It takes more than a yellow ribbon to support our service members and veterans.
As reported by Miller-McCune veterans are returning home to find that the Department of Veterans Affairs is not providing the support for veterans that it should. According to the article veterans face a wait of six months to two years to receive benefits.
Those who appeal a VA decision to deny their disability claims have to wait an average of 1,608 days, or nearly four and a half years, for their answer. During this process, veterans often fall through the cracks into homelessness, hopelessness and self-medication with alcohol and illegal drugs.
As military members are returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan many are experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the hyper-masculine culture of the military it is difficult for many veterans to admit that they may have PTSD, much less seek the help that they need. This problem is compounded by the amount of time it takes to receive a claim from the VA; it can take months of submitting and resubmitting paperwork until veterans can receive the medical benefits they need.
Since the start of the Iraq war, the backlog of unanswered VA disability claims has grown from 325,000 to more than 600,000. In the six months ending March 31, 2008, a total of 1,467 veterans died waiting to learn if their disability claim would be approved.
However, the system that has been set up by the VA is much like the system that has been set up by many health insurance companies; a system of promotion based on denials.
The VA promotes claims adjudicators based on how many cases they clear, not on whether they make the right decision. "A VA claims official is required to clear 12 claims a day," Roche notes. "If they deny your claim, they can take an 'end product credit.' So as far as statistics go, they have cleared a claim. "Denying 12 claims a day is an easy thing to do."
Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have filed a lawsuit against the federal government; the veterans are alleging that they were illegally denied disability benefits despite being diagnosed with severe cases of PTSD.
"The veterans allege that they each were discharged from duty after an Army review board concluded that they had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and thus could no longer serve. Yet, in violation of federal law, the suit contends, the veterans' disabilities were not rated severe enough to qualify them for both ongoing disability payments and medical coverage for themselves and their families."
Congressman Chet Edwards has made the decision to stay in Congress, and it is the right decision. In a statement releases yesterday Edwards made his intentions to stay in the House of Representatives clear, and announced that he had informed the President Elect's transition team of his choice.
From Press Release:
"While it is an honor to have been considered for the position of U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, I believe I can make the most difference for veterans, our district and country by continuing to serve in Congress. That is why I have informed President-elect Obama's transition team that I intend to continue representing the 17th Congressional District of Texas."
Senator John McCain has served his country but he has not served veterans. McCain has consistently said that he supports veterans, but his record shows that he has consistently not supported veterans.
While speaking to a small group of students on a Texas college campus last week Rob Curnock said that the reason he would be more qualified and a stronger advocate for veterans than Congressman Chet Edwards is because his father served in World War II. "My opponent has nothing on me there."
As a veteran I can say this will complete authority: when it comes to veterans issues Rob Curnock has nothing on Chet Edwards.
Congressman Edwards has a distinguished voting record on veterans' issues. In 2006 Edwards received voting rankings from the Disabled American Veterans of 100%, the Retired Enlisted Association of 86%, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Edwards a grade of A-. In fact Edwards has received a perfect vote ranking from the Disabled American Veterans for the last three years. As the Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee Edwards increased veterans' health care funding to $11.8 billion and because of his seniority in Congress is able to be a strong voice for veterans.
Bush Administration trick are against our hospitalized and homeless vets and who else. The opposition wants to run out the clock and disenfranchise vets. No citizen should sit by letting this happen!
To reverse the ban, a vote must occur in early September. Your help is needed today. Do register voters and help get absentee ballots sent for the election on November 4, 2008. Work all the corners feasible!
The non-partisan charity Veterans for Common Sense is an advocate for veterans, All citizens should be registered and vote. We're angry Mr. Bush and VA Secretary Peake denied such a right to hospitalized and homeless veterans. This callous, misguided policy could disenfranchise 400,000 veterans who need to re-register after moving to VA nursing homes or a VA hospital, or after becoming homeless.
Join our fight to restore the voting rights of our veterans or any citizen, especially those who stood between an enemy bullet and our Constitution. Share this call with legislators and reporters so the problem is fixed the instant Congress returns from their August recess.
I'm working this election cycle for electing Senators that would be better advocates for our troops. Let me preface this by saying that I am not paid by the Noriega campaign.
I've raised almost $1200 for Noriega and other candidates better for vets than what we have now with my Act Blue Page. I want to get to $1500 as soon as possible.
If I reach this goal tonight I will pledge $400 of my own money this cycle to Noriega and $100 to other candidates on my page. If I can raise an additional $1500 I will pledge another $500.
Let's help Rick. Click on my thermometer to help.
I am disturbed today that the Republicans including McSame are supporting the 21st Century Bill of Rights because it's tied to more funding for the war. They never supported it before and they claim its better now because of the transfer of the benefits to children. They leave out their part about the retention rates.
Read McSame's statment.
With the addition of the transferability provisions sought by Senators Graham, Burr, myself and others to give service members the right to transfer earned G.I. Bill benefits to spouses and children, we will have achieved in offering vastly improved educational benefit while also offering incentives for continued service by the most capable, experienced NCO's and officers. Our courageous NCO's and officers called for this option, and I believe that its inclusion in this bill will help maintain retention levels in all the Services where it needs to be for the well being of the All Volunteer Force and our Nation."
This came from an ABC report. For some reason having trouble with links. Maybe it's my browser
Mind you that before we had all the veterans organizations and a bipartisan coalition supporting this bill. Now we get to listen to McSame posture himself as supporting the troops.
I haven't seen any statements from Cornyn on the GI Bill but I imagine he's going along with McSame.
Cornyn did say today about Obama (From Fox News, yeah I know!!!
Rather than sending a message that he's about change or a new type of politics in America, it really looks and sounds like he's about the same old ... type of politics in America," Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn
Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.
Gen. David H. Petraeus spoke in his sternest terms to date that that "no one" in the U.S. and Iraqi governments "feels that there has been sufficient progress by any means in the area of national reconciliation," or in the provision of basic public services since the surge, despite a reduction in violence. (washingtonpost.com)
On the subject of the war in Afghanistan, President Bush said that he was envious of the troops serving there, trivially describing their mission as something "romantic". (www.outsidethebeltway.com)
A report on sexual assault in the military said that the number of reported assaults had dropped by 9% this year, after several years of increase. In 2006 there were 2,947 reported cases - in 2007 the number dropped to 2688. (www.armytimes.com)
Veterans of America is proud to sponsor the Our Troops Newsladder, a new tool to find the top news and articles in the progressive community by, about and for our troops.
