CW3 replies to my ltr to Editor

Hey Mike -Hope you don't mind that your email list got a note that more than one vet knows you are correct -You are right on - there is no possible reason for the VA to complain about having to fix a problem that they CREATED - typical government response of BLAME THE VET for all the administrative problems - it is incredible that they think that the new vets would somehow also take the VA side and tell the world the vets who have claims in the system that they are wrong for insisting that the VA give compensation and healthcare for disabilities incurred while serving the country through military service -I wonder what will the government say when it gets to the point where the homeless veterans start forming brand new Bush/Cheney towns reminiscent of the 1930's Hoovervilles - will they bring back old stormin norman to kill a few as they are ordered to disperse and once again become the invisibles with all the invisible wounds that Buyer likes to say he is treating -- PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW BUYER CAN TREAT SOMETHING HE WILL NOT EVEN SEE !!!!And don't look to the major veterans service organizations when an executive director of one goes on record in the major media to tell Americans that Principi is a great guy and his personal friend as he gets $1.2 Billion of taxpayer funds for not even conducting the examinations that are used to determine levels of disability - there is Congressional Testimony and allegations from Hugh Cox that details how the QTC Management Inc policy is to schedule appointments, mail out the notices after the appointment, and then report that the veteran failed to show for his exam as the justification for denials of all claims - this is also a cute trick to further obfuscate the truth - Principi was always a great one for lies - or any other tactic that would so frustrate the veteran that they just give up and go away - and die somewhere else -So to the media that clammers only for the sensational - pay attention when the sick and disabled vets in America point to the government and claim that the "public servants" are not wearing any clothes - this is not the act of crying " WOLF ! " Yellowstone National Park is not the only location that has been setup for the predatory pack that pick out the only the weakest to consume -As AlwaysFrankOn May 9, 2006, at 6:57 AM, TESTVET@aol.com wrote:>> Sir, I enjoyed your article on the VA complaining about having to deal > with the possibility of a potential 300,000 "new claims" they are not > new, they were improperly decided and adjudicated to start with, they > are being "focred" to deal with this, because of the systematic > procedures in these states by the DRO's to low ball the awards. They > have saved the VA (federal budget) millions over the years at the > expense of disabled veterans.> > I find it appalling that the VA dares to complain about being swamped > for this reason, they should be ashamed it even has to be done, the > problem is the current administration will NOT hire additional help to > process this paperwork.> > There is already 825,000 CA claims on appeal to the BVA due to > disagreements with the awards or lack of awards by the DRO's and the > rating teams. What this is going to do to the process only God knows, > but rest assured it will not speed up anyone in the government, now > they just have a new reason to blame the delays on nationwide, it's > all those Illinois vets complaining's fault that the rest of you will > just have to wait. Months extra if not years. Do you really think the > VA or the White House cares how fast ot even if these claims are > readjudicated before the veterans die, they haven't so far, so why > expect them to care now?> > Some claims now take years to get thru the system and if you have an > issue the VA and DOD do not want to even talk about, such as the > Atomic tests, the SHAD/112 experiments, the chemical weapons and drug > experiments from 1952 thru 1975 at Edgewood Arsenal Maryland, or the > biological weapons test at Fort Detrick from 1952 thru 1972 or any of > the other "classified" research type projects you may never get your > claims addressed before you die, look at the example of Frank Wong, a > WW2 aviator that had an eye injury and dpent 60 years fighting with > the VA before they finally awarded his claim just last year in 2005 > after Knight Ridder picked up his story and told it nationwide.> > It wasn;t that the percentage of the award was that high, it was like > a 20% injury, it was the fact it took 60 years of fighting his own > government for the benefits, he earned in WW2 thru an injury. His > battle lasted a lot longer than his combat time. There is no excuse > for things like this to happen in America. These are the men and > women who wore this nation's military uniforms in protection of this > nation. They deserve a truly non-adversarial system, a fully funded > health care system, similar to Medicare, if they need it they should > get it, not be told there is not enough money in the budget this year > for your surgery, as Portland Oregon VA Hospitals did last year. Many > VA hospitals have let all their Dentists go,and are not doing any > dental work, it's cost effective, if the veteran needs it he will pay > out of his pocket at a private dentist. That is truly disgusting. They > earned full health care if they are 100% disabled.