The Case for Our Veterans
By Susan Steffen-Kraft
On April 04, 2014 an investigative House Committee hearing on Veterans Affairs on preventable deaths revealed that there were unacceptable delays and these deaths were preventable. One army veteran testified that because a routine colonoscopy was not performed when he had had blood showing in his stool that now he is dying of terminal cancer. This happened at a Veterans hospital in South Carolina. This is one of many examples of how our veterans are neglected many times when they come home whether it is a war from long ago, or current actions taking place. The decade following 9/11 has resulted in $200 million in wrongful death payments for close to 1,000 veterans who have died under this agency's care.
Among these cases are ones ranging from Iraq War veterans who have shot or hanged themselves after being turned away from mental health treatment and Vietnam veterans whose cancerous tumors were identified but allowed to grow. There have been diagnoses which were missed to botched surgeries, plus the neglect of elderly veterans which turned fatal.
The shocker is that the Veterans Affairs want more and more money and while the Republican Party has turned that down to the anger of many; I say that if you cannot manage the money you get and it gets wasted why should you get more of the dollars and to you do not help our veterans anyhow.
Sadly enough, there were 40 U.S. veterans who died waiting for appointments at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system. Some of these were placed on a secret waiting list. This secret list was a scheme designed by the Veterans Affairs manager in Phoenix who were wanting to hide that between 1,400 to 1,600 veterans had to wait months to see a doctor. Luckily, a recently retired top VA doctor and other high-level sources revealed this.
The secret list was part of an elaborate scheme designed by Veterans Affairs managers in Phoenix who were trying to hide that 1,400 to 1,600 sick veterans were forced to wait months to see a doctor, according to a recently retired top VA doctor by the name of Sam Foote and several other high-level sources. Adding to the proof are the e-mails that were obtained by CNN. These internal e-mails show that the management at the top of this VA facility knew about this and defended it.
That is the hidden shame of the Phoenix VA. They should be punished for their lies and deceit.
Shown above is Senator Crapo presenting veteran Ron Wilke with the purple heart after a 45 year wait. He also presented the Spirit of Freedom Award to World War II veteran and author Quentin Murdock during a veterans' recognition ceremony at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Pocatello on August 27, 2014.
Mr. Crapo has joined 22 other senators in a bipartisan resolution that would make June a National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month and the 27th of June as a National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day. He wants to ensure that those suffering from the wounds of war invisible to the rest of us get the proper treatment.
This stand by Senator Crapo is definitely supported by the fact, as an example, by one veteran by the name of of Jonathan Schultze. After coming back from Iraq in 2005, the young man suffered mentally from flashbacks and nightmares besides panic attacks. He was in a Humvee manning the guns and helpless to save his fellow Marines; 16 of which died in two days of battle. Showing up at the VA emergency room was of little help to him. He was it turned out, number 26 on the waiting list. It was to be a fatal wait as he talked to the doctor on the phone and said over and over "I'm suicidal. I feel lost. I feel hopelessness!" Four days later he hung himself.
What a waste of a life and this could have been prevented. Our country is failing to meet the obligations we have to those who are sent to these wars. We send our sons to slaughter to fight other people's wars and this is how we reward them? Shameful and disgraceful! Mr. Crapo has the right idea although I would certainly be happier if we brought our military people home and put them to work guarding out borders and protecting our country right here in the good old USA.
Mr. Crapo has joined 22 other senators in a bipartisan resolution that would make June a National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month and the 27th of June as a National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day. He wants to ensure that those suffering from the wounds of war invisible to the rest of us get the proper treatment.
This stand by Senator Crapo is definitely supported by the fact, as an example, by one veteran by the name of of Jonathan Schultze. After coming back from Iraq in 2005, the young man suffered mentally from flashbacks and nightmares besides panic attacks. He was in a Humvee manning the guns and helpless to save his fellow Marines; 16 of which died in two days of battle. Showing up at the VA emergency room was of little help to him. He was it turned out, number 26 on the waiting list. It was to be a fatal wait as he talked to the doctor on the phone and said over and over "I'm suicidal. I feel lost. I feel hopelessness!" Four days later he hung himself.
What a waste of a life and this could have been prevented. Our country is failing to meet the obligations we have to those who are sent to these wars. We send our sons to slaughter to fight other people's wars and this is how we reward them? Shameful and disgraceful! Mr. Crapo has the right idea although I would certainly be happier if we brought our military people home and put them to work guarding out borders and protecting our country right here in the good old USA.
