ATTN: Veterans, Families of, Friends of, Caring Others

The beginning of this is an attempt to bring you up to speed on what has been going on this past year leading up to the purpose of this post, a New Investigation on Veterans Care, and the request for those listed in the subject title to get involved with, especially the Veterans having their troubles with the VA and their Care.

Back in July of 2007 the Law Firm of Morrison & Foerster, with help from the legal staff at Disability Rights Advocates, filed a Class Action Lawsuit on behalf of Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth against the Veterans Administration of these United States. A lawsuit, I might add, that shouldn't have found a need for!

You can find out more, for those who haven't followed this, at the DRA website here: Nationwide Class Action Against the VA or at the Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth sites.

Back in January, of this year, Melissa, a lawyer with DRA Legal posted a Real Good News diary on the progress of the lawsuit to that point.

Very recently what some may see as a setback, this Vet. thought this was coming, the Judge in the case made a ruling. I posted a ShoutOut for Action to the citizens of this Country, who the Military Serve, on this setback, but not Defeat! The Soldiers and Veterans Need the Total Involvement of the Citizens of this Country they Serve, They Always Have, but there also is Always Not Enough Sacrifice from same and definantly not the numbers needed to give back what should Not Needed To Be Fought For, the Support and Gratitude of this Nation for those who Sacrifice, up to their Lives, to Serve and Protect!

Here is a News Report on the recent ruling by the Judge:

And here's a Press Conference shortly after that ruling by the Lawyers Involved:

I would hope you visit my link just above, on the Call For Action, as well as the other links, and Get Involved, this Country Owes it's Soldiers and their Families, Especially when they return from it's Excepted Wars of Choice!

Now to get to the reason for this post, the New Investigation on Veterans Care.

A few weeks back Melissa sent me a file and asked that I quietly pass it on to Veterans, and parties who could help out, in the start of this New Investigation asking Veterans to contact DRA Legal to answer some important questions seeking answers that could be used to help All Veterans and the Returning Soldiers.

Well it need not be Quiet anymore. Melissa contacted me yesterday, really sorry I missed your call and have a Well Deserved Vacation next week, and sent me another file requesting that I pass it on Publicly and request others do same. To make it easier for others to download the files, save them, post them up, and pass them out, I have uploaded them to Box.net, a file sharing site I occasionally use. I will just link to the initial first file but will paste the file from yesterday below.

The first file, in PDF, from May 29th can be Downloaded and Viewed Here, this one you may not find the need to save, as the most recent is the important one to pass to those who may want to participate, but I include it as some may find it's need as well.

The most recent, in RTF, from yesterday can be Downloaded and Viewed Here, this is the one you can post up, save and print out to pass around, send the link to others, how ever you find it can help to aid in this investigation working towards Much Needed Change.

Here is the second file contents:

ATTENTION VETERANS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

Disability Rights Advocates is conducting an investigation of the accessibility of VA hospitals and clinics. We would like to hear from you about your experiences at these facilities. If you have a mobility disability, a vision disability, a hearing disability, and/or Traumatic Brain Injury, you are entitled to full access and reasonable accommodations, whether or not your disability is service connected. We want to know if these accommodations are being provided. Please contact us at VA Access and we can set up a time to talk with you about your experiences.

If you have a mobility disability:

Whether you use a wheelchair or another form of assistive device, or whether your mobility is impaired in any way due to disability, we want to know about your experience with access at VA hospitals or clinics:

1 Is there adequate accessible parking?
2 Are there access barriers as you travel through the hospital or clinic? For example, are there adequate ramps and accessible pathways? Are doors, counters, elevators and restrooms accessible?
3 Is there enough room for you and your mobility device in patient check-in or waiting areas?
4 Can you get to exam rooms, hospital rooms and laboratories and have your medical care provided with adequate comfort and privacy?
5 Can you access medical equipment such as exam tables, scales and diagnostic equipment safely, independently and with dignity?
6 Can you access other public areas at the hospital or clinic, such as the pharmacy, cafeteria/canteen, or gift shop?
7 Does the staff seem to be knowledgeable and trained to address your needs arising out of your mobility disability?

