BOBBY DOT–VFW’S LOSS=VET’S GAIN

Posted on September 26, 2012 by asknod

I spotted this attached to the Vet’s dictionary today. Bobby Dot has left us a few comments on posts lately. This deserves front page status. Vets in Pennsylvania will soon have a National Service Officer who doesn’t shoot blanks.

 bobby dott says:

September 26, 2012 at 13:48 (Edit)

  1. I was recently terminated as a part time “PAID” VSO with the VFW. I have done claims since 2004 and never once did I have a complaint of any kind. Ok, I put first name last and last name: you get the drift. But I was dismissed (office at Phila VAMC & Vet Centers) because, well they claimed I was a liability because I had a tendency to research and develop claims for vets. Vets who are illiterate, burned out, not sure what to do next… I didn’t bother to burn any bridges. I am waiting for my test date for NSO so I can work for myself. So, if the VFW in Philadelphia spent $331 twice a m month for 6 new part time service officers, who actually help with claims, my math says $47.664 a year salary. That’s half the tab of all the booze spent at the stae and national conventions in 2011.

    Wow. Totally new concept. A VSO who helps Vets. I’m trying to wrap my mind around that.

Posted in Veterans Law, VSOs | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

ASKNOD–DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

Posted on September 26, 2012 by asknod

Every time I get a question from Vets, my mind turns over the obverse of the coin. What if? JAVet just posted an interesting observation on the VCS/VUT crew pounding on the Supremes’ door for justice and it brought to mind the horrific scenario of even more disenfranchised Vets(read dead).

An important facet of claims backlog is where to put all these Vets and their files when the pipeline is severely clogged. Rather than encumber the BVA with them and engender even more bad press, VAROs have been forced to delay their transmittal to D.C. BVA has apparently indicated their file rooms are overwhelmed and can take no more.  I infer this by the VARO expediency in caching your file interminably until BVA signals that they are now free to import more about the country. Their faulty reasoning is that ROs are more equipped to handle the overflow. The pictures of the Winston-Salem sixth floor file room amply illustrated the problem.
Since the BVA is the Headquarters of this comedy club, they have first say on who gets stuck with the storage tab. As JAV points out, filling out a VA Form 8 and putting the files in a box for transmittal to D.C is certainly no more than a time-consuming 2.6 hours including the side trip downstairs to Starbucks.
Now, to play Devil’s advocate. What if…what if 50% of denied Vets decided to make the Hajj to D.C. ?Currently it stands at 50,000 of the over 1,000,000 claims filed each year. 50,000 appeals represents 5% of the total filed annually (approx.). With the sure knowledge that it takes every day of the aforementioned 834 to get the VLJ’s signature, what if 50% of Vets filed appeals? Worse, what if everyone did? If you think congressmen are throwing a tantrum over their constituents having to endure a decade of delay, imagine this scenario.

The specter of even a 5% increase to 10% (100,000 souls) filing would clog the system to such a degree that a 3-year delay would seem a whirlwind affair. Put this in perspective. In January 1991 my claim was finally and utterly denied at the Seattle RO. My decision was handed down March 5, 1992. For the numerically challenged, that was 21 years ago. Nevertheless the delay was still over a year. Boards consisted of three members and there were a total of 20 Boards (60 VLJs).

There are now 75 or so VLJs- each a Board in his/her own right. That should have kept up with the influx. Not. My last trip to 810 Vermin Ave. NW departed April 5th, 2010 and came back denied in May 2012- a virtually identical amount of time. I insulated it against remands by waiving that right or I might have died in the ensuing 5-8 year ping pong game.  One claim was advanced on the docket and one (CUE) was not. If they had both been normal, I would still be waiting for the Form 8 and the ceremonial Pony Express sendoff.

Continuing down this path of perfidy, think of the consequences of this lump in the python as it approached the CAVC. Here the dichotomy is even more pronounced. Instead of the meagre 50,000 who brave the journey to D.C.,  currently only 5,000 are hearty enough or are sufficiently invested with the intestinal fortitude to see it through at the Court.  Since only a paltry 20-24% see any success at the BVA, that is an appalling attrition rate of almost 40,000 souls. I don’t for a minute believe their cases are that compromised so someone is compelling them to throw in the towel. I guess I don’t need to point out that’s a lot of towels. I won’t cast aspersions on VSOs but I have had the conversation more than once about the futility of continuing my quest for justice.