On April 04, 2014 an investigative House Committee hearing on Veterans Affairs on preventable deaths revealed that there were unacceptable delays and these deaths were preventable. One army veteran testified that because a routine colonoscopy was not performed when he had had blood showing in his stool that now he is dying of terminal cancer. This happened at a Veterans hospital in South Carolina. This is one of many examples of how our veterans are neglected many times when they come home whether it is a war from long ago, or current actions taking place. The decade following 9/11 has resulted in $200 million in wrongful death payments for close to 1,000 veterans who have died under this agency's care.
Among these cases are ones ranging from Iraq War veterans who have shot or hanged themselves after being turned away from mental health treatment and Vietnam veterans whose cancerous tumors were identified but allowed to grow. There have been diagnoses which were missed to botched surgeries, plus the neglect of elderly veterans which turned fatal.
The shocker is that the Veterans Affairs want more and more money and while the Republican Party has turned that down to the anger of many; I say that if the VA cannot manage the money they get and it gets wasted, why should they get more of the dollars. They do not help our Veterans anyhow near as much as they should to. Greed and waste have always been the unspoken creed, of the government.
Sadly enough, there were 40 U.S. veterans who died waiting for appointments at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system. Some of these were placed on a secret waiting list. This secret list was a scheme designed by the Veterans Affairs manager in Phoenix who were wanting to hide that between 1,400 to 1,600 veterans had to wait months to see a doctor. Luckily, a recently retired top VA doctor and other high-level sources revealed this.
The secret list was part of an elaborate scheme designed by Veterans Affairs managers in Phoenix who were trying to hide that 1,400 to 1,600 sick veterans were forced to wait months to see a doctor, according to a recently retired top VA doctor by the name of Sam Foote and several other high-level sources. Adding to the proof are the e-mails that were obtained by CNN. These internal e-mails show that the management at the top of this VA facility knew about this and defended it.
Among these cases are ones ranging from Iraq War veterans who have shot or hanged themselves after being turned away from mental health treatment and Vietnam veterans whose cancerous tumors were identified but allowed to grow. There have been diagnoses which were missed to botched surgeries, plus the neglect of elderly veterans which turned fatal.
The shocker is that the Veterans Affairs want more and more money and while the Republican Party has turned that down to the anger of many; I say that if the VA cannot manage the money they get and it gets wasted, why should they get more of the dollars. They do not help our Veterans anyhow near as much as they should to. Greed and waste have always been the unspoken creed, of the government.
Sadly enough, there were 40 U.S. veterans who died waiting for appointments at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system. Some of these were placed on a secret waiting list. This secret list was a scheme designed by the Veterans Affairs manager in Phoenix who were wanting to hide that between 1,400 to 1,600 veterans had to wait months to see a doctor. Luckily, a recently retired top VA doctor and other high-level sources revealed this.
The secret list was part of an elaborate scheme designed by Veterans Affairs managers in Phoenix who were trying to hide that 1,400 to 1,600 sick veterans were forced to wait months to see a doctor, according to a recently retired top VA doctor by the name of Sam Foote and several other high-level sources. Adding to the proof are the e-mails that were obtained by CNN. These internal e-mails show that the management at the top of this VA facility knew about this and defended it.
Here is an e-mail from Congressman Raul Labrador who is pictured above with a veteran.
"Dennis Westling of Meridian is a quiet American hero. On Friday, he got his due.
On August 25, 1968, Westling’s U.S. Army company engaged in a firefight with suspected North Vietnamese Army personnel. Working his way out of a bomb crater, Westling was struck by an enemy hand grenade, taking shrapnel in his knee and lower leg.
Two months later, Dennis was transferred from Company B to Headquarters Company. Unfortunately, his paperwork for a Purple Heart was never processed. Dennis left the Army after two years and had a 35-year career with Eastman Kodak.
But in April of this year, Dennis’ good friend, Frank Turner, contacted my office for help. We immediately began to work with Turner and Dennis’ wife, Claudia. We contacted the National Personnel Records Center and the Department of the Army, quickly verifying that Westling was entitled to a Purple Heart.
On Friday, I was privileged to join Major General Gary Sayler of the Idaho National Guard at a ceremony presenting Sgt. Westling his Purple Heart.
The Purple Heart is our nation’s oldest military award. It was established in 1782 by General George Washington, who designed the distinctive heart with purple cloth. Writing from his Newburgh, N.Y., headquarters, Washington said he was “ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers.”
Added Washington: “The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all.”
That sentiment captures the special nature of the American Revolution, which showed that a citizen army could win the fight for independence.
