you bring it 'testvet'...bring it!

Great series launch, Troops and Vets team!

 How great must our failure be until we turn in panic and disgrace to a Man of Honor? - Quigley

 of veterans and their families if this goes thru, I don't believe they want to grand father the veterans that already get both SSD and VA checks they want to reduce them, which is a shame  tax cuts for millionaires that mena they get 48,000 a year and for totally disabled vets a 1/3 pay cut, and they call that "compassionate conservatism"  they need to go back and read their bibles....

Once again, we see the willingness of the Republican leadership to put our veterans at financial risk while protecting the financial status of their corporate masters and the already wealthy.

This trick of offsetting 2 distinct and earned benefits is once again rearing it's ugly head as it does so often in an attempt to short-change our veterans.

Let's lend our voices to the fight against this "veteran's tax"!

carol4clark

General Wes Clark * * * * 4 Stars Over Texas

seems to have a habit of forgetting about its veterans - the very people who sacrificed so much to protect the so-called American Dream. For instance, when was the last time YOU attended a Veteran's Day parade. Now the group I was associated with is getting rather wrinkled and worn, but many of that era still need medical assistance. From what I hear, the VA has done a decent job, but has been SERIOUSLY hampered by budget and staff cuts. This administration, composed mostly of men and women WHO NEVER SERVED in any form of military, has been particularly odorous in its treatment of the troops, both active duty and those "safely" back home. Too many of these returnees are in a hospital bed learning how to cope with missing body parts. And mental fatigue. HOW DARE WE TREAT THESE PEOPLE THIS WAY? Shame on Bush; shame on America. Please honor those who honored you.

Some years ago, I took a team of 16 year old soccer players on an European tour. Just before we left, I made sure we stopped in at a combination American/German WWII Cemetery. There were families there from both sides of the war and many of them were standing around crying softly. Now and then, I run into these kids, now well grown up, and often they tell me the most memorable day of their trip was the time they spent in that forlorn cemetery. They never forgot the impact of seeing the true results of a war. If you have time on your hand these days, may I recommend you spend it at some VA home or hospital, visiting those who are lonely - or take a slow walk through the rows and rows of crosses and stars of David in the military cemetery nearest you. You won't forget, either.

Mike Baily is not just speaking for himself. He has received partial renumeration, though that is in danger, yet he tries to help vets on the test vet issue, the PTSD issue, and on any other issue.

The reason? This administration is an enemy to content with for vets, not a friend to aid them.

I was saddened when I wandered streets in Japan years back and saw WWII vets sleeping under bridges in makeshift shanties, still in their then frayed uniform coats - the warmest thing they had. They were the forgotten men who shamed their nation by their existence.

Now is America to be in this same mold? Do we not care for those who fight and die for us and the families they cannot support or leave behind penniless.

Shame, shame on Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld for their inhuman and callous treatment of the very men they expect to sacrifice for their greed for domination and oil.

I am shamed myself that our nation has come to this pass.

Beautiful job, Troops and Vets Team. Now let's make America beautiful by treating our heros with the respect, compensation and honor they deserve. 

Noel 

for this and for your service to the country.

This is so shameful I can hardly speak....all of it....the testing and the denying of benefits.

Shame Shame Shame.

This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one; it is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass.....Molly Ivins

This is a remarkable story. 

And frankly, the failure of this administration to set its priorities and fairly compensate disabled veterans, especially "test vets"; as well as the failure of this GOP-led Congress to properly address veteran issues and concerns, especially during this time of war, is very shameful.

Yesterday, Sybil-Liberty posted and article of Clark regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD.   Last year he addressed the HASC and emphasized that Congress must prepare for the long term physical and psyhological  medical concerns and needs of our troops and veterans returning from this war in Iraq. 

If our government fails to address your concerns, how much more would they address the concerns of our current troops after they complete their service; or worse, who may become disabled, themselves.

----------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Debate, Dialogue, Discussion, Disagreement - that's not wrong -that's not unpatriotic, that's one of the highest forms of patriotism and love of country, and we need to say it!" - Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.)

Remarkable post.

The treatment of vets (disabled and not) at the hands of the Bush administration is worse than a crime: it's a sin.

I didn't think anyone could show me a more compelling reason to get Bush out of office. You did it.

It's terrible what they're doing to you. You should be treated like a prince for what you've done.

My brother was in Desert Storm, and he has some of the symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome. I'm sure it's nowhere near what you're going through, but all he wants is answers so he can get treatment. He can't get any answers.

It's a disgrace the way our veterans are treated. And why? It's just money, and not even that much money by the standards of the federal budget.

also #6566 at Edgewood Arsenal in 1972. Mike puts my thoughts into context. I have been unable to work since 2001 at the age of 49 because of health issues that I feel were a result of Edgewood that the VA refuses to acknowlege. After 3 years of fighting with the VA for health benefits and continuous foot dragging, I do think that they wish we would just die and go away.

