuel the fire.

Hey Bill, tell me where you got them there free groceries!!!!! I headed out the door now cause I sure am hungry hahahahahaha

You bring up a good point. Even congress, those who have not served and are not really up on the system have a hard time with this. Mr. civilian sees Mr. veteran jump on his new harley that he bragged about getting with his back pay and it turns Mr. civilian's belly inside out cause he knows that in some way he helped fund that new harley that he can not afford. Same goes for the new home make over with the new bath room. They just can not understand why they had to pay for the lazy veteran's new bathroom. Hell they have known him for 15 years and he don't act disabled and if he is why the hell is he now jumping on a new 20k harley and hitting the road. My God if he can ride a harley surely the bum can work can't he!!!!! Not my thoughts for I fully understand the plight of a disabled veteran however, Joe the civilian just can not stomach it nor imagine what it is like. All he knows is the old lazy veteran has not worked in the past 20 years and now he is riding a new bike or floating a new boat while the good civilian has a hard time putting food on the table for his children. We reall do cause a lot of heartache in the civilian community and the non-serving congress idiots.

Forgot to mention - eventhough we have tons of problems with the VA it is the best disability system in the world. Not many others, even if there is one, will pay for your wife and kids to go to college, assist you in buying a new car and then modify it for you, etc.......

Edited July 2, 2008 by Ricky (see edit history)