Comments on: AKAKA & TESTER CALL FOR DELIBERATE ACTION TO FIX VA’S VETERANS’ DISABILITY COMPENSATION SYSTEM

By: Bill O

Bill O — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:37:33 +0000

I think Gordon Duff recently said something to the effect the US congress over the years committed what amounted to was genocide, by letting Vietnam veterans alone and publicly maligned, die without aid. Not to put words in your mouth Duff.

To think something in congress is going to change is folly. These people in congress love war, and love to talk publicly on memorial day, and veterans day while ignoring their needs. My rhetorical question is this. How many grunts Army and Marines from Vietnam died from suicide, or alone. How many of their children have gone all their lives in pain with the stigma of having been a combat veterans kid.

By: SUSAN

SUSAN — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:31:52 +0000

MR. BERG

I AM A MEMBR OF THE WOUNDED WARRIORS. MY HUSBAND IS A DISABLED VIETNAM VETERAN 100%. he is also being taken advantage. but, not yo the extent as you Bill (my husband) is also getting the housebound rate.
I do not know what is wrong with you, but if you give me some information, I might be able to get you to the right person.
We use to live in in Corona in Riverside County…Southern ca. Where are you.

Sincerely
Susan

By: Charles AP

Charles AP — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:22:20 +0000

Does the phrase Up in Arms apply? I’m ready.

By: Gy "T"

Gy "T" — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:14:51 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly with Gy Berg. I am so tired of seeing “illegals” get the free aid that some of us fought for. I’m recently disabled due to cancer and have diabetes. The VA approved compensation for the diabetes due to exposure to agent orange but have disapproved compensation for the cancer. My wife has had to work her *** off over the past year to make ends meet. And I do not qualify for medicaid because she makes too much. Having had to visit our local SoSec office to apply for medicaid, I’ve seen people not able to read, write or speak english qualify for services with no problem. I’m an American Indian, maybe I should go in and speak my native language. Maybe then I’d qualify. Semper Fi Gunny – I support your words and views. Now if only someone with enough power can hear them, along with all the other voices of veterans; maybe something can be done. gy “T”

By: jr

jr — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:27:20 +0000

amen!

By: Gy. Berg

Gy. Berg — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:26:06 +0000

It is sad to see so many young service members being slaughtered and told they are serving their country and doing their American Duty. When they do return, if they return, they’re life will not be the same. Young wives and husbands leave their spouses due to the illnesses they come back with and leave these service members alone to deal with life on their own.
Veterans served to protect our American way of life and yet the people in charge of them never feel, see or experience the pain they go through. I live in Ca and see veterans in wheel chairs, unable to work, homeless, can’t receive their benefits because they don’t have a bank account or home address. Yet illegals, are granted carte blanche to every social service.
My wife and I lost our job, I am housebound due to two surgeries on former service connected injuries and we did not qualify for any assistance. We are now filing chapter 7 bankruptcy due to job loss and loss of our home. We asked for help, there are programs and grants everywhere for communities and cities (for veterans), but none are available to help veterans hitting hard times. They state (social services), that we pay too much for rent, yet that is what rent is going for. What they state we should qualify for is; a ghetto, gang ridden neighborhoods, the barrio’s and other towns that are on the verge of decay and collapse.
The US does not consider veterans a priority or concern. Their focus is on what their pay raise will be, how to cut another benefit to fund their campaign and none of them have served their country.
Illegals can walk into an ER in CA, ready to deliver a baby, state; “No Habla.” Get free medical treatment, and walk out with a baby, recieve a benefits package they are eligible for and the veteran is pushed aside and told you don’t qualify, go to the VA. What is wrong with this picture?
I have written to Congressman Darryl Issa many times. He is a former Army Officer, with one of the largest veteran communities in the country. He is on every committee possible, yet does not support one bill that supports the veterans population. He is unattainable until it is time for re-election.
I feel the VA Department is not a major power in our government. It should be. I am tired of fighting for my country, to come back and have to learn Spanish and live in a slummed neighborhood. I cannot afford a cell phone, yet I see the illegals with new homes, new vehicles, cell phones, food stamps and jobs. And not one has served. Grants are given to schools to teach the Latino community how to get a job. Yet veterans are homeless and don’t rate. Where is our thanks.
I am sorry for the outburst, but I am housebound and upset that Americans are being screwed by our own system….for us serving our country.
Not one politician has lost their home, retirement or healthcare. They will never be turned away from a hospital for treatment. Maybe they should be. They really need a wake up call.
Veterans should allowed to proudly stand up for their country, not be buried by it. We don’t rate the treatment we are getting.
S/F
Gy Berg

By: jr

jr — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:05:40 +0000

vets are too passive with va system-how the hell can politicians run a government,war or anything-they can not even run the va!tea parties at the va might show vets anger. what does work in the us.i left the us ,for me life is better in a third world country!