The first incident occurred in 1992 after my BVA mishap. My DAV rep., Ron Ampe, politely suggested not fighting my 0% for hearing and Tinnitus and to be patient. The standard advice was to not be confrontational and to come back in a few years with the 10% begging bowl. One certainly didn’t want to appear greedy as that was considered bad form. As for the back/hips denial, there was simply no mention of the new CAVC and the avenue of judicial review.

The second was more nuanced. Rick Talbott of AMVETS fame, soon to be a used car salesman, was very frank. “The ball’s in your court, Nod. Whadaya wanna do? I think it’s a waste of our time but you da boss.” I opted to fight and we sent in the NOD. vA ignored me for 14 years and that is why it took so long to get SC. It might have helped if AMVETS had assigned me a new rep. We’ll never know.  That’s also why I am now at the CAVC arguing for my 1994 date.

The third wasn’t very nuanced. My Military Order of the Purple Nurple rep, Pat Dyer, made no bones about it. I had won the tinnitus so it was time to piss on the fire and call in the dogs. The HCV couldn’t be won because, well, Hell, everyone knows how Vets get that. Drugs, tattoos and STDs and all of them are willful misconduct -or so he said. As for the PCT? “Son, that’s a AO disease and they won’t ever give it to you. I’ve never seen one granted in my 15 years doing this. Shucks, boy. Ya got $15 K in retro on the Tinnitus. You want an egg in your beer, too?”  In a nutshell, I was being told to roll up and go home. When I started talking 38 CFR and nexus letters, he became angry and the conversation took a precipitous turn downhill.

In a nutshell, I believe a large reason why Vets do not appeal is the counsel they receive from their VSOs. After all, these people are the Sherpas trained to lead us through the vA maze. This might indicate a desire to search for new meat and new POAs. It may also indicate a desire to be rid of a claim that is difficult or will result in a Pyrrhic victory (0%) or outright denial. VSOs like easy, simple claims for pension and A&A for 89 year old widows. They abhor seeing a Vietnam Vet with a raging, 40-year old case of Hep and PTSD come through the door. If they had their druthers, you would be required to actually have your STRs from service or you would get no service.

This is why VSOs love the new breed of Gulf War Vets. They have all the documenting evidence. Nobody burned the warehouse down that contained their records. Everything is sanitary and orderly the way it should be with no surprises. Many begin the Odyssey while  still in service to provide a seamless transition.

One thing is certain. With the advent of the internet, many of you will do what I did. When you hit the wall of illness and finally learn the intricacies and nuances of the computer, suddenly the negative objective becomes attainable. Facebook provides an avenue into finding that long lost buddy or fellow shipmates aboard the USS Long Beach. More and more of you are going to become proficient at this and the numbers of claims filed will increase. What’s more, the number of appeals will escalate exponentially.

If the backlog was simply annoying before, I don’t even need to spell it out. Yep. You are going to be blamed for sabotaging the new push for the 125 day/96% accuracy planned for a 2015 roll out. In addition, endemic delays up the line will be your constant companion in the absence of any judicial renovations at Vermin Ave. NW. As for the CAVC, hiring even 20 more judges wouldn’t resolve the influx. At some point there would have to be a means test that disenfranchised a large number simply to keep up. Watch for the Frivolous Filings Police soon.

The teaching moment seems to be obvious. Heed the advice of your VSO- Abandon hope all ye who enter here. Or… break the bank and force the issue. The only way to effectively provoke change is to be obnoxious- like me.  Refuse to Lose. Win or Die. Call it what you will but do not acquiesce. vA plans for this. They incorporate this into their equation. They depend on the majority of you becoming disgusted with their process and walking away. That’s the whole precept of the delay and denial process. If you and all you buddies automatically whipped out a NOD over the most inconsequential of claims decisions, you would inundate the system anew and provoke much nail-biting and acid reflux at Under Secretary for Excuses Allison Hickey’s office. I, on the other hand, will probably find a car bomb strapped to my starter for pointing this out.

Take a page from Nike®. Just do it.

Posted in VA BACKLOG | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

SCOTUS: VA takes 573 days for what should take 2.6 hours!

Posted on September 26, 2012 by joeaveragevet

This was not “plucked from Air” but rather, from a Writ of Cert to SCOTUS.   The Veterans for Common Sense (VCS)  and Veterans United for Truth  have petitioned the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) for a  Writ of Certiorari on Sept. 22, 2012,  according to the Veterans Law Library.

