Tuesday, 18 April 2006
Stand Your Ground Against Right Wing Veteran Extremist Views of PTSD - Only Valor Stolen is from Vets with PTSD.
The best way to get right wing Veteran exteremist who follow the preachings and teachings of Bush front man B.G. Burkett and their bible, Stolen Valor to come into the open is to play by their rules. What is it that the Swift Boat crowd enjoy doing most? Challenging other Veterans legitamacy, crediblity, honor, integrity, and most of all military service. Heck in the toilet paper Stolen Valor, these right wing nuts have made an art out of attacking a Vets reputation.
For political gain they have done it to John McCain, John Kerry, Max Cleland, Bob Kerrey, and most recently John Murtha, I'm sure I've left a few out. In fact, I would go so far to say that some of the Vets exposed as frauds by Burkett were actually Vietnam Vets who's reputation he wanted damaged for some political motivaton, and these Vets are relatively unknown to the rest of the world.
However, when a Vet turns the cannons on the Burkettites, questions their credibility, legitamacy, honor, integrity, and most of all military service, they want to get all indignant and value oriented all of a sudden. Hell, they don't know how to act - GIVE ME A BREAK. Colonel, you really think I give a swamp rat's butt if you were a Saigon Warrior or not?
Here one Pat R. Glass wants to call me out for assuming he was a Saigon Warrior because I challenge his views on Stolen Valor and PTSD. Well I apologized to Colonel Glass for getting it wrong he was not a "Saigon Warrior," he is a "Stolen Valor Right Wing Extremist" who opposed the recognition of PTSD some 35 years ago and still opposes it today for political and monetary reasons. His service in Vietnam is commendable along with thousands of others including those receiving PTSD compensation or filing claims today
GET OVER IT - Saigon fell on April 30, 1975. The American Flag was not the one flying over the city when it fell. Game over. You cannot go back and change that by "staying the course" in Iraq BRO. The little yellow SOBs beat us. The reason don't matter. We lost the big game. That is what is eating at you right wingers, especially the cheer leaders who avoided combat and are no better than the draft dodgers. It is the ones that lead you around by the nose ring Glass, who never wore a uniform, like Tricky Dick Cheney, who really make me want to puke. Gotcha.
Glass stated in his last post that his position on PTSD was and is, that no one should get a free ride. The previous protocols used by the VA did not even insure that the claimant was a veteran. If I really think that non-veterans, or veterans who did not serve in a combat theater, should be treated with taxpayer dollars for PTSD, I suppose we don't have enough in common to even talk.
First off Colonel, I'm man enough to admit when I am wrong, and the only thing I admit being wrong about is assuming you were a "Saigon Warror, thus my humble apologies. But that is about all you are going to get from me one Patrick R. Glass. Because you see Sir, I play by the same ROE as the slimeballs who follow that crap in Stolen Valor. The one-sided politically motivated reason it was written, why it was written, who financed it, and what family encouraged B.G. Burkett to write it. I could possibly meet you at the half way point on the no one should get a free ride attitude of yours if it were applied fairly and equitably. Let us start applying it to Military Retirees instead of singling out VETERANS for starters. Let us see how that flies. Why are you only picking on first and second termers?
What evidence was provided in either Stolen Valor or by you that the previous protocols used by the VA did not ensure that the claimant was a Veteran? Because B.G.Burkett said so? Do you realize how much opposition there was to the recognition of PTSD let along willingness to adjudicate a PTSD claim. I worked for the VA Colonel from 1973 to 1976, while working my way through college after returning from Nam. You want to know what one of my many jobs were - CHECKING DD-214s before a Veteran could get treatment for anything at our VA (for anything including mental health).
NO DD-214 AND ONE DID NOT GET TREATED AT A VA HOSPITAL DURING THE 1970S PATRICK! Where YOU anywhere near a VA Hosptital during the early 70s? I can guarantee you that the early protocols used by the VA did ensure a claimant was a Veteran or that most were. You must be inferring to the homeless of which they are a minority of the group in question.
Yes, I do believe that Veterans who did not serve in a combat theater should be treated with taxpayer dollars for PTSD, because of the nature and definition of trauma goes beyond combat trauma. Something you evidently know nor have little sensitivity about. Have you ever had your wife, daughter or son raped while on active duty? Have you ever had one of your troopers beat his wife or kid on whike on active duty? Isolated cases maybe but they happen. That beaten wife happens to be a military member not in a combat zone but the PTSD all too real enough. That raped trooper is not in a combat zone but the PTSD is real enough. Nope one Patrick R. Glass who has been brainwashed by that bullshit in Stolen Valor, we do not have enough in common to even talk. YOU have a political motivation right in line with Burkett, his Texas connections to the Bush family, his right wing extremist agenda to cut funding to PTSD. Folks who think as I do, and that includes a significant number of Veterans, and in mind there are more Veterans than Military Retirees, are not going to let you have your way. A parting shot, I too am a Retired Officer, but the enlisted troops many who are not retired, have the most to lose from attacks from extremist like you - their Veterans Benefits to pay for the War on Terror while you Fat Cats get you Tax Cuts. They outnumber us. HINT.
Well enought about you and me one Patrick R. Glass, because I'm sure the readers whould rather hear from the experts: As follow up to a post on Bush Administration surrogate led right wign extremists renewed attacks on PTSD that originate with the "Stolen Valor" flag waving Vietnam Veteran let's blame the liberal this and that for our losing the war attitude.
Brother Tom Berger, Chair of the Vietnam Veteran of America (VVA) PTSD Committee Reports that on February 13, I presented testimony (see upcoming post) before the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine Gulf War and Health/VA subcommittee that’s looking at the PTSD clinical and diagnostic procedures used in the VA disability claims process. The subcommittee consists of a group of mental health professionals not in the employ of the VA (and none of whom are Veterans), but also includes the American Enterprise Institute’s Sally Satel – the so-called (right-wing extremist) expert who claims that there’s a “secret underground network which advises veterans where to go to assure their disability claim.” She, of course, could not answer any questions re: the science of PTSD diagnoses and just kept making outrageous statements that had nothing to do with the proceedings. She left the room after her presentation and did not return for the rest of the day. Anyway, there were seven speakers who addressed the committee during the public comment period at the end of the day: VVA (Tom Berger and Rick Weidman), one of Congressman Lane Evans’ staff, a former Veterans Benefits Administration official, and three reps from the Vietnam Veterans Foundation (2 Iraq vets and Bobby Muller). VVA’s written testimony was accepted for the official records of the meeting. To my knowledge, none of the other five submitted written testimony. The message that we must continue to press: the VA must distribute and train its mental health clinicians and staff in the use of its “Best Practices Manual” for the clinical assessment and diagnoses of PTSD in the disability claims process. We can accept nothing less. One thing YOU can do is ask your local VA mental health director the following questions: 1) Have you seen the “Best Practices Manual”? 2) Do you require its usage in your facility? Please carefully record the answers and send them back to me with the names of the facility and names and titles of the persons you speak with… If need be, use the highlighted background info about the Best Practices Manual in the testimony I’ve sent you…
By the way, a complete downloadable copy of the manual can be found on our committee webpage (in the center of the page). You needn’t give them a copy – they’re supposed to have received it several years ago, and we’re working on another strategy for its distribution
Next step: supposedly the next round of hearings for this subcommittee will focus on treatment… We haven’t heard whether there will be a public commentary allowed for this or not… Will let you know.
Thanks, Tom Berger
Bottom line is that America's Veterans are not asking our government nor the Department of Veterans Affairs to do it's job regarding PTSD, we are DEMANDING it do so regarding what B.G. Burkett, Colonel Glass, Salley Satel, and their ilk of Stolen Valor attitudes and views think or try to do to stop us. The first volleys have been fired and our powder is dry.
Bobby "Indy Thinker" Hanafin
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