Washington's Battle against America's Veterans

"The War Comes Home: Washington's Battle against America's Veterans"

Veterans for Common Sense highly recommends this well-written documentary about how poorly our Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are being treated. As the Houston Chronicle editorial board wrote on December 14, 2008, "Since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and all of the resulting harms to soldiers, civilians, economies and constitutional principles, no segment of society has been more abused and neglected than returning U.S. military veterans."

Description

The War Comes Home is the first book to systematically document the U.S. government's neglect of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Aaron Glantz, who reported extensively from Iraq during the first three years of this war and has been reporting on the plight of veterans ever since, levels a devastating indictment against the Bush administration for its bald neglect of soldiers and its disingenuous reneging on their benefits. Glantz interviewed more than one hundred recent war veterans, and here he intersperses their haunting first-person accounts with investigations into specific concerns, such as the scandal at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This timely book does more than provide us with a personal connection to those whose service has cost them so dearly. It compels us to confront how America treats its veterans and to consider what kind of nation deifies its soldiers and then casts them off as damaged goods.

Reviews of "The War Comes Home" --

"A breathtaking rebuke to government hypocrisy and an overdue contribution to gaining critical public awareness of this official neglect."—Publishers Weekly

"Aaron Glantz is one of the truly outstanding young journalists of our times." —Bob McChesney, author of Rich Media, Poor Democracy, and founder of Free Press

"One of the many scandals of the war in Iraq is how the administration has betrayed our returning servicemen. I'm grateful that the facts surrounding these tragedies are finally being exposed."—Paul Haggis, Academy-Award-winning director of Crash and In the Valley of Elah, screenwriter of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima

"A must-read for those who claim to support our troops."—Robert G. Gard, Lt. General, U.S. Army (ret.)

"The treatment by the Bush Administration of America's returning veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is one of the saddest chapters in American history. This story is painfully documented by Aaron Glantz. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to make the phrase, 'Support the Troops,' more than a slogan."—Former US Senator Max Cleland

"A fitting tribute to what these men and women fought and risked their lives and well-being for."—Gerald Nicosia, author of Home to War

"This superbly documented and eloquent book is a clarion call for honesty, compassion, outrage, and an end to the lies that cause so much suffering in far-off countries and in our own nation."—Norman Solomon, author of War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death

"Aaron Glantz draws on his eyewitness experiences of reporting in Iraq to bring the courage and the suffering of our troops into vivid relief. The War Comes Home exposes how physical and mental injuries plague our returning servicemen and what we can do about it."—Linda Bilmes, coauthor of The Three Trillion Dollar War

"Weep, America, cringe, America. We talk a good game about honoring all those who go into harm's way for our sake and caring for those who get physically and psychologically broken, but do we go beyond fine words and a few gold-plated flagship medical facilities? Are we walking the walk? Are we getting it right? Aaron Glantz is in our face on the military treatment facilities, the VA, and civilian society at large."—Jonathan Shay, MD, PhD, author of Achilles in Vietnam and Odysseus in America. MacArthur Fellow

"Aaron Glantz reports on the human cost of war, what it does physically and emotionally to those young men and women who carry out industrial slaughter. He rips apart the myths we tell ourselves about war and illustrates, in painful detail, the dark psychological holes that those who have been through war's trauma endure and will always endure. He reminds us that the essence of war is not glory, heroism, and honor but death."—Chris Hedges, former New York Times foreign correspondent, author of War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning

"We should all be reading people like Greg Palast and Aaron Glantz."—Al Kennedy, The Guardian (UK)

The War Comes Home: Washington's Battle against America's Veterans

Countries Responsibility - Veterans Care

Facing The Wall: A Mission

Witness This Engaging Account About One Woman's Struggling in Taking Care of Her Vietnam War Veteran Husband Suffering From Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

FACING THE WALL: A MISSION symbolizes the everlasting pains of war as well as our search for peace. It pays special attention to PTSD and its effects on the whole family.

Growing Problem For Veterans: Domestic Violence

"The increasing number of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) raises the risk of domestic violence and its consequences on families and children in communities across the United States," says Monica Matthieu, Ph.D., an expert on veteran mental health and an assistant professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis.

Veterans oppose change in health care

They protest VA hospital contracting out surgical, emergency, ICU services

He held a sign that read: "Dole Out Burr Next." Other signs read: "Save our hospital," "Save our ICU," and "Be loud save our care."

An unspoken illness among veterans

On this Veterans Day, whether we are a veteran, family member, friend, co-worker or simply a concerned citizen, we all need to make sure we continue to fight the stigma attached to seeking mental health treatment. We need to do go the extra yard to ensure that veterans who may be suffering from mental illnesses receive the help they need.

After Two Iraq War Deployments

Army Major General Steps Forward, Breaks Culture of Silence on Mental Health

Blackledge got psychiatric counseling to deal with wartime trauma, and now he is defying the military's culture of silence on the subject of mental health problems and treatment.

"It's part of our profession ... nobody wants to admit that they've got a weakness in this area," Blackledge said of mental health problems among troops returning from America's two wars.

Challenges remain for many veterans
People can do more for those who served, VFW commander says

“Somewhere as veterans, these people have crossed the line from normal to abnormal. They need help and they need to know they won’t be judged if they reach out for help,” he said.

Obama can make quick, modest gains on health care

**Expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover as many children as possible when it comes up for renewal in March. The program has broad support in Congress, but it was cut during its last renewal to win President Bush's signature.

**Authorize the federal government to negotiate bulk purchases of Medicare prescription drugs. Bush opposed this, but the Veterans Affairs already does it with great success.

Dems get new crop of military voters

With McCain facing a diminished role in the GOP, and Chuck Hagel retiring from the Senate, there are few prominent Republican leaders left with military bona fides. This is in stark contrast to the Democratic Party, which has seen the emergence of a new generation of veteran leaders.

In the past two election cycles, Democrats have added ten new Democratic veterans to Congress. Last week, President-elect Barack Obama helped close the gap among military voters, winning 44 percent of veterans as opposed to John F. Kerry’s 41 percent in 2004.

For all the GOP’s patriotic imagery and testosterone-infused rhetoric, the sad truth is that most of the current crop of Republican leaders – Rudy Giuliani; Mitt Romney; Newt Gingrich; Mitch McConnell; John Boehner; etc. – were all of age at the time of Vietnam but avoided serving in the military.

N.J. Hospitals, Military and Veterans Affairs Join Broad Effort to Improve Returning Vets' Healthcare

The New Jersey Hospital Association and the N.J. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs have partnered with more than a dozen national organizations in a sweeping effort to educate healthcare professionals, veterans and family members about the unique health-related problems faced by returning veterans.

Honor America's Veterans on Nov. 11

Tuesday, Nov. 11 the United States marks the 55th Veterans Day observance. Across the nation, we will pay tribute to America's 25 million living veterans and the more than one million who have given their lives in military service.