> > Sir, the reason I am ware of all of this, I am one of the 7120 > enlisted men used at Edgewood Arsenal, in the chemical weapons and > drug tests at Edgewood Arsenal. One of the programs the VA and DOD do > not want to discuss, I have been told it is a sensitive issue, yes I > guess it is, it's an ugly black eye for America. Violations of the > Nuremberg Codes of 1947, by our own government, that started just five > years after they created them.> > Another little "signing statement" by another President, Harry S > Truman, that just kept being re-approved thru Eisenhower, Kennedy, > Johnson, Nixon and Ford. It was not until the Army's Inspector General > learned of it and did an investigation in 1975, about the treatment of > the soldiers, that they issued the 1975 DA IG report on Human > experimentation. http://www.nap.edu/books/030904832X/html/378.html > this is a summary of it.> > This manual is written by the VA in October 2003 to to explain the > illnesses associated with CBR so the doctors and nurses will > understand what they are seeing and yes America did use soldiers in > tests of these substances, it isn't all X file stories. > http://www1.va.gov/vhi/docs/CBR_www.pdf> > This report from the Institute of Medicine in March 2003 shows that of > the 7120 men used 40% are dead 2098 as of FY 2000, the men would have > been primarily 65 or younger then. It also shows that of the 4022 > survivors that 54% of them or 2200 men are disabled, yet the study > does not say why. > http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3795/4913/5842.aspx> > The above study on Sarin does not reach any of the same conclusions as > another government report from January 1994 National Institute of > Health, why I don;t know expect that the IOM report was used by the > DOD and VA to determine medical liability for the Gulf War veterans > exposed to Sarin and mustard agents at Kamisayah Iraq in March 1991, > my guess is the 1994 study would have exposed DOD and the VA to very > extensive financial liabilities, for cardiac, pulmonary and > gastrointestinal problems, so Dr Page just ignored it.His report > concluded the only problems with Sarin exposure is sleep disturbances > and 25 per 100,000 will get brain tumors, no other research has ever > shown that problem, I guess 25 per 100,000 was a cheap way out for DOD > and the VA to accept it as a problem.> Toxicity of the Organophosphate Chemical Warfare Agents GA, GB, and > VX: Implic 1994 report> > The government has told so many different versions of my test > experience, first was that I was never there, then it became yes I > volunteered but I got sick on 10 July 1974 and I got sick before the > tests started and was sent home, so none of my current medical > problems could possibly be related to Edgewood or the tests, then when > I was able to prove I was there for the entire 60 day TDY period, they > claimed I was only used in a tests that I listened to a "radio" > equipment only. Then I found this picture that came from an A&E > documentary called "Bad Trip to Edgewood" that was produced and aired > in 1992. Needless to say I was surprise to see a picture of me at age > 18 at Edgewood Arsenal, in a supposedly "classified photo" that I was > not even aware of http://www.thewhyfiles.net/images/edgewood03.jpg > this obviously is not a radio is it?> > The VA still will not deal with the Edgewood Arsenal test issues after > 4 years, it is still on appeal and my file has never been sent to the > BVA for a hearing. I have had 7 heart attacks, a stroke, COPD, > Congestive heart failure, skin abnormailites, burn scars, ED, PTSD, > and emphysema all but the PTSD is from the toxins I was exposed to at > Edgewood, my heart disease started at age 36, I am now 50. I was one > of the youngest men used at Edgewood and I was there in 1974, most of > the other men are older than I am.> > Two of the men are up north in your area, Michael Elleks father Albert > was a test vet in 1958 his e mail address is educationillini@aol.com > and the other is Lerry Meirow his e mail address is Lamei2006@aol.com > and he was at Edgewood in Nov and Dec 1972. I am also in contact with > 8 other "test vets" none of us can get the VA to discuss our test > experiences.> > Here is my web site there is other info available about this issue > there. outsidethebeltway.org> mike's links to information > > I do not feel sorry for the VA because now they have "more" work to > do, it should have been done right in the first place, they have spent > decades cheating Illinois vets and others from across this nation and > the sorry part is, they were created to take "care" of us, no one just > specified what "care" was. Really they still haven't many of these men > will die without ever seeing an increase in compensation, let alone > back pay for the low awards from years ago, and I am sure that was not > the Senators intent.>