Is this maybe the reason your claim is taking so long?  Here is how the VCS stated it:

“Veterans must wait 261 days and 573 days, respectively, for the VBA to complete these simple tasks, (Certifying the Veteran’s Appeal to the BVA) even though the VBA has acknowledged they take only 2.6 hours combined for someone to complete.  The VBA does not know why some veterans must wait 1000 days or more for certification. ” (Citations omitted for brevity)

I think I can speculate “why” it takes the VA 1000 days for certification.  Because they can!  

Remember, there is significant financial incentive for the VA to delay your claim.  First, as the Cert. explains, thousands of Veterans die waiting on the VA to make a decision, and, in most cases the Veterans family never collects the benefits that were due him.

Next, even if the Veteran survives the appeals, the VA gets an interest free loan from the Veteran, sometimes for decades as no interest is ever paid to the Veteran.

The Veteran must comply with multiple deadlines or “lose out” on his ability to appeal, while the VA can take an unlimited amount of time processing his appeal.  Frankly, I think it is backwards.  I think the VA’s processing time should be limited to a year or else the Veteran should receive the benefits requested by default.

Posted in Complaints Department, Guest authors, vA news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NEW NAVY T-SHIRT RULES

Posted on September 26, 2012 by asknod

While this may be a NAVOPS release, I’m sure it will receive wide dissemination by AF and Army unit commanders in short order. Our eye in the sky over SWA spotted this and sent it in:

U.S.  Navy Directive 16134 ( Inappropriate T-Shirts  ) The  following directive was issued by the commanding officer of all naval  installations in the Middle East. (It  was obviously directed at the  Marines.)

    To:  All Commands
Subject  : Inappropriate T-Shirts
Ref :  ComMidEast For Inst 16134 / / 24 K
All  commanders promulgate upon receipt.
The  following T-shirts are no longer to be worn on or off base by any military  or civilian personnel serving in the Middle East  :

1.  ‘Eat Pork or Die’ [both English and Arabic  versions]
2.  ‘Shrine Busters’ [Various. Show burning minarets or bomb/artillery shells  impacting Islamic shrines. Some with unit  logos.]
3.  ‘Goat – it isn’t just for breakfast anymore.’ [Both English and Arabic  versions]
4.  ‘The road to Paradise begins with me. [Mostly Arabic versions, but some in  English. Some show sniper scope  cross-hairs.]
5.  ‘Guns don’t kill people. I kill people.’ [Both Arabic and English  versions]
6.  ‘Pork. The other white meat.’ [Arabic  version]
7.  ‘Infidel’ [English, Arabic and other coalition force languages  .]
The  above T-shirts are to be removed from Post Exchanges upon receipt of this  directive.
In  addition, the following signs are to be removed upon receipt of this  message:
1..  ‘Islamic Religious Services Will Be Held at the Firing Range at 0800  Daily.’
2..  ‘Do we really need ‘smart bombs’ to drop on these dumb  bastards?’
All  commands are instructed to implement sensitivity  training upon  receipt.

Posted in Humor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cannabis and HCV claims discussion

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Laura

“When I was a kid, I inhaled.”  “That was the point.”

Senator Barack Obama

It was refreshing to hear Sen. Obama discuss his youthful cannabis use without shame in 2006.  The adult man considered it a mistake but he was being real.  He was elected President of the United States despite his admission.  However, if President Obama was a Veteran filing for SC HCV, it’s possible that inhaling cannabis smoke would be viewed as evidence of a lifestyle that may have included injecting opiates into his veins.  This is an extremist point of view and must be rejected.

After his tour in Vietnam, my DH, a kid, was stationed in Hawaii.  He bought a small amount of cannabis and put it in his locker where it was promptly found during a routine inspection.   He was demoted and locked up for 30-days without pay.  He returned to duty as a private.   This is the one drug incident that resulted in disciplinary action in his MRs.  We’ll deal with his “willful misconduct” in the PTSD part of his claim because that’s where it belongs.

I’m concerned that his history of cannabis-only use will “muddy the waters” of the HCV part of a claim.  But it shouldn’t.  I’ve never seen cannabis use on any HCV risk factor list.   It’s negative (a mistake) but evidence of nothing more.   Without access to BVA case decisions, I can’t find out if any BVA judges have denied benefits based on:

“The Veteran smoked cannabis in the service–and afterwards–therefore injuring himself with HCV!” 

My DH has been SVR since 2004 but the after effects of his HCV infection and treatment remain a daily challenge.  We are certain that his HCV was acquired while he was in the service and will seek nexus letters for medical conclusions.

