This is how Republicans in Congress treat vets.?

Question

Six months after her return to America, she lives in a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, sharing a room with eight other women and attending a job training program. Her parents live in Jamaica and are barely making ends meet, she says.

"I'm just an ordinary person who served. I'm not embarrassed about my homelessness, because the circumstances that created it were not my fault," says Beckford, 30, who was a military-supply specialist at a U.S. base in Iraq — a sitting duck for around-the-clock attacks "where hell was your home."

It was a "hell" familiar to Noel during his eight months in Iraq. But it didn't stop when he returned home to New York last year and couldn't find a job to support his wife and three children. Without enough money to rent an apartment, he turned to the housing programs for vets, "but they were overbooked," Noel says.

While he was in Iraq, his family had lived in military housing in Georgia.

In New York, they ended up in a Bronx shelter "with people who were just out of prison, and with roaches," Noel says. "I'm a young black man from the ghetto, but this was culture shock. This is not what I fought for, what I almost died for. This is not what I was supposed to come home to."

There are about 200,000 homeless vets in the United States, according to government figures. About 10 percent are from either the 1991
Gulf War or the current one, about 40 percent are Vietnam veterans, and most of the others served when the country was not officially at war.

"In recent years, we've tried to reach out sooner to new veterans who are having problems with post-traumatic stress, depression or substance abuse, after seeing combat," says Dougherty. "These are the veterans who most often end up homeless."

Pobete, you were not in the service, if you were you would honor your brothers in arms as I do. You would also know what these men are dealing with. I do.
People like you spit on the graves of those who died in Nam All 58,000 of them. You know nothing of war.

Perfect American, your nick is way, way off. Check the votes of that list. Republicans control every vote. Republicans even cut vets benefits twice.
Republicans also reduced death pay for vets families. You really should read more. I honor my brothers in arms.

Answer 1

Hi jl_jack09, my name is Hank. I want to say up front there are people who are still fighting the war in Vietnam. Like the pobept character who brags he was a First Shirt with two tours. It's obvious he's still angry that Congress wouldn't let us fight the war like he thinks it should have been fought.

I wonder how he's going to act when he finally gets brave enough to read the "Pentagon Papers?" To know we got into Vietnam because of "ghosts" showing up on radar. Heck, I'm a merchant marine veteran, too. I still have my z-card--I know about radar ghosts. I spent time in the wheelhouse where the radar monitor was and experienced ghosts first-hand.

I have several friends like him, and they're still in psychotherapy at the V.A.; because, they refuse to give Vietnam up. I don't know where these guys were when we tuck tail and run. Don't ya'll remember seeing people scrambling to get on slicks when they were evacuating the embassy in Ho Chi Minh City in April 75? I bet pobept still calls that place Saigon. Where was he when they were crash-landing slicks in the ocean and on aircraft carrier decks? My, my, my.

And, jl_jack09, if the perfect american was honest with himself, he would ponder this question about his list of Republicans. If the Republicans were serious about taking care of vets, why are there so many vets, both male and female, who are still homeless?

I was up in D.C. in May, and got to go to the Wall. It was my first trip ever to our veteran's Holy Grail. I know this might sound cliche, but I walked the length of the Wall dragging the palm of my right hand along the surface of the hard granite. To say it was a moving experience would be the most gross understatement of history.

I always thought I would cry when I got to do that, but I've got to tell you--not a tear came to my eyes. I was surprised, as I lost several friends in firefights west of Dau Tieng Airstrip on the other side of the Black Virgin Mountains. I lost even more friends all around Firebase Audie, Firebase Buttons also known as Song Be and up by the Fish Hook. I even lost a couple of friends around Phouc Vinh.

I couldn't find their names in the Book of the Dead where it's located at the far end of the wall. It was because I didn't know their real names, only their nicknames. So, if pobept wants to talk to me about what happened in Vietnam--"bring it on."

I've got a cousin who's husband was at Cu Chi. He lost a brother there--a familial brother. I have another 25th friend who was a P.O.W. Some people say ex-P.O.W., but I think once you've been a P.O.W. you can never be an ex. They'll never get past that extreme trauma in their lives. If you don't believe me, ask John McCain.

I wonder if pobept would want to talk to my friend, "Sticks," who was captured in Cambodia because Westmoreland was to chicken to let people go after him and the others on his team.

There are all kinds of facts about the war on the net. Fair warning, though--I won't soothe the savage anger when I talk about it.

