Decreasing Vet Disability Claims

[COOL BREEZE]

This is in regards to those who think that one way to reduce the budget is to decrease the money paid to Vet Claims for disability. (various news stories on this and other forums) There are those who think that just the severely wounded Vets from combat should only receive compensation. Claims for sexual dysfunction, hemorrhoids(just using this as example only), ect should be discontinued. Oh we can really cut down on the billions paid out on VA claims yearly. Here is some food for thought. When you join the military,Uncle Sam owns your body. When you have to lug around hundreds of pounds of equipment, straining your back, eating high cholestrol military food , working in a noisy environment-flight deck, airfield ect. you just did your job as what the military expects. This is not a laid back civilian job 8-5 pm. We folks in the military are very unique. We serve our country . The damage done to our bodies caused by the military things we do are justified by the compensation that we have to fight for long and hard. The government owes us vets for all the physical and mental issues caused by our service.

[COOL BREEZE]

Statistically speaking,

how much of the Federal budget is actually spent on veteran's medical needs?

Not the Grand-Total amount supposedly allocated to all things in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I'm curious if our stats hungry government even knows how much is health care and how much is spent on window dressing?

Parade grounds, staff cars, wasted space, extra employees and shrubs don't count as health care.

After they almost killed me cleaning out an artery I was sent home a bleeding, dripping, bloody mess because they couldn't afford a new bandage to cover up the worst suturing job I have ever seen.

Not enough money in the budget of intensive care.

Intensive care was in the process of an expansion while I was there.

Adding 4 new beds in a totally, newly constructed area that was being added on.

(That's what they told me and my wife, I ain't making this up.)

I had to leave the medical facility grounds and go to the nearest grocery store for bandaging materials so my wife could replace the dripping stuff with new materials.

I had bled through the hospital bandaging stuff onto my clothing before they released me to go home and dripping blood onto the carseat was not a good idea.

sledge

Sorry to hear about the terrible care they provided. Thats why if they tell me I need surgery, I will use my tri-care Prime and get another referral, and If i need surgery, you can bet the VA won;t being doing that. My sister(before she passed medically retired from the VA from a back injury-the lifting of patients,ect) used to tell me(she was a registered nurse) the horror stories going on. Yes the cutting off the wrong leg,arm,finger ect-whoops I am sorry, now we have to do the right now was correct. Now I know that was years ago-don't know if that is still going on. But that what this forum is for-to teach us so we know what to expect-and make sure you ask the appropriate questions. Yikes-amputation of the wrong leg-cut me a break:ohmy:

[drohde]

I think that Veterans should be compensated for their service if their disability is real. Thankfully, 99.99% who claim to be disabled are. Perhaps if all servicemembers who deserve compensation for their disabilities ARE compensated, then conditions for our next generation of Veterans will improve. The military will work to create a safer, more productive environment for soldiers when they realize that through doing so they are saving money down the road.

[carlie]

I think that Veterans should be compensated for their service if their disability is real.

Thankfully, 99.99% who claim to be disabled are.

Perhaps if all servicemembers who deserve compensation for their disabilities ARE compensated, then conditions for our next generation of Veterans will improve.

The military will work to create a safer, more productive environment for soldiers when they realize that through doing so they are saving money down the road.

drohde,

We got compensated for our service while we were active duty.

As veterans, if appropriate - we can be compensated for our disabilities that relate in some way to our time on

active duty.

There's just too many brothers and sister's out there trying to judge just who it is, that have "real" disability/s.

How is one vet to know, if another veterans disability is real ?

What would one even attempt to measure it by ?

It would sure help vets and the VA if the VA were a bit more willing to provide preventative health care to veterans,

this would truly save money down the road, and possibly a few more lives.

[john999]

That ex-senator Simpson from Wyoming is on some panel that is working with Obama to find ways to cut the deficit. Simpson was complaining that disabled veterans were not helping because they were getting too much in the way of compensation. It was on MSNBC today. The panel is looking to cut medicare, SSA and veteran benefits as a way to reduce budget. I am not making this up. I don't think it is going to happen under current administration,but even talking about it while giving tax cuts to billionaires is crazy.

[COOL BREEZE]

That ex-senator Simpson from Wyoming is on some panel that is working with Obama to find ways to cut the deficit. Simpson was complaining that disabled veterans were not helping because they were getting too much in the way of compensation. It was on MSNBC today. The panel is looking to cut medicare, SSA and veteran benefits as a way to reduce budget. I am not making this up. I don't think it is going to happen under current administration,but even talking about it while giving tax cuts to billionaires is crazy.

I think I have created an unpleasant hot topic which I would like all of of the members here to share there views. Whatever you can contribute to who is behind this issue so we can stay on top of this would be greatly appreciated . That way when it comes time for election time-we know who not to vote for. As i mentioned, this started out in the local papers, now has spread to the networks. Not good.

[jbasser]

We need to keep the politics out of this one. Interesting topic. A vet is a Vet regardless of wether he served in a period of war or wether he floated around in the USS bathtub guarding the drain plug.

If they served, they are veterans, regardless of when they served.

Folks with the attitude that differentiates usually dont hang around Hadit too long.

J