HCV may be declared a presumptive illness for veteran boomers if those afflicted with it file for benefits.   A history of regular or occasional cannabis-use (in-service or post-service) shouldn’t deter one from filing for HCV because there is no causal link between the two.  In other words, HCV is not a consequence of smoking cannabis (even once).

Nod stresses that for your lay testimony to be credible, it must be truthful.  And even if negative evidence is in your records, it can be overcome.

Posted in Guest authors, HCV Health, Tips and Tricks, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“Questions to Ask Your Veterans”

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Laura

Military Health History Pocket Card

This simplistic card was developed by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations.  Their job is to train healthcare students and residents to take care of their Veteran patients at the VA.

Scroll to the HCV Questions and Vietnam: Unique Health Risks.

Only two insulting and predictable HCV questions; only two predictable health risks!

http://www.va.gov/OAA/pocketcard/m-index.asp#toc

The Vietnam War Summary pretends to be sensitive but still expresses the old canard that Vietnam vets were interested in injecting cheap drugs instead of staying alive, protecting and helping villagers, or killing the enemy.  

If students were asked to memorize this number:  58,261, they might become aware and sensitive VA Health Care Workers.   

(One has to hunt for the figure on the NPS Vietnam Veterans Memorial website.)

Dr. Malcolm Cox is the leader of this division.  If he’s a real physician, he could be an ally in our epic quest to have HCV recognized as a presumptive illness for veteran boomers.  Vietnam Veterans–and those from other wars–are still dying from service-connected injuries and illnesses like HCV.  They could use his help and leadership.

“Dr. Cox, 58,261.  Can you tell me more about that?”

Ed. note: Historians have attempted to ascribe the uptick in Vietnam-era drug abuse in service to the draft. I don’t suppose they looked around in Haight-Ashbury  in 1967 for a clue. The times they were achanging then. Most of us had never seen pharmacies where you just walked in and ordered like McDonalds’s. Prescriptions? Purely optional.

Posted in Guest authors, HCV Health, vA news, Vietnam Disease Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

EARLY CHRISTMAS IN COLORADO

Posted on September 22, 2012 by asknod

Everybody likes to hear the success story. The one that didn’t get away is far more newsworthy than the one that did. So it was with great joy when I came in from gardening last night to find that our very own Randy has finally joined the 100% ranks without going to DC. I can’t propound enough on what a shame it is that many of you came here after you’d lost and had a far more difficult time winning at the BVA. It’s not so much that its harder but that the constant rounds of remands back and forth often stretch it out to a decade or more.

Randy has been sanding and filing his claim down for several years using some of the techniques we advocate here and it finally paid off. He did it all himself I might add. Giving advice is all well and fine but the individual Vet is the one who carries the water. Some come here asking me to do it for them in toto. I cannot. I have my own fish to fry. I offer DIY advice only. The law actually precludes me from engaging in it unless I am accredited.

This raises the number of wins to 30 since 2008. The two losses were unavoidable due to circumstances that included willful misconduct. They were insurmountable given that the individuals had contaminated the claim with too much information. Add to that the drug hanky panky on record and it became a negative objective.

Herewith, I present the fruits of Randy’s long, hard-fought battle with the defenders of Fort Fumble in Denver.

Randy has hit the wall with these chuckleheads over the pyramiding aspect of hepatitis and  cirrhosis. Fortunately they haven’t gotten anally retentive and made life miserable for him. I summed it up thusly in a post game wrap:

Now, let’s look at DC 7354…
 
Always remember when they use the word “or”, you have two different sets of criteria. Additionally, no one is expected to suffer all the individual components of any disease. DC7354 has two such sets of criteria and they (vA) are focusing on one to the exclusion of the other.
 
First set @20% is:

Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia (without weight loss or hepatomegaly), requiring dietary restriction or continuous medication,

The second set is:

 or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least two weeks, but less than four weeks, during the past 12-month period

Notice there’s no mention of weight in the second one. Now look at 40%:

Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, with minor weight loss and hepatomegaly,

The second half of 40%:

or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least four weeks, but less than six weeks, during the past 12-month period

 
From experience, what I have seen is that absent the weight loss (minor or major), they try to hang you on the number of days you are incapacitated. VA employs the “yeah, but you didn’t have…” all the time. They lose as usual on appeal but that is a long and arduous mountain climb. One thing is certain, you are not going to get better. At this point, a careful analysis is in order. They have, in essence, caved in and given you the big enchilada all the way back to 09. Add five years and it’s protected for all intents and purposes. So on Sept. 4, 2014, unless you go back to work, your rating will not be taken away unless fraud can be proved. After ten years, if you do not kick before, your wife will be in the DIC catbird seat for about $1500 a month when you set sail for the last cruise. Of course, if you kick from HCV or cirrhosis before then, she’s covered too. Finally, if you make it to twenty years, you’re bulletproof even if you did cheat.
 