Mike like the saying goes "The pen is mightier than the Sword" keep up the good work.

Michael I've taken the liberty of taking some of your text and starting a discussion thread at Democratic Underground with it under the Header:

An Urgent Call to Action to SaveVeterans Benefits!

http://tinyurl.com/fjtm5

I linked back directly to the Vets blog  here for those who want more information,  and I  urged people to please read your entire story. 

Could there be anything more appropriate for the Clark Community to get behind than this?

Talk about rallying the troops!

So May 18th is on Thursday, eh?  Well, I better get busy!

You did a great job, Michael Bailey (aka testvet).  Thank you!

I forwarded a link to this to the honchos at Colorado Veterans for America, which has a large and active membership.

Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
BE THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world.
If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?

They have no shame. Allow them no refuge! -Tom Rinaldo

Well said & thank you, Michael Bailey, for your perseverance in bringing this issue to light.

There are two veterans in my family, one is also 100% disabled and has been since shortly after his 18th birthday when two weeks after being deployed he stepped on a landmine in Vietnam to live as a triple amputee.

This issue is one that points into the very black heart of darkness that is A. the Bush Administration & their policies, but is also very sadly B. something rotten in the heart of humanity itself that persists in making war rather than waging peace.

Not only with the failure of government-

 -neo-con takeover

 -lack of checks, balances & ovesight

 -budgetary shenanigans

 -creative accounting

 -failure to invest & work high level diplomacy, not as emergency management but as a matter of course, as a good neighbor to the world

 etc. etc. ad nauseum

 as I said not only do they & have they fail to govern properly but they create situations that generate wounded veterans- then, to walk away from them!!! Staggeringly evil.

This is what angers me the most: when the reptilian congress hands out HUGE tax rebate checks to the uber-wealthy, repeatedly cuts VA and veterans' bennies and the VA gives everybody the run-around and the Red Tape Treatment, not to mention the incredible waste of resources and taxpayer money being shelled out to Haliburton et. al.

Indeed, today's soldiers ARE tomorrow's veterans and there is no end in sight of the US military continuing to duck and dodge their reprehensible on-going policy of exposing OUR troops to vile chemicals.

I ran across this article from the North County News
(in Yorktown Heights, NY about an hour north of NYC)
dated 11-9-05:
[size=medium]Veterans charge illnesses tied to new form of Agent Orange[/size]
U.S. officials accused of knowingly putting soldiers in contaminated areas

~snip~
In April 2003, Reed was sent to Iraq. In June, a speed bump caused his head to smash against the roof of a vehicle with such force that he was airlifted out of Iraq for medical treatment. At Walter Reed Army Hospital, a titanium plate was implanted in his neck after extensive operations on a bi-level herniated disc, among other injuries.

Physical therapy and various other treatments continued for Reed until November 2004, at which time he received a medical retirement from the military. Methadone is now necessary every six hours and morphine every four, along with other muscle relaxants, that make it nearly impossible for him to play with his two young children.

"Due to the injuries I sustained and the permanent medication I now receive, I was unable to return to my prior employment," Reed said. "I also found out that myself and several of my comrades in arms were exposed to DU, which we believe is responsible for a lot of the aliments we now suffer from. Depleted uranium is our Agent Orange. They knew we would be serving in an area contaminated by DU, and they didn't tell us."

Along with nine members of his prior unit, Reed filed a lawsuit against the government.
~ ~ ~ ~

Read the rest of this sad story at the link.

Thank you, testvet, for sharing your story with us. I will do my best to spread this story far and wide. Those responsible for these terrible policies need to be held accountable for their actions that put our soldiers in this predicament in the first place and their subsequent inactions in not helping these injured veterans after they complete their service.

SAVE OHIO - Jennifer Brunner for Ohio Secretary of State

My 3 letters - to my Congressman and my 2 Senators - are ready and will be going out to the post office this evening...

Thanks for prompting me to action!  That felt good!

for so many things:  your service, your honor, your patience, this amazing post, and for sharing your story with us at CCN and launching the Vet's Series with it.  For exposing the travesty of neglect.  And the sham of the "Support Our Troops" magnet flag pin-wearing crowd.

I can only hope this will help you get closer to getting the long overdue attention needed in your case, as well as for all the others.

And thanks to everyone else who helped Mike get this together for such a speedy rollout here.  Great work.

We can all make those calls.

trend they are following. I have a pension from my state, which I paid into during my years of working for school districts here. When I had to go on long term disability from my job, I was awarded 2/3rds of my salary as was promised. I was also informed that I had to apply for SSDI and when that was awarded to me, the amount of my disability pension would be cut by that amount. It didn't used to be that way, but it is now. I paid into both systems as you did. I hope the VA doesn't cut your service connected amount of payment by your SSDI amount. They think of it as double dipping, but it really isn't. People get military and SS retirement and nobody calls it double dipping threatening to take it away from them.