CW3: on QTC

Dear Mr. Cox -I listened with an acute attentiveness to the testimony you provided to the congressional investigators which I downloaded from: http://www.attorneys4veterans.com/ HDC_interview_House_Subcommittee_vetAffairs_5Kbps_2006_05_04.wma . However, I do not believe the responses you provided were recorded in context to the question that was posed. Perhaps you would be kind enough to publish a complete transcript of your recording or provide a URL site so that the transcript could be obtained if it were placed into the Congressional Record.I also note that the QTC Management Inc has put out a press release trying to beatify the former VA Secretary as the Patron Saint of Veterans and Lost Causes. The information is available at: http://www.qtcm.com/press_releases/times2.aspx .I must admit that I had a strong sense of reading a non-denial denial of the charges and note with some alarm that they are boasting of attaining a quality level of 92 percent with the VA but there is no mention of how this numerical value was obtained or what standards were used in determining this accomplished metering. Nor does it indicate what if any actions were taken to remediate any failures to do the job correctly.I also find it completely disingenuous for the QTC people to say they do not have any part in the adjudication process. The examining physicians must be fully cognizant of what will result when selecting the use of one word over another and the effects that it will have upon a claim. The very nature of their job is to provide a "layman" with an understandable portrayal of the effects that a disability has upon a veteran. So they not only have a large part in the adjudication process, they are indeed the key point in the entire process which determines how much if any a veteran will receive. It is also critical to point out that in the examination procedure, the physician is actually requested to state the levels of probability that there is in fact a service connection to the disability being evaluated.Please continue helping veterans and do not hesitate to force the budget thieves to face up to the obvious disingenuous nature of the lies that are presented in the non-denial denial that they have published. The issue of "apples to oranges comparison" obviously misses the fundamental point of comparisons which is the "bottom line."Sincerely,