Dennis Westling is a soldier in that very tradition.
At the ceremony held at Meridian City Hall, Westling was joined by his wife; brothers Barry, David and Phil; daughter Rachelle; and son-in-law Bill Colgan. On Sunday, the family will celebrate Dennis’ 68thbirthday. Happy birthday, Sgt. Westling, and many happy returns".
Thank you,
Raul Labrador
Representing the 1st District of Idaho
"Dennis Westling of Meridian is a quiet American hero. On Friday, he got his due.
On August 25, 1968, Westling’s U.S. Army company engaged in a firefight with suspected North Vietnamese Army personnel. Working his way out of a bomb crater, Westling was struck by an enemy hand grenade, taking shrapnel in his knee and lower leg.
Two months later, Dennis was transferred from Company B to Headquarters Company. Unfortunately, his paperwork for a Purple Heart was never processed. Dennis left the Army after two years and had a 35-year career with Eastman Kodak.
But in April of this year, Dennis’ good friend, Frank Turner, contacted my office for help. We immediately began to work with Turner and Dennis’ wife, Claudia. We contacted the National Personnel Records Center and the Department of the Army, quickly verifying that Westling was entitled to a Purple Heart.
On Friday, I was privileged to join Major General Gary Sayler of the Idaho National Guard at a ceremony presenting Sgt. Westling his Purple Heart.
The Purple Heart is our nation’s oldest military award. It was established in 1782 by General George Washington, who designed the distinctive heart with purple cloth. Writing from his Newburgh, N.Y., headquarters, Washington said he was “ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers.”
Added Washington: “The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all.”
That sentiment captures the special nature of the American Revolution, which showed that a citizen army could win the fight for independence.
Dennis Westling is a soldier in that very tradition.
At the ceremony held at Meridian City Hall, Westling was joined by his wife; brothers Barry, David and Phil; daughter Rachelle; and son-in-law Bill Colgan. On Sunday, the family will celebrate Dennis’ 68thbirthday. Happy birthday, Sgt. Westling, and many happy returns".
Thank you,
Raul Labrador
Representing the 1st District of Idaho
This does not even touch on how badly our Vietnam vets were treated in a war that was not even a war but called a police action. This country went through an identity crises and people especially young people lost faith in our society and way of life. Questions about our government officials and who we were as a nation were raised.
The ones who were targeted the most as a symbol of our society were our military. Many served willingly at that time and many did not. But we were unwilling to recognize how cruel we were when they came home. They did their duty as best they could in a Police Action (I refuse to call it a war) that at best did not allow us to win, and at worst dragged on and on causing a loss of lives that was not even necessary.
I know of one person (my children's father) who came back from Vietnam and when he and another soldier came through the airport the crowd was chanting "Baby Killers, Baby Killers!" To this day that still haunts him and is a painful memory.
We move on to what Henry Kissinger said about our military men, "Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." He said this in front of Alexander Haig the newly appointed White House chief of staff. He said this in Haig's new office in 1973. I can only say that Kissinger is someone I have no respect for and he should have been sent to the front lines of the Vietnam war or any war. He has no care for human life and is part of the global elite.
Contrast this with George Washington's feelings and that of his men for him.
"The enemy have now landed on Long Island and the hour is fast approaching on which the honor and success of his army and the safety of our bleeding country depend. Remember, officers and soldiers, that you are freemen fighting for the blessings of liberty — that slavery will be your portion and that of your posterity if you do not acquit yourselves like men." This was his speech when the English were planning to seize New York and then the rest of the country and of the mind to quickly subdue the Colonials and bring the war to a speedy end.
Incapable of fear, the same indifference to his own personal safety which characterized his actions through the Braddock Expedition and the French and Indian War, was the source of great uneasiness to his men. One of his officers wrote:
"Our army loves their General very much, but they have one thing against him which is the little care he takes of himself in any action. His personal bravery and the desire he has of animating his troops by example, make him fearless of danger. This occasions much uneasiness."
He suffered in sympathy with his ragged, half-starved, poorly-fed soldiers feeling and he shared every hardship with them. For more than six years, he could have easily visited his own home as he was within a couple of hundred miles of it. "Despite his "formal and austere manner, every man in the ranks knew that he had the complete sympathy of his Commander and rested in the assurance of his justice".
Would today's United States politicians be like our first President? I say No. Many are more than willing to let our men go fight while they stay home and fund these wars with the taxpayers money.