If you have a vision disability:

Whether you are blind, legally blind, or have low vision, we want to know about your experiences with access at VA hospitals and/or clinics:

8 Are there access barriers such as protruding objects and lack of detectible warnings as you travel through the hospital or clinic?
9 Is there accessible signage so you can navigate through the hospital or clinic?
10 Are you able to obtain information such as forms, notices and prescription information in accessible formats?
11 Can you access your hospital or clinic’s information technology, such as websites or registration kiosks?
12 Does the staff seem to be knowledgeable and trained to address your needs arising out of your visual impairment (including allowing you to be accompanied by your service animal)?
13 Have you experienced other barriers due to your vision disability?

If you have a hearing disability:

Whether you are deaf or hearing impaired, we want to know about your experiences with access at VA hospitals and/or clinics:

14 Can you communicate effectively with VA personnel to make appointments and understand your medical needs and treatment?
15 Do you receive interpreters or assistive listening services when necessary?
16 Does the staff seem to be knowledgeable and trained to address your needs arising out of your hearing impairment?
17 Have you experienced other barriers due to your hearing disability?

If you have Traumatic Brain Injury:

18 Can you communicate effectively with VA personnel to make appointments and understand your medical needs and treatment?
19 Do you receive adequate guidance from VA personnel to make decisions regarding medical care and treatment based on informed consent?
20 Does the staff seem to be knowledgeable and trained to address your needs arising out of your brain injury?
21 Have you experienced other barriers due to your disability?

Disability Rights Advocates is a non-profit organization based in California that is dedicated to protecting the rights of people with all types of disabilities, including disabled veterans. 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 prompt medical care. For more information about DRA, please visit DRA Legal.

To set up at time to talk about your experiences at VA hospitals and/or clinics, email VA Access, or call toll-free at 800/332-6177 (or TTY at 510/665-8716).

Once again, you can download and view the initial file, in PDF, HERE.

And you can download the above full text file, in RTF, HERE to do whatever you feel might be the best way to make the contacts needed to help DRA Legal in their Investigation.

Get Involved!!!

You want Change, well that 'Change' can only come from You!!

On this 4th of July Show What Patriotism Is, Really Support The Troops and The Veterans, Sacrifice for once!!

Veterans Care

Are We Letting Down our Nation's Veterans? Again

Hopefully, this ruling will impel our nation’s leaders to work to ensure veterans receive mental health care services they need and deserve.

Ahhhhh folks, You Hire Those Leaders?!!!!!!!

Big Brother or good security at VA?

"A veteran just back from Iraq and Afghanistan with a DUI should be encouraged to get mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense. "Is the VA going to hire more doctors? Or are they going to be playing Big Brother?"

American Legion Scamming Veterans?

They want you Vets to believe they're not, it's All a Mistake!

Or so they , quickly? backtracked, only after one Retired Air Force Major, Robert Hanafin, sent the letter to ABC News, you'll find that link, in PDF, below as well as they're apology in PDF.

Bobby, is not one you want to piss off.

Oh and it seems the Veterans Charities, those given extremely low grades on actually helping Veterans, while doing more to help themselves, are still playing their game, more about that below.

Could this be why, the right leaning American Legion, has been virtually Quiet, along with the VFW, on all the reports coming to light about treatment, and shortchanging Again, of the returning Iraq and Afgan Veterans, to busy figuring ways, Illegally, to enhance their dwindling membership and coffers!

American Legion Trying to Scam Vets?

U.S. postal inspectors have been asked to investigate whether the American Legion tried to trick veterans into signing up for membership in the Legion.
In a mailing last year to 800,000 former members, the American Legion said their "benefits as a veteran of the United States Armed Forces have lapsed" and that the only way to "reinstate these important benefits" was to pay $20 to reinstate their American Legion membership.

It was signed by Legion National Adjutant Robert Spanogle, which he now says it was "a serious mistake."

Oh I'd say so Mr. Spanogle, and as a Veteran you know Full Well how big a Mistake it is!

A retired Air Force major, Robert Hanafin, has filed a complaint of mail fraud with postal inspectors after becoming outraged by what he viewed as a deceptive letter designed to scare people into rejoining the American Legion. According to Hanafin, "Any veterans organization that uses any such low-down scams to increase membership deserves to stay in the 19th century."