In my case, it would be wonderful to have both promised amounts from each pension source, but I'm ok with what I have to live on, so it's just not a fight for me. I wish you luck with your battle with the VA. I suspect the money just isn't there since Bush has been president. That was the case where I live after the Republican governor we last had left office. The state just didn't have much left in the coffers at that point and neither did the state retirement system. It's similar to when the Soviet Union collapsed and those people lost their pensions, health care system, etc... It's happening here and people just don't realize it.

...to have all the services you've EARNED!! The system is disgraceful. My son-in-law recently returned from Iraq (he was also in Desert Storm). These are issues that hit home with us. Clark supporters will do what we can to assist soldiers and vets in meeting their needs. IMO, these scandals should be primetime news, not whether or not Brittany Spears is pregnant, not whether or not Katie Couric is switching networks, etc., etc. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

Leadership means lifting people up. --Wes Clark

 me, the "test vets" have languished in a file cabinet in DOD for far too long, it's time after 31 years they have to face what they did, 75% dead and disabled is just to much to ignore, the fact they have known it since at least March 2003 just shows how dispicable Rummy and the rest are. 

my weapon of choice these days is the compuyter keyboard, due to my many medical issues, I do not leave my home very often to even go to doctors let alone travel, and not very many of the people I need to corner come to Columbia SC, the Republicans have this state sewn up.......

…keep up the good work Michael Bailey and Troops and Vets team. And reading the blogs here is something that no movie can replicate no matter how well it’s done… I simply don’t understand how President Bush and his administration can face the public when they ignore the truth, which you guys have posted here…

Thanks to all for serving this country…  I think America loves you but many forget or don't know what you guys are going through.  I will do my best to spread the news about WesPack and CCN.

I prefer to lose with honesty than win with shame…

Thanks, Mike, for telling your story here...I hope everyone takes the time to do what they can to help....

and he asks those who have served their nation in the Armed Forces to stand up and be recognized, there is almost always a large number of Vets who stand up, and after thanking them he points out that Democrats in every generation have defended their nation, patriotism does not belong to Republicans. However when Clark had reason to speak to a Conservative audience, which he did one time when he was invited to be on a panel debating foreign policy and National Security by an organization that I believe had ties to Pat Robertson (maybe someone else can help me with the details), the story was very different. Clark issued the same invitation to the audience and very few people stood up. It's an incident Clark likes to retell now to Democratic audiences.

Chickenhawks are an overwhelmingly Republican species. They remind me of the rich during the civil war in the north, who were able to buy replacement soldiers to serve in their stead in the Northern Army if they were inconveniently drafted, sending some desperately poor guys to face getting blown to pieces so the rich could continue living safely in their Northern cities and continue their war profiteering.

It's no coincidence to me that Cheney and Chickenhawk start with the same two letters. In keeping with that ignoble tradition Cheney and his ilk profit from the suffering in Iraq through their favored war contractors, while they preside over the closing of Veterans Hospitals, and the cutting of Veterans benefits. Veterans in America are a sleeping giant that the Republican Party has long taken for granted as being in their political corner. They did the same once with Black Americans, thinking that a symbolic connection with Abraham Lincoln was all that was needed to count on their votes. That may have "worked" for awhile but it sure as hell isn't working for them now. With actions like the one being contemplated this Thursday, Republicans are well on the to losing the Vet vote also. Let's give the Republicans a push, and help some good Americans in need at the same time. It's the Democratic way!

  Re: The Iraq War PTSD Epidemic (none / 0)

Yes this is so true. I run a psychaitric program at the VA and we are now starting to see  many vets seeking help for what is undoubtedly PTSD.  Having worked in the VA for over 20 years I am quite familiar with this condition and the words being spoken by Iraqi vets eerily echo those from the Vietnam War.

As a country we can not turn a deaf ear but the parallels are striking.  Is anyone in this country who is not in the service or a relative of a serviceman/woman sacrificing or directly effected by this war?

Sadly the answer is NO.  

A good example of this is a rcent column by Ben Stein who, though a staunch Republican, states clearly that the rich go on merrily spending their money and partying hearty while the vets come home to hopeless delays in Service Connected benefits, and those still in the service, sometimes have to apply for food stamps to help their families get by. The Republkican answer; MORE TAX CUTS FOR THE INVESTOR CLASS.

DON'T FORGET THE VETERANS!

by vamsw on

 http://www.vetscommission.org/documents/SSDI_Clarification%20of%20Congressional%20Intent.pdf

Lane Evans if the only one of the Congressman to stand up for veterans protection  the rest rolled over and played dead including Ike Skelton a democrat why? I expected it from the republican "photo op" we love vet  yoyo's but not Ike.....