I have no care or respect for these wars, but the military men and our veterans are a different story. We have many who never came back in wars from the beginning of the Revolutionary war until now. We have those who came back mentally scarred and physically wounded and they deserve our respect and care and not just a pat on the back and a handshake. If our government sends them off to these battles, then when they come back, they deserve the government's care and help and today as we have the means to do so.
Below is a video which may change your mind of how you perceive veterans, how they can look and perhaps a different thought on how they should be treated. "March of 2003, J.R. Martinez was deployed to Iraq. On April 5, he was driving a Humvee in Karbala when his front left tire hit a roadside bomb. The three other soldiers were ejected from the burning vehicle, but he was trapped inside. He had to deal with smoke inhalation and severe burns to 34 percent of his body. He underwent 34 different surgeries, including skin grafts and cosmetic surgery in the eleven years since his injury. He became a highly sought-after motivational speaker who travels the world "spreading his message of resilience and optimism" besides devoting himself to showing others the true value of making the most of every situation. Add to this a stint on All My Children and winning the Dancing with the Stars trophy, he is an inspiration to us all.
The ones who were targeted the most as a symbol of our society were our military. Many served willingly at that time and many did not. But we were unwilling to recognize how cruel we were when they came home. They did their duty as best they could in a Police Action (I refuse to call it a war) that at best did not allow us to win, and at worst dragged on and on causing a loss of lives that was not even necessary.
I know of one person (my children's father) who came back from Vietnam and when he and another soldier came through the airport the crowd was chanting "Baby Killers, Baby Killers!" To this day that still haunts him and is a painful memory.
We move on to what Henry Kissinger said about our military men, "Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." He said this in front of Alexander Haig the newly appointed White House chief of staff. He said this in Haig's new office in 1973. I can only say that Kissinger is someone I have no respect for and he should have been sent to the front lines of the Vietnam war or any war. He has no care for human life and is part of the global elite.
Contrast this with George Washington's feelings and that of his men for him.
"The enemy have now landed on Long Island and the hour is fast approaching on which the honor and success of his army and the safety of our bleeding country depend. Remember, officers and soldiers, that you are freemen fighting for the blessings of liberty — that slavery will be your portion and that of your posterity if you do not acquit yourselves like men." This was his speech when the English were planning to seize New York and then the rest of the country and of the mind to quickly subdue the Colonials and bring the war to a speedy end.
Incapable of fear, the same indifference to his own personal safety which characterized his actions through the Braddock Expedition and the French and Indian War, was the source of great uneasiness to his men. One of his officers wrote:
"Our army loves their General very much, but they have one thing against him which is the little care he takes of himself in any action. His personal bravery and the desire he has of animating his troops by example, make him fearless of danger. This occasions much uneasiness."
He suffered in sympathy with his ragged, half-starved, poorly-fed soldiers feeling and he shared every hardship with them. For more than six years, he could have easily visited his own home as he was within a couple of hundred miles of it. "Despite his "formal and austere manner, every man in the ranks knew that he had the complete sympathy of his Commander and rested in the assurance of his justice".
Would today's United States politicians be like our first President? I say No. Many are more than willing to let our men go fight while they stay home and fund these wars with the taxpayers money.
I have no care or respect for these wars, but the military men and our veterans are a different story. We have many who never came back in wars from the beginning of the Revolutionary war until now. We have those who came back mentally scarred and physically wounded and they deserve our respect and care and not just a pat on the back and a handshake. If our government sends them off to these battles, then when they come back, they deserve the government's care and help and today as we have the means to do so.
Below is a video which may change your mind of how you perceive veterans, how they can look and perhaps a different thought on how they should be treated. "March of 2003, J.R. Martinez was deployed to Iraq. On April 5, he was driving a Humvee in Karbala when his front left tire hit a roadside bomb. The three other soldiers were ejected from the burning vehicle, but he was trapped inside. He had to deal with smoke inhalation and severe burns to 34 percent of his body. He underwent 34 different surgeries, including skin grafts and cosmetic surgery in the eleven years since his injury. He became a highly sought-after motivational speaker who travels the world "spreading his message of resilience and optimism" besides devoting himself to showing others the true value of making the most of every situation. Add to this a stint on All My Children and winning the Dancing with the Stars trophy, he is an inspiration to us all.
www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2014/04/congressional_panel_hears_hear.html, www.cnn.com/2014/04/23/health/veterans-dying-health-care-delays/index.html, Senator Mike Crapo's Facebook page, e-mail from Raul Labrador, www.newsweek.com/how-us-failing-its-war-veterans-95585, https://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index, http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/washington/george2.html, http://jrmartinez.com/bio/
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