By: Terry Lee

Terry Lee — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:06:52 +0000

What I was saying was that things like the study of catfish genomes have got to go. I don’t think I indicated that any veterans compensation or pension were pork. I reread my comment, and it makes sense to me. Am I missing something here?

By: Mike Bailey

Mike Bailey — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:36:19 +0000

compensation to disabled veterans can hardly be considered “pork” and Iraq and Afghanistan disabled veterans would be entitled to the same pyments as all other disabled veterans based on their award percentages, the idea of creating a two tier veterans system as Senator Bob Dole recommended would be the worst thing this nation could do. Veterans are on duty 24/7 in combat or out of combat if they are harmed by any cause other than self inflicted causes that are illegal like drunk driving, or drug overdoses, then the compensation ebefits they and their families are entitled to should be equal. The last overhaul of the veterans compensation system was in 1956 under General Omar Bradley, it is time to modernize the VA claims system and the compensation tables, for to long veterans have been under compensated for loss of quality of life, and that can never be made up to them, but it can be set right for all future compensation payments. Two different commissions during the Bush Administration came to basicaly the same conclusions the VDBC and the Dole/Shalala Commissions, the VA then had a private company review them and it has published it’s conclusion on July 22 2009, it’s time for the VA to stop review commissions and take action. The House and Senate needs to put it’s foot down, we were promised change under the Obama Administration, well here’s their chance take all of the reports and take action that helps the nations disabled veterans and their families, shouldn’t we be at the head of the line when it comes to federal dollars instead of GM, Wall Street and others, our debts come from blood spilled and body parts we lost in service to our nation, not mismanagement of stockholders money.

By: Terry Lee

Terry Lee — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:40:33 +0000

A 25% raise would be wonderful, but where does that leave our Iraq and Afghanistan Vets. Are they a separate issue? We all say we care so much about our fellow Veterans, but I will feel kind of rotten getting that much of a raise, knowing that those young Veterans are getting nothing. Does anyone here care about the genome of a catfish? I didn’t think so. Well if it passes, it will cost the taxpayer of America over a million dollars. How many Veterans can you support with that? There are hundreds of those earmarked for 2010. AMERICA HAS THE MONEY TO PAY IT’S VETERANS. Fellas, all this PORK has got to go!!!

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:46:41 +0000

The only reason this is being pushed up to the front of the line is because they need an excuse to cut compensation or at least justify a 0% COLA for 2010.

By: cwo 4 Gourley (RET)

cwo 4 Gourley (RET) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:18:27 +0000

I wonder where the other funny hats stand on this ?

By: Tom Barnes

Tom Barnes — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:02:50 +0000

Sgt Ed:

You make a good point about compensation vs. pension, but as far as I can tell from reading the source documents, no one has clearly defined the vehicle that a Quality of Living payment would be made within (i.e. pension vs. compensation) but your point is very well taken.

It is my limited understanding of the Veterans Benefit Commission report of October 2007 that 25% was put forth as a rock bottom starting point for veterans upgrade in compensation for quality of life because the commission had data available to them to suggest that present compensation is about 40% below where it should be measured against the base year when inflation is taken into account.

In other words, the 25% figure was a low figure itself. I am quite sure that the DAV would be aware of the same data. I personally feel that 9% is a slap in the face when the VBC report clearly makes a 25% recommendation for upgrade.

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)

By: Sgt. Ed

Sgt. Ed — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:39:45 +0000

I see that the DAVs 9% is more realistic than 25%, even though I sure wound like the 25% !! BTW, they seem to be talking about COMPENSATION, not Pension.

By: Tom Barnes

Tom Barnes — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:30:33 +0000

I came away with exactly the same impression.

In fact, it appears to me, the most even handed and knowledgable group of all was surprisingly the Dept of Veterans Affairs representative and his data. He seemed to have the most veteran friendly attitude.

The DAV is talking about a 9% increase at most when in October of 2007 the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission ardently argued for a 25% increase in veterans pensions when they reported to Congress after their two year study. This is astounding that the DAV would lowball us like this if they are in fact the veterans's advocates that they claim to be.

I have said this for many years, and Gordon Duff is much more on top of this than I am: the funny hat veterans organizations that are called by Congress so much to represent us are not our friends. They are defense industry lobbyists camoflaged as veterans advocates. The last thing they want is more government billions coming to us...that means less for defense outlays. These documents clearly show that.

Perhaps their duplicitous nature is now apparent. They are liars if they claim to have our best interests at heart. That is why Gordon and I wanted all of you to get a chance to read these source documents. Unless you see this stuff, you simply think people like he and I are blowing smoke. We are not. The funny hat and traditional veterans organizations are NOT our friends.

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)

By: cwo 4 Gourley (RET)

cwo 4 Gourley (RET) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:02:55 +0000

After reading the source docs I came away with the following thoughts: the Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation is not our friend. and the DAV wants some change but is very conservative in it’s outlook. This could cut either way. I could windup losing money if they do the wrong changes