While Veterans Day is a time to recall the sacrifices of those who have protected our liberty and way of life, honoring America's veterans must be an ongoing national priority which is reflected in a strong federal commitment to veterans' needs.

"Another Walter Reed-Type Scandal"

Soldiers at the military hospital languished in part due to incompatible databases and dismal record keeping. Welcome to the Pentagon's $20 billion medical-records boondoggle.

The above subject title is a report, over at Mother Jones, I couldn't think of a better title than used, really, written by Niko Karvounis who, according to the Mother Jones info at the end, is a program officer at The Century Foundation, where he researches health care, among other issues and is a regular contributor to HealthBeatBlog.org.


It's one of those "Here we go again, on the incompetence and arrogance, of those that were placed on the public payroll under this corrupt and totally incompetent administration and arrogant wanna-be top CEO, only in his dreams, and complacent GOP congress up till the previous election!".


I still can't figure out the why so few, if any, are not running against the policies, or actually the non-policies of the previous GOP controlled congresses, under which six years were under total GOP control, from the administration on down.


Even if there were complicity from the Democratic side the voting records and the Congress records are a mother load of information on an Ideological Policy that can and should not exist in a Free and Democratic Government, even covering the Economics of the Capitalism that was set forth, showing up, not just recently as in yesterday, but right along.


But this is more about what many should be bringing in to the public discussion, especially those who would be freshmen/women in the Congressional Races.


This is, once again and the list is so long, about what the previous 109th Congress didn't do, nor care about, as they were beating the drums of war, their claim to a strong national security, and they with their surrogates were calling us, who were warning them and the majority of this country what was coming, across the whole spectrum, every childish and treasonous name they could muster in their double speak of hypocrisy, lies, and propaganda!

In February 2007, William Winkenwerder Jr. announced he was stepping down from his post as assistant secretary of defense for health affairs following a press conference in which he downplayed the Walter Reed scandal as a mere "quality-of-life experience." In the months that followed, it seemed clear that Winkenwerder's negligence may have been partly to blame for the deplorable conditions at the military hospital. Now, more than a year and half after his departure, Winkenwerder's legacy lives on in a multibillion-dollar Defense Department medical-records management system that many military doctors believe is fatally flawed. One military physician, speaking anonymously, calls it "another Walter Reed-type scandal."

He goes on to explain the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, or AHLTA, that begin in 1997. Who got the contract for it, complaints about it etc..

The military stuck with the system until November 2005, when Winkenwerder, who oversaw all DOD health care, held a press conference rechristening the system "AHLTA." "We have put a new name on what we are doing because it is not a 'version two' of anything, but an entirely new system," he said. But AHLTA was CHCS II, warts and all—and a new name couldn't hide the program's problems.

Over the course of AHLTA's implementation period, which has continued through this year, military doctors have grown increasingly disgruntled with the system. They complain that AHLTA is difficult to use, error prone, and slow, and that it has too many nonsensical tics such as an inability to capture patient data unless the patient stays in a hospital overnight.

More about the failings but also about the success of a program that the VA had already been using for the past 25yrs. and integration problems of this new system with the old and who suffers from the many problems.


And here's the key to their failed ideology and policies:

But Winkenwerder championed the private-sector solution. Like many Bush administration appointees, Winkenwerder was plucked from industry. An MD/MBA, he never served in the military and was a vice president of Blue Cross Blue Shield, New England's largest private health insurer, before arriving at the DOD. Winkenwerder was proud of his corporate pedigree: During his nomination process, he told the Senate that "coming from the private sector, I am…confident in the ability of private health care contractors to [provide]…high quality services." (Winkenwerder did not respond to an interview request.)

Right, and we've been watching how the once World Envied Private Sector, businesses and workers, often knocking heads but moving forward with the best in modern innovations and technologies for an advanced society that this planet has experienced in a long time, has sunk to it's own corruption, greed, arrogance, self indulgence, apathy, false superiority,....................................................................., the list is just to long, but a total lack of common sense, critical thought and extremely bad business practices should be added.


It isn't about pride of innovation nor quality products it's about wealth and the road to easy money garnered off the backs of the working masses who still try and get a pride and self worth out of what they do.

The AHLTA debacle hasn't come cheap. So far the Pentagon has invested an estimated $5 billion of taxpayer money in the project. This figure includes the original Integic contract and other corporate handouts such as a $67.7 million follow-up contract for "monitoring" and "management" with Northrop Grumman—which bought out Integic shortly before AHLTA was announced—and another $12.3 million to Northrop and Booz Allen Hamilton for aid in assessing how AHLTA and VistA can share data.

We're talking about the so called false impression given of a Strong National Security by a group of, so many names and descriptive words come to mind, extremely incompetent fools, who Never seem to give a crap about anyone but those in their circles, even than turning on the ones who get caught in their web of greed and corruption, using that phrase "Strong On National Security and Defense" to only enhance their power and greed on their Use of those they send into Wars of Choice and the long running Destructive Occupations than Short Change Them when they return. These War of Choice only helping to create a Weak National Security so they can use that as their excuse for the continuation of Perpetual Conflict and Criminal Terrorism!


Niko Karvounis has more, with important backlinks, that should be read, But I'll place a couple of more cuts of thought:

But making these systems interoperable will come at enormous taxpayer expense: Casscells says the price tag for convergence will be another $15 billion over the next several years, putting the total cost of AHLTA somewhere in the realm of $20 billion—four times what the government had originally budgeted for the entire AHLTA process. "There's been plenty of blame to go around," Casscells said at a forum on military health care last month. "Nobody's gonna like it."

Privatization, ain't it great, especially when nobody complains, and those that do are marginalized on the extreme!

For his part, Winkenwerder, who boasted that the system "works" and "is improving care" in an October 2007 interview, is still touting the success of AHLTA. His profile at Deloitte Consulting, where he serves as a senior adviser, proudly claims that he oversaw "the world's…most sophisticated electronic health record system."

But that's what this society and it's modern capitalist ideology is all about, not what you know, but who you know, and how to pad your resumes with lies, but if you know the right folks, Who Cares!!!!

Senator McCain, This is Walter Reed

It's no wonder the 109th GOP Congress and Administration, in their rush to War with the Drums beating Louder and Louder, didn't take Military Care and once again the Veterans Care, Wars Makes, into consideration and Pass Legislation and Funding, They Couldn't Find The Facilities, and still can't!!

John McCain may not be able to find the right Walter Reed, but we sure can. Watch this new video from Americans United for Change.



*** Media Advisory for Saturday, September 6th @ 11AM EDT at Walter Reed Army Medical Center ***

IRAQ WAR VETERANS TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE OUTSIDE OF WALTER REED TO REMIND JOHN MCCAIN WHERE IT IS, CALL MCCAIN OUT FOR TURNING HIS BACK ON AMERICA'S VETERANS

McCain Campaign Gaffe Involving Walter Reed Underscores McCain's Shameful Veterans Record

Washington, DC – Veterans will meet outside of Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Saturday, September 6th at 11 a.m. to discuss John McCain's shameful record on veterans health care, the GI bill, his suggestion to ration care to only the combat wounded, and other veterans issues. The press conference comes just two days after John McCain's campaign mistakenly used an image of Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, CA instead of an image of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The gaffe symbolizes how McCain, like President Bush, has not provided America's veterans and service members at Walter Reed and around the world the attention and care they need and deserve.