I think it is a wonderful thing you do. To sacrifice one's time to assist fellow veterans, not as fortunate as you, is a noble deed. Maybe if pobept got over it, he could help, instead of living in denial while blaming the vets for Congress' neglect.

Wouldn't it be great if that was the result of this bantering back and forth? You know, jl_jack09, we could be the homeless ones. It could happen to you, too, "Vindictive Top." But for the grace of General Bradley, there go I. Think about it.

Also, I want to tell you p.t.s.d. is an honorable condition for combat vets. It is a mantle I wear with pride. We earned it honestly: Defending pobept's right to gripe about it. Yeah, and people here in America seem to love to link p.t.s.d. behavior with drug use. But, the veteran probably would never have turned to drugs, if he didn't have the p.t.s.d.

Pot smoking and valium use are a symptom of p.t.s.d. The Generals love to blame the vet and call it a character flaw, instead of the indicator of p.t.s.d. it really is. As much as Chris Matthews is for the vet, he fell into this trap while talking with Norah Odonnel about it on "Hardball." But, the main culprit for blaming the vet, though, instead of the p.t.s.d., is General Barry McCaffrey who is a supposed military analyst for MSNBC.

Hank Feral

p.s. The reason I was up in D.C. was for my son's hooding ceremony at the University of Maryland. Now, that's an accomplishment for a combat vet's son. Oh, and Uncle Sammy, refused to give Hank, Jr. his monetary support that I had earned for him by the disability I incurred from my combat service in Vietnam. He's not even bitter about. But, he does hold a little anger about how I've been treated since I've been home. He was angry enough to not join the Army, thank goodness. Hank

Answer 2

The Senate Committe Members for Veterans Affairs are:

Republican:

Larry E. Craig, ID
CHAIRMAN

Arlen Specter, PA,

Kay Bailey Hutchison, TX

Lindsey Graham, SC

Richard Burr, NC

John Ensign, NV

John Thune, SD

Johnny Isakson, GA

Democrat:

Daniel K. Akaka, HI
RANKING MEMBER

John D. Rockefeller IV, WV

Patty Murray, WA

Barack Obama, IL

Ken Salazar, CO

Independent :

James M. Jeffords, VT

writing to these reps might help, if you are concerned about the treatment of veterans.

I also want to add that veterans are people, and sometimes people have a difficult time with stressful situations and really need help and guidance.
Viet Nam vets are no different than the vets of our current war, or those of previous wars. I used to get tired of what seemed like a bunch of whining and crying from Viet Nam vets, until I became a Veteran myself, and realized that their problems are real. And they don't deserve to be criticized by other veterans, especially Viet Nam vets. They served to protect your families just like you did, and if you have a problem accepting that, or you hate yourself because of what your government asked you to do, then you need to suck it up and quit crying. Help out instead of being part of the problem.

Answer 3

This is not a change, you have to prove service connection now. We need to take care of our vets but If a vet has private insurance from a job or their union they should be the first insurer for non-service related medical needs. I have see it too many times, a WWII Vet came back ok, then worked in a union job with great insurance, He lives part time in Michigan & winters in Florida. We need to be grateful for his service. But the guys who have no other option, who came back screwed up have to wait in line, same as the guys how can use his private insurance. You should see the parking lot at Gainesville, Fl , Bay Pine, FL or Tampa, Fl parking lot in the winter, you can't get near the place for the snow birds. Many getting appointments for things like glasses or hearing appointments. The money the VA has needs to be spent on the patients. Don;t ever get me started about the Augusta VA. Who have a great indoor PT pool, the patients can only use if they wait 6 weeks for an appointment, but the staff can use it any thing there is not a class for rehab, so why would the workers schedule a class? The government wastes more money than they spend on the vets. I love my guys, especially my PTSD boys. The government treats them like crap. Wake up & smell the napalm fools!

Answer 4

This is one of the reasons I strongly encourage everyone to support Veterans for Peace. We support our troops, not just flag-waving armchair warmongers at the expense of those who gave life & limb to "defend" their country. Real "patriots" wouldn't treat our veterans like second-class citizens - it's inhumane & just wrong.

Answer 5

I'm a Vietnam vet, I do not feel sorry for them, they always an excuse but still set on their lazy butts and do nothing to help themselves.
If they wont help themselves why should I do anything for them!

Answer 6

Vote these Congressmen OUT in November....let them get on the unemployment line....

Congress is LAME!!! We have 2 open borders and they're screwing around with gay marriage and flag burning? They're such idiots!

Answer 7

Republicans are naturally evil. It is in their DNA i think.

Answer 8

I do love breakfast burritos.