Update: Hearing Highlights Vet Tracking Woes

ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TOO EXPENSIVE FOR OUR TROOPS, FROM DECENT, LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT TO TAKING CARE OF THEM AFTER SUFFERING GRAVE INJURIES. I AM TOTALLY ASHAMED OF OUR ADMINISTRATION AND ESPECIALLY OF OUR PRESIDENT. I CAN’T REMEMBER A TIME WHEN WE HAVE HAD SO MANY CROOKED POLITICIANS IN PLACE. I PRAY THAT WE DO EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HEROES FIGHTING THE WAR AND AFTER THEY COME HOME. WE SHOULD NOT BE AT WAR AND BUSH SHOULD NOT BE OUR PRESIDENT. I PERSONALLY THINK HE NEEDS A FRONTAL LOBOTOMY. HIS POWER TRIP IS KILLING OUR COUNTRIES FINEST.

it has always been hard to get help form v.a. they use us, somewhat patch us up,pat us on the head and sendup on our merry way.ww2,korea,vet-nam and now the mid-east are all the same . maybe this time will be better.butt i dought it .once the big wheels huff and pufff.they will put it on back-burner agin .too bad bush and chenney were’t real vet’s butt the were to much of cowards
vet-nam 68
lee

If these problems exist now, they’ve been here for a long time. Reporters have been interviewing troops at this facility for what, 5 years now? Why is this the first they’ve ever made mention of this? Why wasn’t this taken care of 5 years ago?
Besides, what the story doesn’t talk about is how many military hospitals have had to shut down over the last 25 years because of out-sourcing and budget cuts. Most active duty and veterans have the option of receiving care at any number of civilian facilities, but opt to be treated at a military or VA facility, which causes long waits for appointments. In some cases, they do this because the military and VA facilities, run-down as they may be, offer them far better treatment then the ‘civilian’ facilities. Where is the investigation on that side of the story?

Now let me see if I got this right? Only Congress can appropriate money and set the budget. The VA has been grossly underfunded for decades and not one congressman seems to have visited the local VA facility in thier areas. Nor have they tracked down and talked with their woounded Vets in thier districts. It took the Press to discover the deplorable conditions and escallate the code violations and deplorable living conditions of our Vets at the main VA hospital.
Well, congratulations to the Press!
Congress, get off your butts and get to work!
I suspect that the data privacy laws congress has passed, and the negative pressure put on the Government services for developing ‘tracking’ databases
is the main reason the VA gave up their project!
God bless our troops!
Tmblweed

One of the most positive steps that should be taken is to remove VA and veteran healthcare and benefit funding from the jurisdiction of the Pentagon. We heard David Chu express remorse for veteran care shortcomings, and yet if you review the record, Mr. Chu has opposed every veteran benefit and has gone out of his way to increase healthcare costs to all veterans (the latest is the Pentagon’s attempt to institute massive premiums for Tricare users). Any emotion coming out of the Pentagon is pure crocodile tears. When it comes to funding weapon systems or veterans, the weapons win everytime. As soon as the media shifts focus it will be worse than back to normal. Bush has already proposed VA budget reductions after the 2008 elections. Go figure.
23 years. Fly Navy!

Additional funding to the VA isn’t expedited because VA Secretary Jim Nicholson sits in front of Congress and says the VA has plenty of money and plenty of staff and provides the best care in the world.

I am a veteran suffering from TBI (traumatic brain injury). I go to the Richmond, VA VA hospital. I was referred to their neurology service on an outpatient basis by my VA primary care physician in Jan. of this year. My appt. was postponed twice. I was finally seen in March. When I saw the doctor (One of the TBI doctors) I was told that the hospital had been on a “hiring freeze” until recently. Is this what we are to expect from the VA? bUSH SENDS HEALTHY PEOPLE TO A WAR THAT IS WRONG THEN WON’T FUND THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS NECESSARY TO CARE FOR THEM AFTER THE BATTLE! The broblems with the military and VA health care systems do not fall on any one man but on systemic failure to fund these health care systems. As a 100% service conneceted disabled veteran it makes me feel that my country’s leaders have used me, abused me, and then thrown me on the trash heap.

Why are u guys mad at the president…..Its the senate and house that funds the VA, not the president……….it was the same thing during the vietnam war and korea and WWII………and that was also funded by the democrats………so dont get mad at the Republicans………the libs are in control now…….lol

The Iraq war and this administration is not the point, it just happens to be the particular cloud that is raining right now. The weather has been around forever. Read the comments posted by Vietnam Vets. Too many people in charge have passed the buck for too long. This is greed and selfishness. While the standing President can do more than any other single person to light a fire, the Senators and Representatives, even Governors, can also do something. The fact is, no one is willing to do what it takes to make it right. In the meantime, vets suffer. Way to go, all politicians.

The underlying problem is that vets are effectively barred from suing the V. A. because lawyers’ fees are limited to $10 per case by a post War Between the States law that has repeatedly upheld as valid by the U. S. Supreme Court.

Being a disabled veteran and having dealed with the VA Medical System. The basic flaw in the system is lack of funding. Lack of staffing of personnel leads to less than top quality health care and low morale for devoted staff members. My view, if possible do not go to the va for quality health care.But the day will come when you will receive a coffin size flag and a letter from the president with no hassle.

I’m a 100% service connected Vet perm. and total and I have been denied medical care and procedures that were ordered by doctors. I have asked for a Congressional investigation for denial of medical care and so far the request has fell on deaf ears. The problems of Veterans could be solved if all of these elected officials were thrown out of office and new blood was allowed to flow through congress and the house of reps. They allocate money and never check to see how it is being used or who is using it. A dog is treated more humanely than Veterans are, and nothing will ever change untill the old F__Ts that have been in Washington for so long they can tell you the color of every brick in the walkway. Veterans need some type of office set up that will really work for Veterans and that don’t allready work for the V.A. All these so called Veterans Orgs. get free office space and salaries from the V.A., so why would you think they are going to work in your best interest. I’m in Cat. 1 for treatment and can’t get any and as soon as this war is over the Vets who are fighting now will get the same treatment Viet Nam Vets have received for years. It’s time all Vets demand that V.A. sets up a Veterans panel in each state made up of disabled Vets from all wars that Vets would be able to notify when they have trouble with the V.A.