WHO: Brian McGough, a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division

Kayla Williams a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Iraq and is the Author of "Love My Rifle More Than You:Young and Female in the US Army"

Other veterans - TBA

WHAT: Press Conference in front of Walter Reed Army Medical Center


WHEN: Tomorrow, Saturday, September 6 at 11 a.m. EDT


WHERE: Main Gate of Walter Reed

Intersection of Georgia Avenue NW and Elder Street NW

Washington, DC

-30-

McCain’s Disappointing Record on Veterans’ Issues



McCain Record Opposing Healthcare for Veterans



McCain Has Voted To Cut, Eliminate, or Gut Veterans Health Care Funding At Least 27 Times. [HR 4939, Vote #98, 4/26/06; SCR 83, Vote #70, 3/16/06; SCR 83, Vote #67, 3/16/06; SCR 83, Vote #63, 3/16/06; SCR 83, Vote #41, 3/14/06; HR 4297, Vote #15, 2/13/06; HR 4297, Vote #7, 2/2/06; S 2020, Vote #343, 11/17/05; HR 2863, Vote #251, 10/5/05; HR 2528, Vote #242, 9/22/05; HR 2361, Vote # 165, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 166, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 168, 6/29/05; HR 1268, Vote #90, 4/12/05; HR 1268, Vote #89, 4/12/05; SCR 95, Vote #40, 3/10/04; S 1689, Vote #379, 10/14/03; SCR 23, Vote #81, 3/25/03; S 2168, Vote #185, 7/7/98; S 936, Vote #168, 7/10/97; HR 3666, Vote #276, 9/5/96; HR 3666, Vote # 275, 9/5/96; HR 2099, Vote #466, 9/27/95; HR 4624, Vote #256, 8/4/94; HR 1335, Vote #97, 4/1/93; S 2884, Vote #226, 8/4/90; HR 2519, Vote #132, 7/17/91]



· McCain Was One of 13 Senators To Vote Against Increase In Veterans’ Healthcare. In 2006, McCain was one of 13 senators to vote against an amendment to add $430 million for outpatient and inpatient health care and treatment for veterans. Amendment passed 84-13. [HR 4939, Vote #98, 4/26/06]



· McCain Voted To Cut Funding For Veterans’ Healthcare. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment to strike a provision in the 2007 Budget that will hold farm programs, veterans, Social Security, and Medicaid hostage to rising health care costs by creating automatic cuts once an arbitrary level of spending is reached in the Medicare program. The amendment failed 50-50. [SCR 83, Vote #70, 3/16/06]



· McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans’ Funding By $10 Billion. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment to eliminate a tripling of fees for veterans in the TRICARE health care program by raising the discretionary spending limit by approximately $10 billion. The provisions would have been fully offset by eliminating certain corporate tax breaks. The amendment failed 46-53. [SCR 83, Vote #67, 3/16/06]



· McCain Voted Against Veteran’s Healthcare Program. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment to make veterans’ health benefits a mandatory program, spending $104 billion over five years. The funding would have been offset by closing corporate tax loopholes and rolling back the Bush tax cuts for millionaires. Amendment rejected 46-54. [SCR 83, Vote #63, 3/16/06]



· McCain Voted Against A $1.5 Billion Increase In Healthcare For Veterans. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that increased the discretionary spending limit by $1.5 billion to $874.5 billion to provide an increase in funding for veterans’ medical services. It would be offset by ending certain corporate tax breaks. Amendment rejected 46-54. [SCR 83, Vote #41, 3/14/06]



· McCain Failed To Vote To Support Healthcare For Veterans In Lieu of Tax Breaks For Millionaires. In 2006, McCain failed to vote on a motion to instruct conferees to insist that the tax reconciliation conference report includes funding to support health needs of veterans and military personnel in lieu of an extension of capital gains or dividends tax breaks for individuals with incomes of more than $1 million. Motion failed 40-53. [HR 4297, Vote #15, 2/13/06]



· McCain Voted Against $19 billion For Military And Veterans’ Hospitals. In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that provided $19 billion for military and veterans’ hospitals, offset by limiting the dividend and capital-gains tax rates to individuals earning less than $1 million. Amendment failed 44-53. [HR 4297, Vote #7, 2/2/06]



· McCain Voted Against Mental Healthcare For Veterans. In 2005, McCain Voted against an amendment that provided an additional $500 million per year for the next five years for mental health services for veterans. The funding would be offset by deferring tax cuts for those making $1 million per year. Amendment rejected 43-55. [S 2020, Vote #343, 11/17/05]



· McCain Voted Against Considering Inflation In Veterans Funding Formula. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would establish a future funding formula for health care for former members of the Armed Forces takes into account changes in population and inflation. Amendment failed 48-51. [HR 2863, Vote #251, 10/5/05]



· McCain Voted Against A $10 Million Increase In Readjustment Counseling for Veterans. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would provide an additional $10 million for the Readjustment Counseling Service, offset with a $10 million reduction in the HealthVet account. The amendment failed 48-50. [HR 2528, Vote #242, 9/22/05]



· McCain Failed To Vote For A $1.5 Billion Increase In Veterans’ Healthcare. In 2005, McCain failed to vote for an amendment that would add $1.5 billion of funding to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for medical services provided by the Veterans Health Administration. Amendment passed 96-0. [HR 2361, Vote # 165, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 166, 6/29/05; HR 2361, Vote # 168, 6/29/05]



· McCain Voted Against $1.9 Billion In Emergency Funding For Veterans’ Hospitals. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that designated $1.9 billion in emergency funding for veterans’ hospitals. The $1.9 billion provided for the VA by the underlying amendment will help the VA to cover the costs of caring for these new veterans, and ensure that the VA is able to provide them with the care they deserve. The amendment failed 46-54. [HR 1268, Vote #90, 4/12/05]



· McCain Voted Against A $2 Billion Increase In Veterans’ Funding. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would increase funding for the Veterans Affairs Department by $1.98 billion and designate it as emergency spending. It would stipulate that $840 million be used for veterans’ regional health networks; $610 million be used to address the needs of service members deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan; and $525 million be used to provide mental health care and treatment. Amendment failed 46-54. [HR 1268, Vote #89, 4/12/05]



· McCain Voted Against Creating A Reserve Fund For Veterans’ Health Care. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment that would create a reserve fund to allow for an increase in veterans medical care by $1.8 billion, the amount determined by Veterans’ Affairs Committee to meet existing needs; and is fully offset by closing tax loopholes. Amendment rejected 46-51. [SCR 95, Vote #40, 3/10/04]



