Ideas For Youtube Or Cnn Video On Veterans Issues

[broncovet]

I just PM'd Belle, and she has agreed to do a video on Veterans rights and post in on You tube. I asked her to be a spokesman for us because she is passionate about Veterans rights and because guys will want to watch the video just to see her!

If you have any ideas on what you would like to tell the world about Veterans rights, then this is a good time to post your story. Goodness..we can even vote on who's Veterans "story" is the best, or we could uses bits and pieces from multiple people.

I think there is a fairly good chance that if we work on this together, it could be a VERY popular Youtube or CNN video, possibly even seen by a million people.

I just dont think the politicians (or the VA) can ignore a million people watching a video!

If you have any good ideas for the video..as well as "your experience with the VA" please post them!

[SouthernBelle]

I'm looking forward to actually making the video. I've only been photographed before, never done video... Yall gotta tell me if I look ridiculous! PLEASE tell me if I look ridiculous!

I want to do it in front of a brick wall... somewhat symbolic, and a really nice background, BUT, I won't have good lighting, because I'll have to do it after 1900. Also, I'd have to contend with the bugs and frogs outside making all kinds of noise.... I'm still thinking on the background, because it DOES matter. I want to look smart, not ridiculous! Thanks for the tips Carlie!

Now see, here you go - you've set a goal and can begin laying the steps and plans to

accomplish it.

This will be another fine example of Veteran's Advocacy in action.

Hey - where's Steppenwolf........... ? ? ?

Southern - some suggestion's

study some you tube videos to find one you think came out good and get pointers from that

figure out what background setting or colors are good for you

and a great color for you to wear probably from the waist up - that will be complimented

by your background

remove clutter or anything that would show your location from the filming scene

have your hubby tell you which is your most photogenic side

use GOOD LIGHTING ......

I'm thinking back on my high school drama class days ;)

Looking forward to seeing the finished project.

carlie

[carlie]

Southern,

I know you will do great.

carlie

[SouthernBelle]

Thanks, Carlie!!! OKAY, so here's my tweaked and squeaked "script:" What do you think?

Hello

I am known as SouthernBelle on the Veterans’ Forum and information website, www.hadit.com, and I would like to welcome you to my first You Tube video. My husband is a Gulf War Veteran, and I have made it my mission to assist Veterans in any way I can, and this is one way I can! We are going to hear the story of a Veteran from COLORADO tonight. We’re telling the story of the HADIT member “BroncoVet.”

So, grab your chair while I tell you a few things about how our government, particularly, the VA is treating our Nation's Military, those who have risked their lives for our country.

Unfortunately, I need to tell you that the VA deserves an “F” in its “service” to Veterans. I am going to tell you about a Veteran, from Colorado, and how the VA has treated him. Then, I am going to ask you to share this video with your friends, and then get a pen and paper and write to your congressman telling him that our nation’s Veterans deserve better, they deserve their benefits in a timely manner!

A Veteran from Colorado writes:

“ I served in the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam Era. Our barracks was located just under the San Diego Airport, and we constantly had jet engines roaring just a few feet above our head when the planes took off. This jet engine noise took its toll and I have a severe hearing loss, which developed over many years and now, I am unable to even watch a movie without “close captioning”.

I lived with the hearing loss for many years, but it gets progressively worse every year. Finally, in 2002, I got fired from my job, in no small part because I failed the company physical due to my hearing loss.

I applied for benefits with the VA in 2002, explaining to them in a letter how my hearing loss lead to my unemployment. The VA didn’t listen to my letter at all, and put me in for just hearing loss and denied it in November 2002 even though my audiologist offered the opinion that my hearing loss was most likely due to military service.

I appealed, and the Board of Veterans appeals agreed with me awarding me a complete grant of benefit sought, in January 2004. I thought that they were going to compensate me and I would be able to keep my home, which was in foreclosure because people just don’t want to hire an extremely hard of hearing person, though I tried with all my might to get a job.

In February, 2004, the VA “decided” that, since the BVA awarded me benefits, they would “award” me a zero percent rating for hearing loss. That's right, the VA interpreted a complete grant of benefits to mean that I got NOTHING. My home was foreclosed, my pickup truck was repossessed, and I was just days from being just another homeless Veteran.

It has been 7 years since I applied, and the VA has still given me only the very minimum of benefits, expecting me to live on about $600 per month. My VA paperwork has been shredded by the Cleveland Regional Office and they “can't find” major parts of my claim.

Even though it is too late for me, I am asking for your help for my kids. If I get my VA benefits soon enough, they will still be young enough to go to college.

Thank you

A Loyal Veteran

Now, all you You Tubers, what do you think? Do you honestly believe this is an isolated incident? I know that it isn’t. It is the mission of these videos to show to the nation that this is the NORM for the VA. Become informed! Go to www.hadit.com and just look around at what is being talked about, who has “slipped through the cracks.” The numbers are staggering.

What do yall think?

[purple]

Careful. I would take out the part about giving the VA an "F". Ever heard of slander? As that is a generalized statement about all vets...might be a good idea to stay away from any generalized statement. And saying at the end that you "know" it's not an isolated incident...do you? Remember....factual. And is this the "norm" for the VA? Again, factual and that slander thing. Be very careful.

And I thought the YouTube idea had been nixed? Due to integrity issues....

[SouthernBelle]

The part about giving the VA an "F" is an opinion, take it with a grain of salt. This isn't supposed to be a "newscast" it is supposed to be informative, and tell a story about a Veteran. We can say that we "know" this isn't an isolated incident because we have figures that back it up, stories from Veterans, stories on the news, forum topics, all to back it up. Just look around here at Hadit. The VA systematically ignores, denies, or lowballs ratings. We KNOW this, because they actually violate Title 38 to deny, ignore, or lowball ratings. They break the rules to do this. That makes it fact, not slander.

[purple]

But you can't generalize and say that it affects everyone.