A friend's column let's say he is CW3

http://www.cobizmag.com/articles.asp?id=983Perhaps this will get you to wonder which is more offensive: the damnable lies or the damned liars? I have taken the time to comment on some of the most offensive elements that scream out from the printed page. Of course I am very angry at these continuing outrages that routinely make veterans into victims of the government. If you can ever recall the feelings you dealt with when you knew your child, spouse, or some other person was lying to you, then stand up and call the government on the current lies that are being practiced; also demand the media explain why they support this betrayal of American service men and women. How can you possibly accept this type of governmental management?It is extremely critical for Americans to come to an understanding of a simple truth; the veteran who risked so much for you is now totally dependent upon YOU insisting that the government provide adequate funding to take care of ALL legitimate needs. This much has been earned. Even though I name the republican party at this time, the next election may very well provide us with a new crop of democrats who will continue the deliberate denials and welch on the deal that has been made with veterans since we began as a collection of colonies.Quoted:But the budget debate cuts to the heart of a philosophical question: Exactly how much does a grateful nation owe its servicemen and women, and their dependents? Especially since hundreds of thousands of those vets are currently and continually returning from two war zones overseas.Answer:The implication or inference that the newer veterans, who have also sacrificed so much already, somehow deserve greater attention than those of previous conflicts, is a pathological sickness seen only among the super rich republicans and their paid for sycophantic elected officials who are loathe to spend any taxes on maintaining the lives of those who have served. After all, it is clear that these tax burdens must somehow be eliminated as soon as possible; and any outright lie or line of political propaganda is acceptable if they can make enough Americans believe it. This tactic and strategy of divide and conquer will eventually also be used against the elderly or other Americans who are either so weak, infirm or disabled that they are unable to fight back in self defense. Let me make this perfectly clear: just because an American is in need of help does not make him an enemy of the state. But, it seems, they are marked with an invisible bulls-eye as the next targets to be destroyed by the far right philosophies and neo-conservative values.I am also questioning if there will somehow be a time factor imposed. Any service provided prior to three years from a current date will negate any governmental obligations because the warranty has somehow expired. However, stay tuned in because after the next elections the final acts of the VDBC will be implemented. Apparently the answer to the question posed above will be a simple one - hopefully nothing, but at any rate the absolute minimum we can get away with.Quoted:Should a veteran who saw action abroad receive the same benefits as one who remained stateside? Should a veteran who made the military his or her career be treated the same as the citizen soldier of the Reserve or National Guard? What does the public still owe older veterans of other wars who have succumbed to self-induced illnesses, such as the diabetes that accompanies obesity, or lung cancer from a lifetime of smoking?Answer:Again the implications and inferences that illnesses, such as diabetes or cancer are somehow the products of " Willful Misconduct " brought on by the individual through other known risks, are therefore the blame, instead of simply owning up to the contaminants of war such as agent orange, depleted uranium or other factors of testing programs such as SHAD 112 or those of Edgewood Arsenal, that are faced by those who serve in the research arenas or combat area of operations are simply the most egregious and outrageous insults imaginable to the honesty, integrity, valor, and gallantry of those who have served our nation. To now require that they accept the patent denial process is an American shame that can only be erased by adequate, and yes, even mandatory funding streams to care for all veterans. It is what they have earned. Furthermore, since all veterans stand in harms way and are subject to combat at any point during their duty commitments, to suggest that they are somehow a lesser deserving individual because they were not in combat is so outrageous that a law should be passed that protects us if we respond to this type of provocation with any level of violent reaction against the perpetrator. The key factor to remember is that a disability was incurred through service in the United States Armed Forces. Does it really matter if the cause was a gun shot, IED, malaria, anthrax or accidental? The constant rhetoric of this issue is akin to actually yelling fire in a crowded theater. If the provocatuer is actually cornered and confronted, then it is only just for him to suffer the consequences of his free speech.Quoted:Jim Nicholson has a clear answer to all those concerns.Answer:So far everything seen has been nothing but a pack of the Big Lies that would even gain a semblance of respectful admiration from the Nazi or Communist propaganda mills. It is truly staggering that an American media which is supposedly so good at getting to the truth, instead, simply propagates this published puss as meaningful information.Quoted:“Our priority is the men and women who need us most — service-connected disabled veterans, veterans with no other health-care options, veterans who need our highly specialized services,” he said in an ongoing interview conducted for this report over several sessions spanning February and March of this year.Answer:Why am I not surprised that somehow if a veteran has an illness or disability that is service connected, then by virtue of his personal fortunate conditions, he may have other resources available, that the VA Colonel appears to believe it is justifiable to demand there is no longer any need or obligation to actually treat the service connected condition. Perhaps I have parsed the words erroneously, but that seems to be the justification for the budget slashing that has taken place - the hope is simply that those veterans with other resources will simply not bother the VA even if that means the vets have to pay for healthcare themselves. Truly a shameful state of attitudes and behaviors among this administration and the running, lackey dogs that serve it. It is time that the VA Colonel actually state in clear and concise terms who is deserving of what levels of service and provide honest justifications for those positions.Quoted:“Our priority is the men and women who need us most — service-connected disabled veterans, veterans with no other health-care options, veterans who need our highly specialized services,” he said in an ongoing interview conducted for this report over several sessions spanning February and March of this year.Answer:At what point was the entire priority system, developed by Anthony Principi, during the Reagan Administration completely replaced and forgotten? I realize that all category 8 and new category 7 veterans can no longer get even a band aid from the Veteran Health Administration, however, the priorities of care have been clearly an established policy that was practiced since the Presidency of Saint Ronnie, The Acting President. What is really curious, now, is that in the current blood sport of politics, where the line crossed is at best murky; it appears that Congressman Buyer will attempt to completely white wash the gross enrichment plans of Anthony Principi via his QTC Management Inc. The republican leadership will attempt to somehow convince us that it is just business as usual for former cabinet level officials to be rewarded with $1.2 Billion of tax funds through a new business venture. The QTC managment people have shown they are determined to use any and all methods to diminish or outright deny veteran claims for compensation. This is a process that could be accomplished by VA employees at only twenty percent of the costs levied against the tax payers by Principi and his felonious creation. Is it any wonder there is not enough money to be found to actually hire sufficient numbers of staff positions.Quoted:Nicholson was ranked No. 25 on the 3rd annual ColoradoBiz 25 Most Powerful list published in January, having served nearly a year by then as the second Coloradan in President George W. Bush’s cabinet. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton was named to the Bush administration’s original cabinet, but resigned at the end of March. As Norton was literally leaving office, Nicholson was attending the April 2 opening of the 20th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Snowmass in Colorado.The visit was symbolic of the secretary’s own and his department’s strong ties to the state. The VA operates medical centers in Grand Junction and Denver, and 10 outpatient clinics throughout Colorado. In 2005, the federal agency spent $1.5 billion in Colorado, providing health care, disability pay, pensions or other financial benefits to 60,000 of Colorado’s 433,300 veterans. The department employs almost 3,000 people in the state to provide those services.Answer:Simple photo opportunities do not provide meaningful health care to veterans. And if it is so critical for the leadership to show their fantasy support for the real veterans to somehow momentarily boost their morale, then make it a law that the vacation trips must be paid for by the official from his personal funds and the amazingly generous salary he gets which puts him in what is probably the top ten percent of American wage earners. See how many vacations they start showing up for then, especially if it is not permitted to be a tax write off.Sorry, but I find that continual bouts of wretching vomit have made it impossible to continue with the media's efforts to pander with propaganda on behalf of the VA Colonel. I hope that someone will continue this undertaking, and the total effort will be circulated for all veterans to consider. One thought that really struck home as I started to peruse the remains of this dreadful publicity was if Colorado and Texas are to be provided for before all others elements in the VA system, then why doesn't the federal government simply try to turn the veteran problem back to the state governments. Could it be that it actually is a promise made by the nation that veterans who have borne the battle will be cared for along with the widows and orphans? But then that will probably be attempted when the democrats are in power.Oh yes, and was there not some raised eyebrows when it was determined that the VA was required to pay exorbitant amounts for the Colorado hospital property rather than simply accept the transfer of an asset from the Department of Defense? Whatever happened to that story? Maybe we should see who else enriched themselves as part of the veteran pork projects besides the personal friends of the VA Colonel.