· McCain Voted Against A $1.3 billion Increase In Veterans’ Health Benefits. In 2003, McCain voted to table an amendment that included a $1. Billion increase in funding for health benefits. The amendment would reduce the amount provided for Iraqi reconstruction by $5.03 billion, and redirect that funding for domestic programs, including $1.8 billion for veterans’ health benefits, $1 billion for school reconstruction, renovation and repair and class size reduction, and $1.5 billion for capital improvements for federal highways. It also would express the sense of the Senate that Congress should consider an additional $5.03 billion in funding for Iraqi reconstruction during the fiscal 2005 budget and appropriations process. The motion to table passed 59-35. [S 1689, Vote #379, 10/14/03]



· McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans’ Health Care Program. In 2003, McCain voted against an amendment that would increase spending on the TRICARE program by $20.3 billion over 10 years to give members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families greater access to the health care program. The increase would be offset by a reduction in tax cuts. Amendment rejected 46-51. [SCR 23, Vote #81, 3/25/03]



· McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans’ Health Administration By $1 Billion. In 1998, McCain voted against an amendment that would add $1 billion for Veterans’ Health Administration Medical Care. The funding would budget neutral and would come from the termination of the space station program. The amendment failed 33-66. [S 2168, Vote #185, 7/7/98]



· McCain Voted Against $400 Million In Veterans’ Funding. In 1997, McCain voted to table an amendment that would permit $400 million in DOD funds to be transferred to Department of Veterans’ Affairs to provide health benefits under laws administered by Secretary. Motion to table agreed to 58-41. [S 936, Vote #168, 7/10/97]



· McCain Voted Against Covering Spina Bifida For The Children of Veterans. In 1996, McCain voted against the germaneness of an amendment that would extend veterans health care and related benefits to the children of Vietnam Veterans suffering from spina bifida, a spinal cord birth defect that causes neurological damage. The amendment was judged germane 62-35. [HR 3666, Vote #276, 9/5/96]



· McCain Voted Against Preventing Cuts In Veterans’ Healthcare Funding. In 1996, McCain voted to table an amendment that would prohibit the Department of Veterans’ Affairs from reducing funds to any state for health care facilities in fiscal 1997 below the fiscal 1996 funding level. Motion to table passed. [HR 3666, Vote # 275, 9/5/96]



· McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans’ Healthcare Funding By $511 Million. In 1995, McCain voted against an amendment which would increase the funding for veterans’ medical care by $511 million; and offsets the cost of this amendment by limiting any tax cut to families with incomes of less than $100,000. Amendment failed 51-49. [HR 2099, Vote #466, 9/27/95]



· McCain Voted To Restrict Funding For Veterans’ Care Facilities. In 1994, McCain voted against tabling an amendment that the amendment would prohibit the construction of three inpatient facilities, located in Hawaii, California, and Tennessee. The projects in Hawaii and California will provide access to acute care for large numbers of veterans in the areas to be served, without which they would not have access to VA inpatient services. The project in Tennessee involves the correction of serious seismic deficiencies in the Memphis VA facility, which is located in a dangerous earthquake area. Motion to table passed 62-36. [HR 4624, Vote #256, 8/4/94]



· McCain Voted To Cut $25 Million From Veterans’ Health Programs. In 1993, McCain not to table an amendment that transferred $25 million of veterans’ health funding to programs for the Veterans Department to occupation conversion and employment training programs for veterans. Motion to table passed 57-43. [HR 1335, Vote #97, 4/1/93]



· McCain Voted Against Increasing Veterans’ Healthcare & Research Funding By $431 Million. In 1991, McCain voted against an amendment to increase veterans’ program funding by $378 million for medical care and $53 million for medical and prosthetic research. Amendment failed 35-64. [HR 2519, Vote #132, 7/17/91]



· McCain Voted Against $200 Million For Veterans’ Healthcare. In 1990, McCain voted to table an amendment that transferred $200 million to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs medical account. The money would be transferred from the Strategic Defense Initiative. Motion to table passed 54-43. [S 2884, Vote #226, 8/4/90]



McCain Record Opposing Funding for Veterans’ Programs



McCain Voted To Gut, Eliminate, or Cut Funding for Veterans Programs At Least 18 Times. [SCR 21, Vote #114, 3/23/07][SCR 18, Vote #55, 3/16/05][HR 2673, Vote #3, 1/22/04][SCR 23, Vote #74, 3/21/03][S 2400, Vote #136, 6/23/04][HR 2861, Vote #449, 11/12/03][SCR 23, Vote #83, 3/25/03][HR 2620, Vote $334, 11/8/01][HR 2620, Vote #269, 8/2/01][HR 4635, Vote #272, 10/12/00][HR 2684, Vote #328, 10/15/99][SCR 57, Vote #115, 5/16/96][HR 2099, Vote #470, 9/27/95][HR 2099, Vote #465, 9/27/95][SCR 13, Vote #226, 5/25/95] [S 1, Vote #76, 2/22/95][S 869, Vote #259, 11/20/91][HR 4624, Vote #306, 9/27/94]



· McCain Voted Against A $3.5 Billion Funding Increase For Veterans’ Healthcare. In 2007, McCain voted against the 2008 Budget Resolution that included at $3.5 billion increase in funding for veterans’ healthcare programs. The bill passed 52-47. [SCR 21, Vote #114, 3/23/07]



· McCain Voted Against Increasing FY 2006 Veterans’ Health Care Funding By $2.8 Billion. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would increase funding for veterans health care by $2.8 billion for fiscal 2006 and reduce the deficit by $2.8 billion. Amendment rejected 47-53. [SCR 18, Vote #55, 3/16/05]



· McCain Voted Against $62 Billion In Funding For Veterans Affairs. In 2004, McCain voted against an appropriations bill that would provide $62 billion for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The bill passed 65-28. [HR 2673, Vote #3, 1/22/04]



· Two Days After Iraq Invasion, McCain Voted Against A $1 Billion Increase In Veterans’ Programs. Two days after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, McCain voted against an amendment that would increase spending on veterans’ programs by approximately $1 billion and put the same amount toward deficit reduction. The amount would be offset by a decrease in tax cuts. The amendment failed 49-51. [SCR 23, Vote #74, 3/21/03]



· McCain Voted Against Modernizing Retirement Packages For National Guardsmen And Army Reservists. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment that would reduce from 60 to 55 the age at which certain members of the National Guard and Army Reserves could receive retirement benefits. Motion rejected 49-49. [S 2400, Vote #136, 6/23/04]



· McCain Voted Against $122.7 Billion For Department of Veterans’ Affairs. In 2003, McCain voted against an appropriations bill that included 122.7 billion in fiscal 2004 for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and other related agencies. The motion failed 44-49. [HR 2861, Vote #449, 11/12/03]



