Who pays for VA benefits?

Question

I read that the United States Veterans Affairs Department uses more tax dollars than any other department except for the Department of Defense. How is this possible? With a 5 trillion dollar deficit how can the US continue paying?

My bf is serving in Iraq right now. We will be getting married when he comes home in June. My concern is if there will be any money left by then to support us and our 2 children. He is having a lot of mental problems that he did not have before. There is no reason to lecture me about staying up late at night. How many of you have your soul mate thousands of miles away? I stand in line for food stamps every month because together we don't earn enough to live. Is it wrong to be concerned about our future? He is paying with his life right now! Now when he comes home will there be anything left for those who are serving now?!

Answer 1

Veterans pay taxes also. This means in effect they are also paying for their care. The difference is, they are shot at defending your rights and freedoms. They are blown up by land mines, suicide bombers, and cowards using kids and women booby trapped with explosives. You are not. We need and must continue to ensure our veterans are taken care of medically. We don't pay them a salary they can do it on.

Answer 2

Every man and woman that SERVED this country does!

Who PAYS for it? Maybe the fallen soldier that left behind a wife and an unborn child, maybe the marine that comes back with no leg, maybe the sailor that comes back with scars on his face from catching shrapnel, maybe the airman that comes home with out an arm! THATS WHO PAYS FOR IT!

OK! I will withdrawl that comment.... I am a veteran, my husband is a veteran. He just got back in May. I have been there. He has PTSD too... there will always be money there, thats not what you should be worrying about now. The last thing that would happen is america taking away VA benefits... He can still go get help... my hubby is going to the local Vet Center for treatment. It wont go away completely, but it will get better. They work with the veterans too... as long as their is a US military, there will be veterans benefits. The deficit is nothing new... and again, I am sorry... It REALLY sounded like you were just another fool on here ranting and raving about how the troops are so horrible...

Answer 3

I would like to thank all of you who have replied to this post. Thank you for your support of our military and our veterans.

What if you worked for an employer and you got hurt or lost a limb while on the job, YOU would EXPECT that employer to take care of you and your family. PLEASE, tell me the difference. The constitution of the United States states the an employer can not charge their employee taxes. Guess what, the employer of the United States Military is our federal government and we damn sure do pay taxes. Before opening your big mouth about having to pay taxes to pay for benefits of a military person and or family who has given the ultimate sacrifice or anything short of for our country, think of where you would be if it was not for the soldier, sailor or airman. Instead of complaing, why do you not find a military person or a veteran and THANK THEM for their service. Thank them for keeping our country free. What people like you do not realize is the cost of war does not end when the conflict is over, it is over when ALL veterans and their families have been taking care of. WE VETERANS are the ones that have given you your freedom of speech, remember this, go to Germany, France, Iran or any other country and see what happens when you speak out against the government. You also would be the first one to complain if some insurgent blew his GUTS all over you your family and/or killed them. Be thankful for our Men and Women in uniform and all of our veterans who have defended this great nation. Many of these people have taken a major pay cut to be able to defend our country. By the way, I am a career veteran and I am disabled and proud to have served my country. I am still serving our country by assisting veterans to get those benefits that are DUE them. Why don't you lose a limb, or a mental issue due to work, or rape in your work place and you can no longer work, you would be sueing the hell out of your employer. The answer to your original question is, the injured veteran who has given you your freedom. Every American citizen who lives in this great country of ours. We all pay for it, some more then others. The families who have lost a husband, father, brother, sister, or lost a limb or come back with PTSD, or TBI have really paid the ultimate. The members coming back from Irag and Afghanistan need our support, not your contempt. Remember, "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE" Here is a poem that you can print out and put on your wall for you to remember:

"It is the Soldier, not the Reporter, who has given us freedom of the press!
It is the Soldier, not the Poet, who has given us freedom of Speech!
It is the Soldier, not the Campus Organizer, who has given us the Freedom to Demonstrate!
It is the Soldier, who Salutes the Flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the Flag"

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say "THANK YOU"

If you really want to complain about something, why don't you complain about your Congress person and or your Senator about them not paying any taxes at all yet they have their own retirement system that you and I are not privy to. Why don't you complain about these same people getting better medical and dental then you do and guess where most of them get, from the military, mainly from Bethesda Naval Hospital. And they do not pay one red cent. If you want to complain, how about writing these same people and ask them why when a wounded military person comes back home why they are in conditions like Walter Reed Medical Facility. (By the way, Walter Reed Medical Facility is NOT a VA Facility like most unaware citizens think.The VA is the one who stepped up to assist those veterans) I am sure if YOU came back to a situation like that, YOU would be SUING someone. As a veteran, suing the federal government is really not an option.

Maybe I have given you some food for thought. If not, you know where the ballot box is, yet like most people who complain about the system, you probably do not vote. You can thank a veteran for that right also.

Have a good day.

Answer 4

The V.A gets money from the taxpayers however, the V.A. does everything in its power to deny benefits to the Veterans.

Answer 5

your taxes pay for all Federal Programs, of which the Veteran's Administration is one.

so think on that next time your chosen candidate lobbies to cut taxes.

Answer 6

So send a copy of your grief to your US Congressman and/or Senator. Soldiers have always been underpaid. One letter may not change much, but an eventual pile of them may lead to something.

Answer 7

You would deny someone that gave you the freedom to say what you do the benefit of retirement benefits..P.S. WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY, YOUR OWN MONEY PAYS INTO VA..I WAS ACTIVE DUTY FOR 6 YEARS..SAYING THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IS A JOKE..ESPECIALLY IF HE IS DEPLOYED RIGHT NOW...YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT

Answer 8

if it weren't for VA benefits i would be living under a bridge.i am a disable vet.from the Vietnam ERA,i gave up a normal life for my country,and now they help me out.thank god.

Answer 9

...another armchair moron.

Answer 10

Because it is the right thing to do, and we have to. Are you suggesting that we just abandon our injured soldiers?