Calling Out for A Patriotric Company to Perform A Mission to Help Ill Gulf War Veteran-Haulers Needed
August 13, 2009 posted by Denise Nichols · 3 Comments
Our Tractoring Gulf War Veteran Needs a Large Favor From A Patriotric Company!
Matt Letterman, who barely made it to DC driving his tractor from Willow Springs MO to Washington DC for a hearing on the Hill for Gulf War Illness on July 30th at 0330 AM. He was there on the Hill and afterwards to make a statement that Gulf War Veterans are ill and disabled and not getting a fair shake from the government that they put their lives on the line for in 1990-91. Mr Letterman’s Rally Call was and is WE DO NOT LEAVE OUR VETERANS IN THE FIELD OF BATTLE. Our Field of Battle has followed us home and for 19 years we have fought to get the best care, treatment and compensation when it is really needed.
Mr Letterman never even got a Compensenation and Pension Exam from the MO VA Regional Office when he submitted his claim years ago. We wonder How many other claims were denied due to a missing Compensation and Pension Exam. His service officer at the time from the DAV also failed this soldier veteran. Congresswoman Emerson’s staff had a chance and that didn’t work. Now Senator Bond is leading the charge to get the situation corrected!
The kicker here is that the US Social Security Office found him disabled in five days! The veteran came to DC a year ago to try and get the situation resolved by going to the Gulf War Veterans Advisory Committee what resulted was another denial and no help.
Now he risked his life and went against medical advise in driving his John Deer Tractor to DC. He ended up on the 31st of July at the ER at the VA DC Hospital and was admitted. He has now gotten his Compensation and Claim Exam done finally, he is getting a new service officer on Thursday, his claim has been reviewed by a certified claims officer in KS and found to have a load of Clear and Unmistakable Errors on the part of VA. You would think VA headquarters would have helped a year ago but no.
He made a statement that was heard by other veterans and people on the Hill but not one Major Network News covered the story! They thought the Missouri veteran didnt speak well enough for mainsteam media.
Now we are searching for a Patriotic Company to get his tractor , A John Deer Tractor, back home. Matt Letterman remains hospitalized at VA DC Hospital.
John Deere Tractor 5093e
http://www.deere.com/servlet/ProdCatProduct?tM=FR&pNbr=5093ELV
He has a bucket loader on the front and a mower on the back can be detached
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28 ft from Bucket loader front to end of mower
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Vehicle is 8 ft wide
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Vehicle is 8ft 9 inches Tall
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MFWD Dimensions Wheelbase, in. (mm) 85.7 (2178)
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Front Tread Range, in. (mm) 52.8 – 75.0 (1340 – 1904)
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Front Axle Clearance, in. (mm) 15.8 (4.81)
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Turning Radius w/Brakes, ft. (m) 10.2 (3.10)
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Turning Radius w/o Brakes, ft. (m) 12.5 (3.81)
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Limited Slip Differential Yes
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Unballasted Operating Weight, lb. (kg) 7,435 (3372)
- Approx. Ship Wgt, lb. (kg) Open; Cab 7,385 (3350)
It is so sad he had to end up gettting ill, and in the hospital to make the jerks in DC listen to him. SO the only way the rest of us are going to be heard, is to get into a situation that makes us ill? GOD BLESS him and speedy recovery. I am so glad and proud there are folks like him to stand up for what is right, and finally be heard.
Talked to Matt earlier and he is feeling better and now loosinh ater weight. We talked about the Tractor and he told me that is at his discharge date and his tractor was moving out to Missouri then he would get on the plane but if it was still sitting at Steves house he was going to drive it because he is going to need it to work.
It sounded in his briefing this morning he was told that it looks like the slow boat in this nexy precess and they have no idea as to how long it will complete his claim from start to finish. So if he is going to have to work to make sure that his family is taken care of.
Finally, I made a few calls today about the money from 2 places and everyone needs to know that the money taken up by Joyce and that money was taken in as donations for himself and his kids to help them start school and to be clothes for that too. And so it looks like Matt will be riding his ride home since the VA is going to take their sweet time…
I welcome all comments or complaints.
after bonus scandle in va, you would think they could be more helpful. the people that work for va @ gov have better health care the we do and we pay for it. you can bet your sweet ass that if are senators and represenatives got this wonderful treatment they would fix the system. don”t try to get any va help if you had a good job last year and have been saving money your whole life. you must be damn near broke. semper fi