· McCain Voted Against A $13 Billion Funding Increase For Veterans’ Programs. In 2003, McCain voted against an amendment that would provide an additional $13 billion for veterans’ programs. The substitute amendment would reduce all tax cuts in the resolution by $1.24 trillion, fund President Bush’s proposed $75 billion war supplemental bill, and increase homeland security spending by $80 billion, spending for a Medicare prescription drug benefit by $194 billion, spending on veterans’ programs by $13 billion and spending on transportation and infrastructure by $71 billion. The amendment failed 43-56. [SCR 23, Vote #83, 3/25/03]



· McCain Voted Against $51 Billion In Veterans’ Funding. In 2001, McCain was one of seven senators to vote against the adoption of the conference report to provide 51.1 billion for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs; $30.1 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $7.9 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency; $3.1 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and $14.8 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The conference report was approved 87-7. [HR 2620, Vote $334, 11/8/01]



· McCain Voted Against $51 Billion For The Department of Veterans’ Affairs. In 2001, McCain was one of five senators to vote against approval of a bill including $51.1 billion for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs; $31.0 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $7.8 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency; $14.6 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and $3.2 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The bill passed 94-5. [HR 2620, Vote #269, 8/2/01]



· McCain Failed To Vote For $47 Billion In Veterans’ Funding. In 2000, McCain failed to vote for a bill that would appropriate $47 billion to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs as well as $23.6 billion for the Energy Department and Army Corps of Engineers, and other independent agencies. The bill passed 85-8. [HR 4635, Vote #278, 10/19/00]



· McCain Voted Against $47 Billion In Funding For Department of Veterans’ Affairs. In 2000, McCain was one of eight senators to vote against an appropriating bill that provided $47 billion for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. It included $453 million for new rental assistance vouchers and language that incorporates a slightly amended version of the fiscal 2001 energy and water appropriations bill. The bill passed 87-8. [HR 4635, Vote #272, 10/12/00]



· McCain Voted Against $44.3 Billion For Veterans’ Programs. In 1999, McCain was one of five senators to vote against an appropriations bill that provided $44.3 billion for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, $26.0 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, $7.6 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency, $3.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and $13.7 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The bill passed 93-5. [HR 2684, Vote #328, 10/15/99]



· McCain Voted Against A $13 Billion Increase In Funding For Veterans’ Programs. In 1996, McCain voted against an amendment to increase veterans’ spending by $13 billion in fiscal 1997-2002 to be offset by closing corporate tax preferences and reinstating expired taxes. Amendment Rejected 45-53. [SCR 57, Vote #115, 5/16/96]



· McCain Voted To Underfund Department of Veterans’ Affairs. In 1995, McCain voted for an appropriations bill that underfunded the Departments of Veterans’ Affairs & Housing and Urban Development by $8.9 Billion. The bill passed 55-45. [HR 2099, Vote #470, 9/27/95]



· McCain Voted To Withhold Benefits From Mentally Disabled Veterans. In 1995, McCain voted against an amendment striking the provision that withholds benefits to mentally incompetent veteran who does not have spouse, children, or dependent parents, and has estate valued in excess of $25,000. Amendment failed 47-53. [HR 2099, Vote #465, 9/27/95]



· McCain Voted Against Closing Tax Loopholes To Increase Veterans’ Funding By $74 Million. In 1995, McCain voted against an amendment eliminating tax breaks and closing tax loopholes in order to provide revenue to restore some of the proposed cuts in Veterans’ Affairs spending. Amendment failed 45-55. [SCR 13, Vote #226, 5/25/95]



· McCain Voted Against Protecting Veterans’ Benefits From Budget Cuts. In 1995, McCain voted to table an amendment to exempt current veterans’ benefits from cuts required by the balanced-budget amendment. Motion to table passed 62-33. [S 1, Vote #76, 2/22/95]



· McCain Voted Against Funding The Department of Veterans’ Affairs. In 1994, McCain was one of nine senators to vote against appropriating $90,118,186,061 in budget authority for the Veterans’ Affairs and the Housing and Urban Development departments. The bill passed 90-9. [HR 4624, Vote #306, 9/27/94]



· McCain Voted Against Providing Automatic Cost of Living Adjustments To Veterans. In 1991, McCain voted against an amendment to provide automatic annual cost of living adjustments (COLA) for certain veterans’ benefits. Amendment failed 24-71. [S 869, Vote #259, 11/20/91]



McCain Has Failed To Support Expanded Benefits For GIs



McCain Has Refused to Endorse Webb’s GI Education Bill. According to the Politico, “Yet the former Navy pilot and Vietnam POW makes himself a target by refusing to endorse Webb’s new GI education bill and instead signing on to a Republican alternative that focuses more on career soldiers than on the great majority who leave after their first four years.” [Politico, 4/30/08]



· Webb’s GI Bill The Top Legislative Priority For Veterans Groups. According to The Hill, “Webb’s bill is the top legislative priority for several veterans’ groups, including the nonpartisan Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Its projected cost to the federal treasury is about $4 billion per year.Webb has argued his bill is necessary because the current GI bill cannot pay for today’s cost of higher education. [The Hill, 4/22/08]



· Current GI Benefit Woefully Inadequate to Meet Educational Needs of GI’s. “The most a veteran can receive now is approximately $9,600 per year for four years. Those who served combat tours with the National Guard or Reserves are eligible for even less — typically just $440 per month, or $5,280 a year. By contrast, the College Board reports that the average four-year public college costs more than $65,000, or about $16,250 a year, for an in-state student. A private university costs on average about $133,000 for four years.” [The Hill, 4/22/08]



· McCain Missed Vote Passing Webb’s GI Bill. The Iowa Independent reported that Webb’s version of the GI Bill passed 75-22. Despite his “concerns that Webb’s bill would persuade service members to leave the military early and pursue higher education,” McCain “was AWOL on the day of the vote, reportedly raising money in California for his presidential bid.” [Iowa Independent, 6/20/08]



RHETORIC: McCain Favored Troop Retention Over Benefits For Veterans. In response to the CBO analysis of S. 22, Senators Graham and McCain released a joint statement in which McCain commented: “Congress must enact legislation that will increase education benefits, aid in recruitment and, importantly, encourage continued service in the military… As our armed forces fight a war on two fronts, we must do everything we can to maintain and encourage reenlistment…Unfortunately, S. 22 could greatly harm retention rates in our All Volunteer Force.” [McCain Press Release, via States News Service, 6/17/08]



· McCain Against GI Bill Based On Fears Of Retention Loss. CNN reported: “McCain has defended his opposition to the bill that would expand education benefits for veterans, saying it would hurt the military that he hopes to lead… McCain, a former Navy officer and prisoner of war during Vietnam, says the bill would hurt military retention by 16 percent and be a disincentive for service members to become noncommissioned officers, which he called ‘the backbone of all the services.’" [CNN, 6/10/08]



REALITY: CBO Found That Benefits Would Increase Recruiting 16 Percent. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that “while the better benefits [of the GI Bill] might lure 16 percent of experienced soldiers out of the service…it would be so attractive to civilians that it would increase recruiting by 16 percent” completely offsetting the loss in retention. [U.S. News & World Report, 6/23/08]

The above Media Advisor is brought by Americans United for Change

More Will Be Coming

From Vote Vets I would guess as the two Veterans listed above to speak, with more to be added, are members of Vote Vets.

