Old And In The Way

[allan]

this is just how I feel.

OLD AND IN THE WAY -- As the "new vets" from Iraq and Afghanistan, just 2% of the veteran population, are given

priority at the VA, the other 98% find themselves pushed to

the rear of the line, now the forgotten of previous conflicts.

http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfAPR08/nf042808-1.htm

[yoggie2]

Allan, I can remember coming back GW1 and all I can really tell you is the American people were more concerned about our feelings ( I just wanted them away from me) I was still suffering from culture shock and thoughts of war. But yep it was our feelings, Americans wanted to erase the stigma of the way soldiers before us were treated and didn't want us to feel unappreciated and treated disgraceful like they treated our brothers from Vietnam so every A-hole had to thank me for my service because they spit on the same uniform I was wearing years before but I saw through it "without us there is no you". I am sorry to say it and I don't want to piss anyone off here but to me and in my mind I felt they were pathetic, I knew why they were doing this but man it must have been some kind a bad.

Then I went to Somalia, now Somalia to me is kinda like the Korean war whole lotta fighting going on but know one really cares or remembers, but this is the one that matters to you.

Not to piss any of my brothers and sisters here off I care about you all I know what it feels like. This move is to please the American public, move the old out of they way so we wont be accused of not caring for our new soldiers...

Edited October 5, 2008 by yoggie2

[jbasser]

As soon as the Ploiticians realize simple math this crap will be done with. 98 percent vs 2 percent.

J

[Rockhound]

I must agree and feel slighted by the new legislation being drafter for the new Veterans. In my day a minor cerebral concussion was looked upon as nothing more that a tap on the head with no lasting effects, yet today, that same cerebral concussion is being taughted as a TBI, traumatic brain injury. It has now been shown that even a minor cerebral concussion/TBI can and most likely will have long term effects that may not develope for months if not years after the event, to the degree that it can be noted by the Veteran, to have it assessed.

Yet this new legislation is being drafted stating in the forefront for those injured in Irac, Aftganistan and other resent war fronts, due to concussive injuries from nearby explotions. Little is being said about other ways in which these injuries may occure. they could be vehicular accidents, falls, objects falling on their head, etc.

What angers me the most, is that nothing is being done to re-evaluate those from past wars and/or conflicts, expecially those who's claims had been denide and are still being denied, even though they are experiencing the same problems that the new crop of Veterans are. Of course as stated before, it's more cost efficient to handle 2% than it is to handle the other 98% as well.

Rockhound Rider ;) :P

[Pete53]

Its just the VA way to divide Veterans. The VA runs breathlessly to Congress and explains that they must concentrate more heavily on Iraq Vets and I do in my heart feel that a wounded Veteran should have some priority in the suckass VA system. But in the end the VA is the VA and all Veterans get a raw deal.

[tagandbag]

I remember what the VA did to me in 1970 and I was not prepared for that. I just lived with my pent up anger for thirty some years. Then a few years years ago, I said to myself, I need to stop being a wuss and fight these bastards. Every veteran deserves something for even stepping into a combat zone, especially if they were wounded. I may be old and in the way, here and everwhere to the VA. But I ain't budging, in your face and I am in the way VA and going too get my say and my pay.

TnB

[allan]

During Vietnam, there was no place on the west coast that you could excape being spit on.

Want to feel dirty? Put a uniform on and try to go anywhere in the SF bay area. Boot camp didn't prepare us for the treatment we recieved. A 19 year old learns fast to stay away from the people in this nation.

After separation in 1971, there was a resession. I found more work by not stating I was a veteran on forms. The public held it against Vietnam veterans for many years and often refered to them as loosers. If you didn't like getting harrased for your service, you kept it quite.

The only place I was treated with respect was in Canada.

My guess, the ones doing the spittin are now raters for the DVA.

It's good to see the people support the troops over a war like Vietnam and not give them the same treatment we recieved.

I don't believe these returning troops are getting a better claims process than the rest of us. I see many getting cheated or low balled and expect the VA to string them out for years.