The Walter Reed Situation
I doubt things are as bad as depicted. By that I mean, yes it is bad for a veteran, especially a wounded veteran to be treated badly. Welcome to the military, circa 2007. Not much has changed for the forty or so years I've been in and around. Allow me to relate an item or two.
Back in 1984 A.D. I was preparing to retire. As part of the retirement process, you are advised to go to the V.A. hospital to have them check you over. The checkup is designed to find out if there are potential problems associated with something that occurred during your military years. Bear in mind I went because they told me to and being the little wooden headed solider I was, I did as I was told.
While waiting to get an xray I saw a little old man approach the desk and ask for Doctor X - he was told the doctor had been called in during the night and would not be in; he would have to reschedule his appointment. He was crestfallen as he had driven in from North Platte, no small feat for an elderly gent. No empathy for him, just reschedule. I wanted to 'hit' the person behind the counter.
So I'm called for my xrays - about fifty xrays later (no exaggeration, I am getting teed off. I know that many xrays can not be good, but finally that ordeal is over. There were many other tests conducted on me that day and then a face to face with my assigned doctor.
This doctor began grilling me like I was a criminal; questioning my truthfulness, integrity, whatever. He finally tripped my trigger at which time I stood up, began taking the gown off and coldly told him the physical was over. I don't need you now, I don't anticipate needing you in the future, and if I do it will be because I am destitute. He got all uppity with me trying to pull rank and I told him to pound sand... I only came here because I was 'advised' to. I now realize that was bad advice.
I left the hospital and one month later got a notice in the mail that I had a 10% disability assigned to me and you could have knocked me over with a feather. Thankfully it is the type of disability that I do not have to go back for regular 're-checks' cause I would have had to tell them to stick that also.
Here's the point. While I was not a wounded veteran, I was and am a veteran. The little old man was a veteran, and the treatment he and I got that day sucked. Oh woe is me, what has changed? Not much, and all the prima donna newsmen and politicians yacking for the cameras will soon move on to the next story and the veteran situation will remain the same. Just a newer version.
Oh, one other thing that is misunderstood by many. My 10% is NOT additional monies each month. It is taken from my regular retirement check but is tax free dollars.
Back in 1984 A.D. I was preparing to retire. As part of the retirement process, you are advised to go to the V.A. hospital to have them check you over. The checkup is designed to find out if there are potential problems associated with something that occurred during your military years. Bear in mind I went because they told me to and being the little wooden headed solider I was, I did as I was told.
While waiting to get an xray I saw a little old man approach the desk and ask for Doctor X - he was told the doctor had been called in during the night and would not be in; he would have to reschedule his appointment. He was crestfallen as he had driven in from North Platte, no small feat for an elderly gent. No empathy for him, just reschedule. I wanted to 'hit' the person behind the counter.
So I'm called for my xrays - about fifty xrays later (no exaggeration, I am getting teed off. I know that many xrays can not be good, but finally that ordeal is over. There were many other tests conducted on me that day and then a face to face with my assigned doctor.
This doctor began grilling me like I was a criminal; questioning my truthfulness, integrity, whatever. He finally tripped my trigger at which time I stood up, began taking the gown off and coldly told him the physical was over. I don't need you now, I don't anticipate needing you in the future, and if I do it will be because I am destitute. He got all uppity with me trying to pull rank and I told him to pound sand... I only came here because I was 'advised' to. I now realize that was bad advice.
I left the hospital and one month later got a notice in the mail that I had a 10% disability assigned to me and you could have knocked me over with a feather. Thankfully it is the type of disability that I do not have to go back for regular 're-checks' cause I would have had to tell them to stick that also.
Here's the point. While I was not a wounded veteran, I was and am a veteran. The little old man was a veteran, and the treatment he and I got that day sucked. Oh woe is me, what has changed? Not much, and all the prima donna newsmen and politicians yacking for the cameras will soon move on to the next story and the veteran situation will remain the same. Just a newer version.
Oh, one other thing that is misunderstood by many. My 10% is NOT additional monies each month. It is taken from my regular retirement check but is tax free dollars.
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posted by Smyzer at
9:16 PM
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