Brian McGough presently has a Front Page post over at Vet Voice you might want to read, covering the same extreme misstep by the GOP but not the McCain Record, Brian was cared for at Walter Reed.

They, Vote Vets, also don't have anything up at their site as yet that I could find, but I'm sure more Vids will be coming and possibly ads as well.

Anyone wanting to use the information in the Advisor, on the bills etc., feel free to do so.

The DC Press Conferance, Walter Reed

Washington, DC – Despite terrible weather, Iraq War Veterans gathered outside of Walter Reed Army Medical Center today to discuss John McCain's shameful record on veterans health care, the GI bill, his suggestion to ration care to only the combat wounded, and other veterans issues. Participants included: Brian McGough, a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division; Kayla Williams a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Iraq, the Author of "Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the US Army” and wife to Brian McGough; and Neil Riley, Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran and Va. State Captain for VoteVets.org. *See full remarks below.



The event came just two days after John McCain's campaign mistakenly used an image of Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, CA instead of an image of Walter Reed Army Medical Center while the Senator delivered his acceptance speech at the National Republican Convention. The gaffe symbolizes how McCain, like President Bush, has not provided America's veterans and service members at Walter Reed and around the world the attention and care they need and deserve. *See below for John McCain’s disappointing record of turning his back on veterans, having voted at least 27 times to gut Veterans Health Care Funding. More on the gaffe: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/213806.php

Remarks from Brian McGough, a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division:

In October of 2003 I was wounded by an IED in Iraq. I was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center for care for my wounds, the same Walter Reed Army Medical that you can see behind me. Two days ago John McCain accepted his parties nomination in front of A Walter Reed, but it was not this one. It was Walter Reed Junior High School in North Hollywood, CA. This mistake shocked and outraged me. As shocked and outraged as I was, I was not surprised. This is just another example of Sen. McCain's lackluster record when it comes to Veterans issues.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America has given McCain a 'D' on his voting record. Disabled American Veterans has given McCain a 20% approval rating. These are not grades that reflect a great compassion for his fellow veterans.

Sen McCain has voted 29 times against veterans benefits. In April of 2006 Sen. McCain joined only 13 other senators in voting against an amendment that would increase funding for the dept of veterans affairs in order to provide outpatient care and treatment. Earlier that year in February, Sen McCain voted against a bill that would increase funding to military AND veterans hospitals. That would have been money that could have been spent here at Walter Reed. These are just 2 examples out of 29.

Sen McCain has suggested that he would like to ration health care to only those soldiers that were wounded in combat. He said and I quote" We need to concentrate our efforts to handle those wounds and disabilities that are directly the result of combat." That is not an acceptable solution, in fact it is trying to solve a problem by cutting corners. This would shortchange countless numbers of veterans, including combat veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans who were injured in the line of duty, but did not happen to be in a combat zone at the time. This plan would break the promise that our government makes to those who put on the uniform by denying care to soldiers not injured in combat. This hospital behind me treats all military personnel, regardless of where they were located when they got sick or hurt, the VA needs to do the same once their active service is complete.

Sen. Webb introduced a new gi Bill earlier this year. This bill passed both the house and the senate and is now a law. This law will ensure that thousands of veterans can afford to go to college without worrying about the skyrocketing cost of education. Sen McCain called this bill too generous and tried to introduce his own bill, a bill that would have made a small increase to the woefully outdated Montgomery GI BIll. McCain's bill was quickly voted down in the Senate because the majority of the people in this country and their representatives agreed that the Webb-Hagel was the best. When the Webb-Hagel bill came to the floor for its final vote Sen. McCain did not even bother to show up for the vote, but that didn't stop him from trying to take credit for the bill once it was signed by the president, who also opposed the bill till the end and claimed credit on passing a bill that he promised to veto.

I'm standing out in front of this Walter Reed because THIS IS THE Walter Reed we need to concentrate on. The people inside are people we need to care for; from the servicemembers inside inured in Iraq or Afghanistan to the servicemembers inured or fallen ill stateside to the families standing by the beds of their loved ones and the doctors and nurses who work tirelessly to ensure that their patients recover.

Kayla Williams a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Iraq and is the Author of "Love My Rifle More Than You:Young and Female in the US Army":

When I saw the poor care my husband received after being released from Walter Reed initially, I was shocked and appalled. He was still recovering from the Traumatic Brain Injury he received in Mosul, Iraq, and had only begun the long journey of recovering from his psychological wounds. However, the Army had no system in place to help him, and I had no idea what to do. We foundered for nearly a year before he was sent back to Walter Reed - where I was horrified to see him in put up in a shabby, under-equipped apartment with holes in the walls. Still active duty myself, I did not know how to help him and was myself trying to cope with the aftereffects of war.
Over the past three years, we have tried to forge a new life together. Sadly, repeated news stories have shown that our own struggle was not unique, and that my husband's experience was representative of larger systemic problems: the military was simply unprepared to deal with the volume, severity, and complexity of injuries in its wounded warriors. Thankfully, the Army has made great strides in rectifying these problems, though improvements still need to be made.
However, I have been deeply dismayed by the lack of support that John McCain has shown to the problems we and others like us have faced. Although he may feel some degree of personal compassion rooted in his own experiences, John McCain's voting record on veteran's issues has been abysmal. Senator McCain has repeatedly voted against increased funding for veterans' healthcare needs, even as those needs have increased dramatically as a result of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
My family struggled to cope in the face of inadequate care and support. We are willing to speak out to ensure that others receive the care and treatment they need. It is wrong to assume that all veterans support Senator McCain merely because of his military service. While I respect McCain's service and sacrifice, I feel betrayed by his history of voting against increased funding for the care that my husband and our fellow veterans need.

Forced to Resign

Liaison in Sill mold issue forced to resign

FORT SILL, Okla. — An Army social services coordinator here who told USA Today about poor conditions at Fort Sill’s unit for wounded soldiers has been forced out of his job, the employee and base officials said Tuesday.

VA Hospitals Investigation

Disability Rights Advocates has been conducting an investigation into VA hospital access.


While their investigation is being targeted on the Veterans Care issue with the below recent report we can see that the Military Care issue, i.e. Walter Reed and More, is still having the same problems that finally came forward through great investigative reporting and shouldn't have existed nor still exist as to care for the returning active duty Military Personal especially from these theaters of occupations.


Mold infests Okla. barracks for wounded

LAWTON, Okla. — Mold infests the barracks that were set up here a year ago for wounded soldiers after poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center triggered a system wide overhaul, soldiers say.

Military and Veterans Care were a major issue for us returning Vietnam Veterans, a Major Issue!


While things improved, through the fights for change that the veterans brought to the Veterans Administration they've never changed enough for those who sacrifice their years and lives for service to the country. And far to often those changes have slipped back into the problems that existed before and the need to fight for the improvements is once again waged, over and over and over................., as we Veterans are finding we are Re-Fighting the battles once again for another generation of Military Personal and Military Veteran, with the help of caring civilians, caring civilians who's numbers are way to small in a society that owes much more to those who serve it for it's National Security.


When this country supposedly switched to a Professional Military many thought every facet would be Professional, especially as to care, we're once again finding a failed system, a failed system lacking the funding and administration that still stays a political tool of party politics and apathy of the civilian population.


In these present times All of this should have been set into place, starting to upgrade the Military and Veterans hospitals and clinics, well before Any Invasion of anothers country, and we have two long running occupations, was started, by the Previous Congresses who were beating the Drums Of War, and the Civilian Population should have Sacrificed and Supported these upgrades as they were Supporting the coming Invasions and occupations.


The problems Finally coming to light in the present Congress, that are Finally conducting the Investigations and Over site, we hire our representatives to do, are once again being shown as they were before, Failed Civilian and Military Leadership playing the same Political Games with those who serve this country and the country not willing to support the military personal and demand these problems are correctly fixed. They are coming about due to the Privatizing of the 'Preventive Maintenance', once taken care of with the ranks of the military, but now farmed out to private firms for profit, many publicly owned. They are happening because of the Political Appointed leadership and hiring of political personal in the administrations under them, not being hired due to knowledge of how to administer the government programs but on political ideology.


If still active duty and under the military physical and mental care, especially from either theater of occupation, and find problems with or difficulties in yours and others care, and your chain of command doesn't seem to be taking care of these problems, you should also contact DRA to help in their investigation, the above report shows the need!


This Country Owes It's Military and Veterans of!


Now to the battle, Again, and the DRA information:

As background, DRA is one of the two law firms that challenged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA’s) practices in failing to adequately treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and we also have a longstanding interest hospital access for individuals with disabilities. We have brought and successfully settled several lawsuits addressing hospital access, including an action against Kaiser and one against Sutter Health, which runs a large hospital chain in Northern California. We are also working on hospital access issues in other parts of the country. Now, Disability Rights Advocates is conducting an investigation of whether or not VA hospitals and clinics are accessible to patients with physical disabilities, specifically those who use a wheelchair or have other mobility limitations, and those who are blind or deaf. We would like to hear from disabled veterans who use VA hospitals and clinics about their experiences at these facilities.


We have come up with a list of the features that are part of this investigation. This list will provide veterans with more information about us and what we are looking for. We are asking for your help by posting this flier on your website and distributing it to your membership.


Please post and email as you see fit, and feel free to encourage others to forward the notice as they think appropriate.


I'm happy to discuss the investigation in greater detail with you or anyone else, both to clarify any questions and to discuss potential additional involvement. You can reach either me or Melissa at the number below. We really appreciate your help.


Thank you in advance for your assistance with our outreach.


Best,

Stephanie A. Biedermann

Arthur Liman Fellowship Attorney

Disability Rights Advocates
2001 Center Street, Third Floor
Berkeley, California 94704-1204
510.665.8644
510.665.8716 (TTY)
510.665.8511 (Fax)
Stephanie A. Biedermann

The following is the most recent file that I recieved from DRA and Stephanie and Melissa.

ATTENTION VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES


What: Disability Rights Advocates is conducting an investigation into the accessibility of VA hospitals and clinics around the country.

Who: If you have a mobility disability, a vision disability, a hearing disability, and/or a Traumatic Brain Injury, we would like to hear about your experiences.

Why: You are entitled to full access to VA hospitals and clinics and reasonable accommodations, whether or not your disability is service connected. We want to make sure that you are able to access VA medical facilities and services.


Architectural Barriers: Can you access VA hospitals and clinics? This includes all physical access to buildings, including entrances, parking lots, elevators, restrooms, waiting rooms, exam or treatment rooms, laboratories and pharmacies.

Access to Medical Equipment: Can you independently access medical equipment? This includes exam tables, exam chairs, scales, diagnostic testing equipment (such as x-ray machines, MRI machines, CT scans or Pet Scans), rehabilitation equipment, and other diagnostic treatment devices.

Experiences with the Staff: Have the people staffing VA hospitals and clinics been able to respond to your needs as a person with a disability? This includes information about whether the staff was knowledgeable and helpful in responding to any obstacles you may have faced due to your disability, whether architectural, communication related, or otherwise.

To set up at time to talk about your experiences at VA hospitals and/or clinics, please email VA Access, or call toll-free at 800/332-6177 (or TTY at 510/665-8716). None of the information you provide us will be disclosed without your permission.

DRA is one of the two law firms that is challenging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA’s) practices in failing to adequately treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and we also have a longstanding interest in ensuring disabled individuals’ equal access to medical care. For more information about DRA, please visit DRA Legal.

I have uploaded the files I've received from DRA to an online file sharing site, you will find the links to each below. You can download these files to your computers and use them yourself or to pass along to others who might aid in DRA's research and investigation.



This link will give you the most recent file, posted above in the quote box.


This link gives you a PDFile previously received and passed along


This link gives you a RTFile also previously received and passed along


Please use the files above to help in the DRA research and investigation, not only meant for Veterans and Military personal, and their families, but also in seeking the help of the civilian population who may observe problems that Disabled Veterans and Military personal might be experiencing in their care that the country owes them.


Improving Military and Veterans care, as it should have always been, will help in the Improvements needed in the countries population as a whole and care of!

Another DeJa-Vu, All Over Again!

Rock Richard, military and just returned from a tour in Afganistan, has a post up over at 'Vet Voice'
Fort Bragg Behavioral Health: "Don't call us, we'll call you"

Needs some Contacts made to our powers that be, or those that think they rule!!

After 'Nam

This BullS**t Has Got To Stop, though we said that in the 'Nam Years and it hasn't improved much at all!

This Country should have Heeded the Warnings and made the VA System the Best for Care, for Teaching, and for Research In The World, especially as the country Loves these Wars Of Choice and Occupations!
They Didn't, Cost To High for those who Don't Serve!!

They didn't learn those lessons, they didn't learn the lessons of Guerilla Insurgencies, they didn't Learn a Damn Thing and now, once again, they Aren't Paying Any Attention!

Don't even see the Magnetic Ribbons anymore!

Welcome Home to the Deja-Vu world of Service To Country from Wars Of Choice!!

A Question Of Care: Military Malpractice?

Marine's Cancer Misdiagnosed?

The family of Marine Sgt. Carmelo Rodriguez says military doctors misdiagnosed his skin cancer. Now, as Byron Pitts reports, they wants the U.S. government held accountable for his untimely death.

CBS News Video

(CBS) Carmelo Rodriguez was dancing with his niece just last year. By all accounts Rodriguez, a 29-year old, loved life, his family and the Marine Corps. He was also an artist, a father, and a part-time actor. He once appeared with Katie Holmes in a scene on the TV series Dawson's Creek.

An image of Sgt. Rodriguez with his Marine buddies in Iraq in 2005 shows him as a fit, gung-ho platoon leader.