This should change people's mind about joining Army

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051002061.html talk about a detriment to recruitong efforts, who wants to join the Army Reserve if it means you joined for life (or at least until the Army says you can leave, (8 years what 8 years?) you use to be able to count on being left alone after the 8 year committment was met, most people do 3-4 years active then the other years in what is called the IRR, Inactive Ready Reserve, now they have decided the Officer's can't resign after the 8 years is up, who wants to join under these rules?

DOD is ignoring 78% of PTSD service members

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051002195.html It was bad enough to hear a few months ago about the Army deploying troops back to Iraq with pockets full of anti-depressants and anxiety pills. Now to learn they are just outright ignoring PTSD possible veterans, if they don't treat them does this mean they don't have it, a great way to show there is no problem, just IGNORE it. Candidate for Countdown's worst person of the day DOD is hereby nominated......

The Time has come for this

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/May-09-Tue-2006/news/7294441.html veterans have been deprived of an American right for to long, they are not allowed to use attorney's in their fight with the VA for their benefits, the last place in America, where it's citizens do not have that right. I hope this passes but it needs to be along the same guidelines as Social Security Disability anything different is a dis-service to the veterans of this nation, don't they deserve the same rights as other disabled Americans?

I can see this happening to me one day sooner than later probably lol

http://www.hutchnews.com/news/local/stories/Deadissue050406.shtml they just did a paperwork error, oh well another day in government, will anything happen to the employee that did it, not likely..........

VA to seek vets who were low balled

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/southsouthwest/chi-0605090078may09,1,5837368.story?coll=chi-newslocalssouthwest-hed or http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--veterans-disabili0509may09,0,6070840.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey here was my response to this article
Low pay. The simple fact is that VA Regional Offices have a lot of wiggle room on many of the cases they decide, let's use the big one for the example PTSD. That is in the press a lot, and it is a subject I have personal familiarity with, as I have it.

The shrinks and social workers do the write ups on every visit, they make notes, on things like your wife is wearing a shirt that says F.T .Army or BUCHITS or anything else that they feel like, such as the veteran states that if we don't do this he is going down the hall and call his Congress person or Senator. Stuff that has no place in a medical record. They assign what they call GAF scores, an assessment of how your are functioning at that given hour, to their observations. The score's range from 0-100, most veteran get scores that range from 30 which is not good to scores in the 70's which means yes he has issues, but the veteran is handling it really well.

This gives the Regional Office rater and DRO's plenty of play room, they can pick good news out of your records or they can pick the bad news, they can assess the medications you take for PTSD or they can choose to ignore them. Then there is the dreaded C&P exam, which stands for Compensation and Pension Exam, the VARO's hire outside shrinks to assess you, now a company that is headed by ex VA Secretary Anthony Princippi, named QTC, supplies most of these doctors, or Nurse practitioners at a cost on average of between 400 - 500 per exam, some of these exams last 10 minutes.

Some are very thorough and last the time period of one and half hours as the guidelines call for, but the fact is before QTC came along, they use to pay these doctors about 100-200 dollars. But now the QTC doctors all know what the VARO's want them to fill out and how to fill out their paperwork. It makes the veteran question is this doctor writing the right information down or assessing me so the VA can pay me a lower award for my service connected problems. Even a smart man or woman has to look at this question with a raised eyebrow. QTC corporation enjoys it, when Principi was the head of it before he was named VA Secretary they were billing the VA 47 million a year, they now have contracts that will pay them 1.2 billion in the next five years. Yes, a nice deal for QTC and their stockholders. How good a deal it was for veterans, remains to be seen. But bottom line this excess money is money that could have been used for veteran care, that they will now be deprived of. Was this a good deal for the taxpayers?

My own case for example, I was diagnosed with PTSD by a VA shrink in May 2003, I had been seeing him since January when I had a melt down. I have had problems for years, but like most veterans I found a way to cope with them, work, drinking, drugs etc. I ignored the "problems" until one day, I no longer could. I have many of what they call "stressors" fire fights, training accidents, in service deaths of friends, but the main stressor for my case was the fact that 7 fellow soldiers decided they wanted my wallet on a payday in February 1975, and they beat me unconscious and left me, the problem was the place they did it was Fort Wainwright Alaska and it was 20 below zero, that night.

They were charged with robbery and attempted murder, four of them were sent to Leavenworth Barracks, the military portion of the prison system, in Leavenworth Kansas. The other three were given what they call non-judicial punishment, and I asked for a transfer to South Korea, the Army moved me a month after the court-martials ended in August 1975.

Because of an American Legion Service Officer who refused to file a claim for PTSD for non-combat reasons, I did not get my claim filed until after I fired him and revoked his power of attorney in DEC 2003. In 2004 they denied the claim, in May 2005 they finally approved it but at the 50% rate, I appealed it, my shrink has been saying for 2 years that my GAF score was 30 - 35 and that I was permanently and totally disabled by my PTSD. The VARO denied it again, I asked for a BVA hearing and wrote Senator Larry Craig a letter about my problem with the VARO in Columbia, SC, in October 2005 I received a letter from Renee Szybala, Director of Compensation and Pensions. In November the Columbia VARO scheduled me for another round of C&P exams.

On April 6th I received a new award letter granting me 100% P&T for my PTSD with an effective date of DEC 2003, when I had originally filed for it. The key was persistence, the fact that the VA counts on is that service members usually accept what they are given and do not complain, except to family and friends. They have the attitude if they deserved more then the VA would have given them more. The idea of fighting with the government that they served and fought for, does not usually enter their minds, they just grumble about the low payments, and wonder how Joe got a larger award for the same problem and Joe is not near as physically disabled as I am.