VA could not take you to task on the HCV, Randy. Here’s why. You probably are like me in that you suffer “near constant debilitating symptoms” and are under a doctor’s care. Thus you qualify for 100% schedular on just the hep. VA is loathe to grant that. What they did was sandbag you with the cirrhosis. There is a major argument in the rating language at about 20% on both hep and cirrhosis. At that point, a decision has to be made as to which to rate on. VA will not go up to 50% on cirrhosis and 60% on the hep. I’ve seen them do 20% and 10% and the guy was knocking on Heaven’s door. You are getting a good deal here with the TDIU but it’s a backdoor method. True 100% shedulars are not the norm. I checked and there are about 375,000 of them currently. Most are like yours where they shortsheet the bed but throw in the TDIU. The problem with giving out half and half 7312/7354 is the codicil about pyramiding ratings. VA tries so hard to read this as limiting what they can give you because the ratings clash. It isn’t that hard. HCV caused all of this and that is where the focus should be. Cirrhosis is merely the fallout. vA ignores this and artfully creates a situation that ties their hands (or appears to).
 

See how DC 7312 conflicts (pyramids) ? 10%  says  Symptoms such as weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, and malaise 

DC 7354 20% says  Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia 

7312 @ 30%  Portal hypertension and splenomegaly, with weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, malaise, and at least minor weight loss

7354 @ 40% says  Portal hypertension and splenomegaly, with weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, malaise, and at least minor weight loss

vA is a past master at creating a problem and then fashioning a solution that takes you to LA via Beijing. What they are loathe to do is just give you the hep for 100% and perhaps the cirrhosis for 30. God forbid. What they did here is far more convoluted and confusing. Winning the DM2 will be anticlimatic. They’ll lowball you and you’ll show the insulin use. They’ll finally go to 40% from 20% after a lot of hemming and hawing. Rest assured that you are not the first victim (nor the last) to be sandbagged by them on the hep/cirrhosis game.

As a last note, I’d like to thank Randy for sharing this with you folks. Some are recalcitrant about the publicity and politely decline. I don’t blame them. What vA does to us is criminal. The fear of retribution is large on our minds. Witness that I use the handle ASKNod for similar reasons. After observing what they are capable of, I don’t suggest being BFF with them or assuming they’ll be like-minded. Lastly, I recommend putting your wallet in your front pocket and sitting with your back to a wall when you have occasion to visit. Merry Christmas Randy. It only took Santa three years to get here. I guess this is what they call a Rocky Mountain High.

Posted in ASKNOD BOOK, Inspirational Veterans, NEW BOOK, Tips and Tricks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY

Posted on September 21, 2012 by asknod

I want to share this with you because some feel I am cold, callous and uncaring.

I was once asked to play in a golf tournament. My handicap is like 67 and I’m sooo not tournament material. Usually these are group affairs with the best aggregate total of all the players in a foursome. This was different. It was a best personal and I knew it would be a wasted $100.00 not including all the cocktails on the course. They were playing Calloway and you could throw out the worst front or back 9 score up to double par. I still didn’t see myself in the winner circle and politely declined.

That’s when they really turned up the heat. Jez, they’re all hackers and worse than me. They finally tried to shame me into it by appealing to my soft spot for charities when they said it was for handicapped and blind Vets. I started to say “Nawwww” again and then I stopped and thought.

Not so fast. I bet I could win this one.

Submitted by Brownwater  Jim, former squid of the delta.

Posted in Humor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Navy SEALS Respond After Media Matters Calls Them “Gutless”

Posted on September 20, 2012 by asknod

I publish this not from the perspective of politics but from the standpoint of common sense. Do us all a favor and send it to your congressmen and Senators. The need to put sensationalism and ratings aside and protect our troops is paramount. I don’t care who you vote for. They’re all crooked as a hand-whittled crutch. The element of surprise in this business is how you inflict a telling blow on the enemy. Look no further than the debacle that occurred on 9/11/o1. Their OPSEC was so tight they took us completely by surprise.

http://www.youtube.com/v/X-Xfti7qtT0?version=3&h=en_US&rel+0

Posted in All about Veterans, Complaints Department, General Messages | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST…

Posted on September 20, 2012 by asknod

Once upon a time in SEA, we (some of my fellow airmen) sat around one night theorizing on what niche Congress felt we inhabited. This was 1970 and it was becoming apparent that the war in SEA was winding down. The Kent State Massacre was fresh in everyone’s minds.  Requests for materiel and manpower went unanswered or were deferred. Deafness had begun to set in and a marked indifference to our plight was becoming apparent. The rest is history.  The pandemic of unemployment following that debacle is still remembered.