Walter Reed, "Nothing has Changed...."

Ongoing Problems at Walter Reed

"Nothing has changed [at Walter Reed]. Same facility. None of the recommendations that I made have been implemented and to my knowledge they really aren't working on it."

Tuesday 15 January 2008

Former Army Lt. and military nurse Doug Connor sat down for an interview with Truthout reporter Geoffrey Millard to share his experience before and after the Walter Reed Medical Center scandal broke.

SNIP Video Interview at Site Link above.

"Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs,"

On Tonights ABC News 11-26-07 - There's a short video at site link

They were prepared for war. They were prepared to die for their country. But Fort Carson soldiers say they weren't prepared to come home and fight a different battle -- addiction to illegal drugs.

Many of this country's bravest men and women who volunteered to defend America in a time of war have come home wounded -- physically and mentally -- and are turning to illicit drugs as they adjust to normal life, according to soldiers, health experts and advocates.

High at the Mountain Post
Part One of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

Photos

Editor's Note from Brian Ross: In the third year of a joint project with the nonprofit Carnegie Corporation, six leading graduate school journalism students were again selected to spend the summer working with the ABC News investigative unit.

This year's project involved an examination of whether, as happened in the wake of the Vietnam War, Iraqi war veterans were turning to drugs as a result of the trauma and pain of war.

The U.S. military maintains the percentage of soldiers abusing drugs is extremely small and has not increased as a result of Iraq.

The students' assignment was to get the unofficial side of the story from soldiers, young men of their own generation.

Today's report is the first in a series of five reports.

Watch Brian Ross' exclusive investigation, 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs,' Friday on '20/20' at 10 p.m. EDT

Arrested AWOL Soldier Needs Your Support

And he's not the only one, nor is he going to be the last!

First I'll give you the jist of the Why Sgt. Brad Gaskins made the news, AWOL and Arrested, the reason for why he was AWOL in the first place.


AWOL soldier seeking treatment arrested

The article title says it all.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — A soldier who served two combat tours in Iraq was arrested Wednesday for leaving the Army without permission more than a year ago to seek treatment for post traumatic stress disorder.

Snip

Tod Ensign, an attorney with Citizen Soldier, a GI rights group that is representing Gaskins, said the case is part of a "coming tsunami" of mental health problems involving Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

The "tsunami" is already here and growing, explained further after initial article on the sarge.

Last month, the Veterans Administration said more than 100,000 soldiers were being treated for mental health problems, and half of those specifically for PTSD.

That's only part of the story, those are the numbers, as stated, being treated.

An eight-year Army veteran, Gaskins served two tours in Iraq and a peacekeeping tour in Kosovo. He said his mental health began deteriorating during his second tour in Iraq, which began in June 2005, when his job was to conduct road searches and locate improvised explosive devices.

He said after returning to Fort Drum in February 2006, he began suffering flashbacks and nightmares, headaches, sleeplessness, weight loss and mood swings that took him from depression to irrational rages. Military doctors sent him to the Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, where he spent two weeks and was diagnosed with PTSD. When he later asked his commanders about returning to Samaritan, they told him it would delay any chance he had at obtaining a medical release, Gaskins said.

At the time, the Fort Drum mental health facility had a staff of a dozen caring for approximately 17,000 troops, Ensign said.

A dozen in staff caring for 17,000, again only part of the story.

PTSD a growing problem for the military

Just as his press conference about his mental illness was coming to an end Sergeant Brad Gaskins was arrested. When Gaskins asked what he did wrong an officer responded "you're a deserter".

Watch Video about Sgt. Brad Gaskins arrest {Windows Media Player}

Now lets get to even more about what is going on here and the Why? Sgt Gaskins took it on himself to go AWOL searching for care not given by the Military, with their Huge Defense Budgets, nor the Society, with their magnetic "Support" ribbons and their Representatives, especially the R's, who didn't forsee this "tsunami" coming. Giving everything wanted to the administration rushing to invasion but giving little to those sent to invade!

Those that follow the reports, on PTSD, aired on NPR Radio, know well those reported by Daniel Zwerdling, well he's got another updated report today, 11-15-07.


Army Dismissals for Mental Health, Misconduct Rise

You can listen to Zwerdlings report at above link.

Here's a few snippets from the site writeup.


All Things Considered, November 15, 2007 ·

New Pentagon figures released to NPR show that since the United States invaded Iraq, officers have kicked out far more troops for having behavior issues that are potentially linked to post-traumatic stress disorder than they did before the war.

Snip


NPR has reported that servicemen and women who come home with serious mental-health problems, such as PTSD, often can't get the medical treatment they need.

And some commanders, in fact, have kicked troubled troops out of the military instead of trying to help them.


Snip

We've heard the reports now Zwerdling has the Army Report, once again Army report, the Marines never got back to him on his request.

Rise in Personality Disorder and Misconduct Dismissals

an Army chart, which NPR recently received, shows that since the United States invaded Iraq:

— Commanders have discharged almost 20 percent more soldiers for "misconduct" than they did in the same period before the war;

— Commanders have discharged more than twice as many soldiers for "drug abuse" (a subset of the "misconduct" category);

— Commanders have discharged almost 40 percent more soldiers for "personality disorder."

In all, the Army has kicked out more than 28,000 soldiers since the war in Iraq began on the grounds of personality disorder and misconduct.

Those statistics "trouble me," says Stephen Xenakis, a psychiatrist and retired brigadier general who used to help run the Army medical system.

"It raises questions," he says. "Are we doing the right thing by the soldiers?"

Behaviors Linked to PTSD

"That's exactly how those problems would show up," Xenakis says. "Drinking, drugs … (the soldiers) medicate themselves. They say 'Why should I keep my uniform all starched and neat when I just buried two of my buddies?'"

Yet, the troops NPR has interviewed had trouble getting intensive medical treatment. Instead, their commanders discharged them for "misconduct," which means the soldiers lost some or all of their military benefits.

Booted out of sight out of mind and back into the society unawares of how troubled some of these military personal are nor how self destructive they may become!

Personality Disorder: 'Deeply Stigmatizing Diagnosis'

Shay says that when the military diagnoses soldiers with personality disorder, it is saying, in effect, that fighting in the war didn't cause their mental health problems.

"It's saying, in essence, you're rotten and have been rotten since childhood," he says.

And those who Support what is going on, and a Congress Unwilling to Stop it nor hold those Responsible for creating, once again, a National Tragedy, are telling these troops the exact same thing!


Avoiding Paying Disability Benefits?

"It troubles me that it appears that sometimes, mental-health professionals are ready to be the willing servants of the command," Shay says.

He worries that military doctors are telling commanders, in effect, "'If you want me to get this kid out quickly, I'll do it. It doesn't matter how much I have to bend my own conscience or bend the facts to do it.'"

It isn't only the mental health professionals, what this Shays says above falls More on the Civilian and Military leadership, and This Whole Damn Country, who Are Totally Responsible for their Apathy and Self Centered Ideologies!!