Veteran Spanogle, after blaming the 'private contractor', who does their mailings, had this to say:

"we acted promptly and immediately sent out a correction letter."

And the Major, Bobby Hanafin, comes back to Spanogles with the obvious:

Maj. Hanafin, however, said he doesn't buy the American Legion's explanation that the first letter was a mistake. He points to specific language in the letter that states the benefits were given "in accordance with a special act of Congress." According to Hanafin, "The disservice they are doing to America's veterans...goes far beyond shameful."

You go, as ussual, Bobby, putting the Truth to the Fiction!

I'm frankly amazed that these right leaning groups and ideology followers, not just veterans groups, still seem to think that this countries citizens are as Stupid as they seem to be, over and over and over the corruption and scams they think they can get away with, as they make them so easy to not only Debunk but get caught! Want to improve the economy, start building more prisons and put these idiots behind those bars, we'd be filling them up as quick as we build them, and we'd be building them for a long time!

And as said, in the beginning, here's some more on the caring,compassionate {compasionate- the bush mantra?}? Veterans Charities.

But first, to refresh your short term memory, watch this Video about the initial investigative reports from ABC News:



And this one as well from the Hearings:



And you certainly don't want to miss this great commentary, by Bob Schieffer, on Gen. Tommy Franks participation, and selling of his name and stature, in these Veterans Charitable Organizations:



An now on to a report published in the New York Times on Febuary 8th, 2008:

‘An Intolerable Fraud’

An envelope arrived in our office the other day. It had the bulky, tawdry look of junk mail: pink and lavender Easter eggs, a plastic address window and a photo of a young man in fatigue shorts using crutches to stand on his only leg. “Thousands of severely wounded troops are suffering,” it read. “Will you help them this Easter?”

It was a plea for money from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, one of the worst private charities — but hardly the only — that have been shamefully milking easy cash from the suffering and heartache caused by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The coalition and its sister organization, Help Hospitalized Veterans, were among a dozen military-related charities given a grade of F in a study last December by the American Institute of Philanthropy, a nonprofit watchdog group. These and other charities have collected hundreds of millions of dollars from kind-hearted Americans and squandered an unconscionable amount of it on overhead and expenses — 70 percent or 80 percent, or more.

The report goes on to explain where Most Of The Money Collected Actually Goes, than gives us this bit of Truth:

And what did the soldiers get? Try almost $18.8 million in “charitable” phone cards sent to troops overseas in 2006 — not to let them call their families, but rather to call up a stateside business that sells sports scores.

You can find abit more, after reading the report, at the link within this:

Additional commentary and images of the mailing from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, visit The Board: From Sympathy to Outrage

And the Quote, from the hearings by the Arrogant Uncaring Shithead Roger Chapin, that should embed in everyones mind:

“If we disclose, which I’m more than happy to do,” he said, “we’d all be out of business. Nobody would donate. It would dry up.”

Be Aware, Very Aware, of Who You Give Any and All Donations To, and Demand They Go To The Intended Recipients of These Charitable Organizations!!

And those In Sue Myricks NC District, as well as others, Might be interested in this, if you missed it.

After $15M, promised jobs still unfilled

Gaston County company gets $15M from feds, but WCNC finds hundreds still un-hired

RANLO, N.C. -- The military promises the company millions in defense contracts.

The company gets help from a key member of Congress, who receives thousands in campaign donations from company execs.

WCNC: “You don't have anybody working here yet.”

Torbett: “We're not making anything yet.”

WCNC: “And I guess the people who live in Gaston County are saying you're not hiring anybody either. When will that happen?”

Torbett: “Gosh, I wish I could just put an absolute date on it. I can't say that today. There’s no way I can say that today.”

And what does Sue Myrick have to say:

Myrick now admits “we made a mistake in saying 200 jobs.”

“Quite frankly,” continued Myrick, “if I went over there and found a bunch of Mercedes and Lexuses parked out front, I'd be a little disturbed. But I think they're being frugal with their money.”

Here's The Video Link

After 5 years and $15M, promised jobs unfilled
The military promises the company millions in defense contracts. The company gets help from a key member of Congress, who receives thousands in campaign donations from company execs. But now, after five years and $15 million of your tax dollars, what about the company's promise to hire hundreds of new workers in Gaston County?