This morning I read that Congress, or more specifically the Senate, has opted to bail out and go electioneering at the expense of Veterans. Member Bob from Kellogg’s country in Battle Creek sent me Rachel Maddow’s scathing take on it. It’s ugly. I mean the situation, not Rachel. Well, actually Rachel isn’t going to win the Miss America contest but that’s a subject for another day.

I suppose anyone could present the message but Rachel in her own inimitable way is the perfect foil for this. She does have her following among progressive listeners and I have no problem with the message she’s disseminating. I find it odd she should be the standard bearer for Veterans but we certainly can’t pick and choose our allies. She vocalized perfectly what I feel is the disconnect between “talking the talk” and “walking the walk”.  The Senate gave Vets the bitchslap in no uncertain terms and then retreated to their far-flung constituencies to glad hand and kiss babies.

Politics and religion have no home here at Asknod. When they do insinuate themselves into our narrow world, we feel compelled to comment. It makes no difference who put a fork in this. With an unemployment figure much higher than the comparable civilian populace,  the need is visible and palpable.  Having a talent for putting an 81mm mortar round down the throat of Abdul and his buddies doesn’t translate well into police work or fire fighting. This means retraining or finding a trade you engaged in prior to enlistment. Veterans did not provoke this issue. They inherited it with the rapid downsizing of our forces as the conflict in Southwest Asia winds down.  Now it appears they will carry the water into civilian life as well if they survive the mental challenges.

As most of you know, we came home from Southeast Asia to a country weary of war and conflict among itself.  We were deadwood, a fifth wheel, a drag on unemployment and suffering from all manner of strange diseases. We were expected to assimilate and shut up. There were no provisions for our entry back into society. Sink or swim was the mantra. Now we seem to be caught in George Santayana’s redux (Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it). If you use 1962 as the jumping off point for Vietnam, then this is the fiftieth anniversary and a fitting time to embrace all the shortcomings that followed.

A seminal difference between then and now, however,  is a sea change in our perception of our military and our Veterans. Veterans are enjoying a bounce in American’s perceptions. Many’s the organization set up specifically to help our new Vets integrate into society. We are no longer viewed as a liability and are greeted warmly with that tired, hackneyed phrase thanking us for our service. PR flacks need to work on that and tune it up. All the thanks in the world is not going to fix this.

The greed endemic among capitalists is so serious that they have finally sawed off the limb they’re standing on. Today was classic evidence of that. In order to show financial restraint, they opted to save bridges to nowhere,  continuing free Starbucks for Welfare to Work Moms and special pork sandwiches for their own constituents. Veterans didn’t make the cut. Well, almost. They’ve promised to leave vA’s assets alone in the new-found rush to financial austerity. For now at any rate. Veterans Job Corps funds are the deal breaker. In spite of our unselfish commitment to America and post-9/11 security, we are now being politely (actually rudely) shown the door.

Ms. Maddow’s guest, former Rep. Patrick Murphy (Pa.), pointed out that a Vet now takes his life every 80 minutes-down from the 18 minutes before the VA Secretary made mewling sounds about how hard he was working to correct this deficiency. vA is as ill-equipped to deal with this current influx as they were in 1975 when the bill was presented at the end of that conflict. And keep in mind that this “war” is still going on.

George Santayana also said “Only the dead have seen the end of war”. This is often erroneously ascribed to Plato but nevertheless the sentiment remains. What I find sad is that so many are returning only to join the ranks of their fallen comrades before their time.  What’s worse is that they are dying by their own hand and America’s politicians seem to be copacetic with the choice. Congress all but made sure today that the status quo will remain and discouraged Vets will continue to see a bleak future with no corresponding panacea to remedy it.

Lower than whale shit.

Keep this in mind when you wield your ballot in November. I trust Vets unless they work for VSOs. I trust Vets who are politicians -but only with many reservations. Blindly adhering to any party or philosophy is dangerous. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Posted in All about Veterans, VR&E | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment