I am currently watching the Bob Woodward special, I have also read the article in this weeks Newsweek.?

Question

My question is how do YOU feel about all these soldiers returning to America with sever disabilities, no legs, missing an arm, brain damage? The article in Newsweek says because of improved body armor, helmets and advanced medical care 16 soldiers get sick or wounded for every soldier dies, compared to WW11 when the ratio was nearly 2-1 and in Vietnam and Korea about 3 wounded for every one that died. For 100% disability with no kids they MAY quailfy for $2500.00 per month and many wait for months or even 2 years for benifits. According to these articles and TV specials, our wounded are not getting the care they need. I'm interested in what you, the public, thinks.

Answer 1

Think of it this way. The government increased its military spending to continue prosecuting the war. As the budget deficit continue to mount, the more we borrow from China. On the other hand we have tax cuts. So, where the money to take care of these disabled soldiers can come from?. This is the reality, and it's not looking good.

Answer 2

Unfortunately for our veterans what people are not being made o understand is the labyrinthine process the military clerks must go through to get those claims processed.

1. An investigation of the incident must be undertaken. All reports must be read to determine what happened, how the soldier was injured.
2. The cost of care must be analyzed in advance. This includes how much the American servicemembers Tricare insurance will cover, how much the servicemember may pay in or out of pocket, and if done frugally, what the least amount needed to be paid each month would be. Many people would not understand the last sentence. If every servicemember getting injured now were to be paid even five grand a month for several years, the funds for veterans health care would quickly vanish. Thus all claims must be made with the utmost regard for the servicemember making a claim, but always keeping an eye on the bank account to ensure servicemembers injured in the future are also able to receive some form of disability benefits or compensation.
3. They must process all of these figures, obtaining all of which takes loads of paperwork to do in the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the US Department of Defense. No paper even gets read without proper authorization, attachments, and the papers being filled out properly and/or are in proper sequence. If none of these are met, they are sent back to the office they are processed at the for re-approval and another submission which requires further signatory approval, review, and scrutiny by supervisors. This is no easy task...so it is not any rare thing for benefits to be a little while in coming...especially in a wartime environment.

Answer 3

Sad but true.We are able to save more lives now but the cost of a survivor for out ways the death benefit. Please don't get me wrong, I'm all for saving our men and women. But the cost is staggering. How can you do that and cut costs? One way the Bush administration is trying to do this is out source the care our Vets. are getting. Halliburton is running Walter Reed Army Hospital. That's a fact. Dick Cheney's outfit. How can you wage a war and give proper care to our Vets. and cut taxes for the rich at the same time? Borrow from China. There are horrendous burn survivers who face a life time of pain and grotesque disfigurement and my heart goe's out to them. It's a shame that we have to pass the hat for these Vet. but that's what it's coming to. I am a former member of the 101st. Airborne, and I subscribe to an Airborne Publication that keeps former troopers in touch. We give to the different Fraternal organizations to help other troopers not as fortunate as we. I believe every Army Div. has such an organization plus the Marines, Navy and Air force have like organizations. Also the American Red Cross helps out tremendously. If you need an emergency leave, are there is an emergency at home, the Red Cross can handle it for you. Note that none of the above is a Gov. agency. Just Org. helping out. It's a shame isn't it. So pick a Division and help out. I'm 64 now, served in Nam, I just wish I was a 20 yr. old paratrooper again. I miss the troops, great people. The best. NO SLACK.

Answer 4

The Bush Administration tried to disqualify them from getting Social Security Disability Paymnts until the DAV and several other of the Veterans Organizations exposed them.

Answer 5

In the long run the V.A. Hospitals ( Once this all dies down ) will forget the needs of the Veteran. Look at the history of the USA. Money will go to foreign countries but very little will go to Veterans.

Answer 6

1. No treatment would ever be good enough.
2. No payments would ever be enough or start fast enough.
3. The medical care and personnel are awesome and deserve more thanks than I could ever give. The VA here in Decatur GA has been great to me. The doctors, nurses, medics and CLSs in theatre are also awesome.
4. Tax cuts have actually increased the revenues. It is the spending not the the tax cuts.

Answer 7

I had to walk away from watching it.I am looking at my husband-A soldier thinking it could happen to him.These soldiers are sent to countries that do not want us there,so when the come back to America people to seem turn their backs on these men and women that were sent to do their job.So I think are soldiers are getting the shaft.Please ya'll pray for our soldiers past,present and future.

Answer 8

I undergo in thoughts listening to Rumsfeld conversing approximately this thought that later grew to become into the call of his e book, and noticing one obtrusive logical omission. He stated that in the time of Iraq, there have been "user-friendly knowns", or issues we knew with fact; there have been "user-friendly unknowns", or issues we've been conscious that we did no longer be responsive to; and there have been "unknown unknowns" or issues that we did no longer be responsive to we did no longer be responsive to. He manifestly skipped over the class of "unknown knowns", or the failings we thought we knew, yet that have been in fact thoroughly fake. He additionally blew my thoughts while he reported that we knew precisely the place Saddamn's prohibited WMD have been....."interior the section around Baghdad and Tikrit, and extremely to the East, North, South, and West of there". No, he on no account made any blunders...

Answer 9

I think its time to bring ALL of our men and women home...Beef up security all around the USA and take care of our OWN.... Give them the benefits they need and frickn well deserve...
Take care of our own disasters and fukups cause I don't see anyone helping us rebuild... or send help to LA... or anywhere else.... The USA needs to mend herself and her own needs

Answer 10

Bush is an @ssh0*#! Our military deserves more. Bush, Jr., is a traitor!