What the VA is doing now is after the investigation last year, it not to go back and re-look automatically at the decisions and re-judge them, they are taking the position that if you want it upgraded, then you have to ask for it, thus creating a new date of eligibility, from the day the increase is asked for, forget about getting back pay to when your claim was first awarded and the veteran may have deserved the higher award from the beginning, it is now an effort to save money at the expense of disabled veterans and or their widows.

Then to have the nerve to blame the new backlog on veterans asking for the new look at the old awards, is just ridiculous, they already have 825,000 cases on appeal to the Board of Veteran Appeals, from veterans who did not agree with their awards or lack of them. The VA just needs to hire more people and get this mess cleaned up, within a reasonable time period, the bad part is no one is mentioning the time lines here, right now the average wait for a claim is 1-2 years, a BVA hearing is 2-4 years and the Court of Veteran Appeals is a minimum of a five year wait, many veterans die waiting on the VA to adjudicate their claims.

Injuries that are cut and dry like a loss of limb are much easier for the VA and veterans to understand, the major problems come from mental issues, and any other problems that have an area where there can be interpretation, some raters interpret better than others, some grant in favor of the veterans, while others are more cynical and grant in favor of the government, they can claim the VA claims process is non-adversarial all they want, the system is broke and in need of a major overhaul. The large veteran service organizations really do not serve the needs of veterans as an individual, they see the big picture, the trouble is each veteran is a snapshot, and all claims need more than a 10 minute meet and greet, some take time, some take investigation and real hard work, in the VA claims system they try and use the KISS method, (keep it simple stupid) great for the SO but lousy help to the veteran and his family.

Veterans have to remember that it is their claim, they need to find the evidence, do not expect anyone else to do it, get and keep date stamped copies of all paperwork, your spouse may need them after you pass away. Remember you do have the right to revoke a power of attorney if your Veterans rep is not doing his/her job the way you feel it should be done, bottom line it is your claim and your benefits, the people that handle your claims are all getting paid if you win or lose your claim, it's your stay on top of it, and fight for your family's benefits and yours, you fought for your country, now fight for what is right.

Michael G Bailey
301 Harbor Heights Dr 21D
Lexington SC 29072

found the missing link

I have been searching for months for the site where I saw the fact that DOD had stated they would not be able to identify the Edgewood test vets before FY 2009. I found it today in a GAO report and it says they will not be able to identify any of the veterans used in hazardous substance tests other than SHAD/112 before 2009. Convenient since the Bush administration leaves office in January that year and Rumsfeld and Cheney were involved in authorizing the tests in 1974 and 1975. Especially since they are now claiming that we HAD to go to war with Saddam since he had used chemical weapons on the Kurds, it might prove embarassing to answer questions about their use of enlisted men in chemical weapons and drug tests like LSD and PCP while asking for the world to support them in wanting Saddam executed for the same type of actions, the difference is Saddam was fighting with the Kurds, what did we enlisted men ever do to Cheney and Rumsfeld to make them approve violating the Nuremberg Codes of 1947 in this manner. No wonder things like torture and rendition don't bother them, it appears that it is just business as usual for this bunch, the world prosecuted the last bunch of men who acted like this, the Third Reich wasn't it. I know it is a bad comparison, but they made the record I am just reporting the facts they created. I am just one of their victims, I am 50 years old and totally disabled and I am one of the lucky ones, in FY 2000, 40% of the men in these tests were dead already 2098 of them, and of the survivors 54% are disabled, can you all explain that my Cheney and Mr Rumsfeld, and you are right I am not showing you any respect. In the Army I learned respect was earned and quite frankly you have not earned mine, you are just disgusting, reprehensible old men, that deserve to be on trial and sued for every dime you have, not only did you use us, you have denied our families out veteran benefits for the past 31 plus years, some of the men have been waiting for justice since 1952, how do you plan on making that up to them? Dig them up and say I am sorry to the corpse? http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04410.pdf pages 18 and 19 show the fact they will not identify the Edgewood test veterans or any other exposed veterans before 2009, five years after this report was written and published. Yet this report shows they found us in FY 2000 and they have known the extent of the harm at least since March 2003, and they still refused to speed up the process to find us, why, questions they didn't want to answer maybe? Better question is why won't the Mainstream media pick this story up? http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3795/4913/5842.aspx DA IG report of 1975 on human experiments http://www.nap.edu/books/030904832X/html/378.html, and the VA Manual published in October 2003 after the IOM report was issued showing the harm caused yet in this manual they never mentioned it why? http://www1.va.gov/vhi/docs/CBR_www.pdf the letters from Lane Evans and Ted Strickland show they tried to help but were ignored by the VA letters that pertain to this issue are 28 April 2005 and the VA reply on October 5 2005 http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/officialcorr/official.htm and last but not least the govt has told me I was only used in equipment tests this pic was found last month on line , it was in a 1992 A&E documentary on Edgewood called "Bad Trip To Edgewood" talk about being shocked to see it, I never knew it existed http://www.thewhyfiles.net/images/edgewood03.jpg, last but not least a 44 minute video called "Bad Trip to Edgewood" video is poor quality but the audio is excellent http://www.propagandamatrix.com/multimedia/badtripto_edgewood.html hey you two time is up answer the questions about why you have let disabled vets and widows be deprived of their veteran benefits?

Vets need to get vocal over the SSD vs the VA comp offset before it happens

Forwarded Message:
Subj:
Re: Please Pass On this Website to ALL~ Thxs Brenda
Date:
5/7/2006 8:07:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:
B8Ral
To:
Brenhay, mnorton@satx.rr.com

Someone needs to start sending message to all Vets and Vets groups, and all our Federal Reps about trying to come up with the stupid idea of taking away our Social Security Disability pay that we all have paid into if we have VA Compensation. May 19th is coming upon us quickly and this is when Congress and the bush administration will decide. My Veterans lawyer Mr. Robert Walsh said he believes it will pass because non of the Vets are aware of it and most will not protest to their reps in Congress. Maybe your web site will help.

Air Force 2 Star out of order

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/05/AR2006050501535.html

The WAPO has a story about a General that sent out a letter encouraging his classmates from 1975 class of the Air Force Academy to send money and vote for a retired Air Force officer who was also a strong "christian man" and they all know that Congress needs more Christians in it, and especially those from the Air Force since there is no representation from retired air force types, in the beltway.

Needless to say he realized his mistake the next morning after a friend called him and said hey "dumb azz" you used your work computer, and he then attempted to recall it, about as much use as trying to put a bullet back in the gun after you squeeze the trigger, ooops don't cut it, baliff whack his peepee!!!!!

Bad Trip to Edgewood

This is the 44 minute documentary that was prroduced by A&E back in 1992 this has it loaded and plays the video is not very good but it is the only site I have ever found it. I can't watch it anymore I do have the DVD thanks to Eric Muth

http://www.propagandamatrix.com/multimedia/badtripto_edgewood.html

why America needs Terry Stulce in Congress

Why America needs men like Terry Stulce
Posted by testvet6778A on May 5, 2006 - 9:46am.
I have written similar statements but this morning Terry proved it again why he needs to be in Congress in January 2007 from the state of Tennesssee, he is a Congressional candidate that see's the full picture. He spends time and money on calling me a veteran who can not vote for him, to talk about the Edgewood test vet issue. I am not in a place where I can "help" him.
I am just another disabled veteran from a nearby state, that has a problem, and Terry has listened to it, and knows when he gets to Congress it is time something is done about the problem, after 31 years, and 2098 dead men and 2200 disabled ones 75% of the total men used in the test program, from every state in the nation, so it is a national problem, not just mine in South Carolina.

We need men like Terry, Jeff Latas, Eric Massa, and many other that seem to be in the mold of General Clark, men that have put their life on the life to defend this country, they know what sacrifice is, they experienced it. They will think before committing troops, they are not chickenhaws, they know war has costs and it is not all in doillars. Going to a graveside when you bury a friend, a subordinate, have to deal with the grieving families, explain how their son or daughter died for the "right reasons" and for a noble purpose. They won't waste our young on glory hunts, but they will commit them when they are truly needed, I firmly believe that Afghanistan was the right use and Iraq the wrong use, now we have to disengage and get out of the Middle East, we can not buy or fight our way to being friends there. So blockade them, if we don't buy there oil, how do they exist? Cut off the money for 3-6 months, then they will talk.
We have to get past the idea that all politics is local they aren't, whoever goes to Congress votes on issues that affect ALL americans not just your state, so the person you send their represents me and my family to, so please send the "fighting dems" America needs them, but if they start acting like this bunch or republicans we know how to fix that to, vote, it is your greatest responsibility to your neighbors, abdicating that right leaves us all vulnerable, vote it is your right and the soldiers have bled for you to be able to vote, respect them and do it, honor them by voting, that's why they offered their lives for you, your freedoms, use them.....
Score: 10.0, votes: 3
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Ray McGovern, my Hero

There is a website to gather Thank You's please go to it and sign your name to the list he earned it the old fashioned way, he worked for it http://thankyouraymcgovern.org/wordpress/?p=1

Here is a copy of my KOS Diary for today also the letter I sent to Mr McGovern asking for help for the test vets:


Letter to Ray McGovern and Poll about Rumsfeld
by testvet6778 [Subscribe] [Edit Diary]
Fri May 05, 2006 at 05:33:33 AM PDT
Yesterday America and the world got to see the bueaty of the 1st Admendment in the true American way. A retired CIA anaalyst who had a very credible job of briefing Presidents, security councils, on intelligence matters, I find it hard to believe they had a "wing nut" holding that job down for the years from 1964 thru the 1990's, he earned his position to be able to brief them, so somewhere along the line he was a loyal American citizen.
Yesterday he proved his loyalty to the American public by speaking truth to power, his quotes from Rumsfeld's past were on the money and accurate, he used his own words to beat him, bravo blow the fold is my letter to Mr McGovern asking for help on the "test vet" issue. He knew Dr Sidney Gottlieb when the master of disaster was still doing his evil at the CIA, or he knew of him, Sidney was a section Chief that had control of 6% of the CIA budget in 1953 so he was powerful.
testvet6778's diary :: ::
Subject: Mr McGovern my name is Mike Bailey and I need your help on an issue:
It is an issue that concerns Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, kind of ancient history but it is relevant today as it was in 1974 and 1975, maybe even more so, considering their demand for trial and execution of Saddam for using gas on the Kurds. What they did was worse, and this should explain why I feel this way. You spoke truth to power today and I applaud you for it, I can never learn where he is so I can confront him about this issue, he ignores e mails to DOD, and so does the Vice President.
I demand accountability, there are to many dead soldiers from our own army in their wake, and the public should be demanding for accountability, but many people don't believe me and think I am a "wing nut" despite the overwhelming evidence I have.
Mr McGovern, from 1952 thru 1975 the CIA and the DOD and the Army conducted human experiments at Fort Detrick and Edgewood Arsenal, remember Dr Sideny Gottlieb? They used 7120 enlisted men in chemical weapons and drug tests at Edgewood and at Fort Detrick they used 2300 Adventists in Biological weapons tests.
They lied to all of the "volunteers" in order to get us to volunteer, we were told the experiments were safe, and they were being done to tests new equipment and uniforms, MOPP suits, HAZMAT self contained units etc. No one veer said the tests would have long term health consequences, as a matter of fact we were told the exact opposite, we were told they were so safe they were not even going to medically follow us thru out our lives.
They used enticements such as TDY pay, per diem, no KP, no guard duty, four day work weeks and 4 hour work days. For tthose young enlisted men it sounded like a sham job come true, turns out three decades later we learn out how bad they lied to us.
In FY 2000 they contacted all the Edgewood test vets again for a health study to determine the health outcomes of the men who had been exposed to Sarin, the prominent weapon at Kamisayah in March 1991 when they destroyed the ammo dump. They needed to tell the Gulf War vets what they could expect. We were the only known group of men exposed to it in America, the world for that matter except Iranians and they couldn't interview them.
DOD funded the IOM's Doctor William Page to do this study http://www.iom.edu/... it shows that in FY 2000 they could not locate 2098 men 40% of them, they used IRS, VA and Social Security records, one can only presume they are deceased. Of the 4022 men they did find in FY 2000, 54% of them reported being disabled, you have to look in the fine print, it was not a loud annoucement, this report also stated that Dr Page could not find any problems other than sleep disturbances and a brain tumor problems that relsuted in 25 per 100,000 service members getting brain cancer. I am just curious if you took 100,000 americans from anywhere what the rate of brain cancer is, bottom line noe of his results matched a January 1994 national Institute of health report on Nerve Agents that his did, they found cardio-vascular problems, pulmonary, GERD and a few other problems, normal problems that are associated with chemical weapon exposures, check with SIPRI, in Stockholm for verification. The Germans have some good studies from WW2 Wermacht personnel. This is the 1994 NIH report Toxicity of the Organophosphate Chemical Warfare Agents GA, GB, and VX: Implic
Mr McGovern most people tend to forget that in 1974 and 1975 when these programs were inherited from Nixon, President Ford had to approve the continuation of these human experiments that violated the Nuremberg Codes of 1947 http://www.nap.edu/... that Donald Rumsfeld was his Chief of Staff and had to be in on the NSC that was needed to approve the tests, CIA and DOD had to agree to fund them, then in 1975 Ford made Rumsfeld Sec of Defense again he had to approve the budget for the tests, and then the fact they were happening on a Army Base at Edgewood Arsenal Maryland, the bio weapons tests at Detrick were stopped in 1972 by Nixon due to the Bio weapons treaty the US signed in 1972.
When Rumsfeld went to Defense Dick Cheney became the Chief of Staff, the Presidents right hand man again he would have had to known about the human experiments with chemical weapons and drugs on the volunteer soldiers.
George H W Bush became the head of the CIA somewhere in the middle of this mess, fiasco. whatever term is appropriate.
Mr McGovern the VA runs us test vets around in circles lying saying we weren't there, many soldiers feel they were used in a "secret tests", the stuff used on you wasn't dangerous etc. I never claimed ot be used in secret tests, I was used in a known "medical research unit" that just happened to be using chemical weapons and drugs such as LSD, PCP, scopolmine etc, in all 254 different substances were used. They have never released a full list of them.I have found the EPA super fund site and it has a list of about 100 toxins found in the drinking water, the surface water and the soil of Edgewood Arsenal, in 1977 the EPA ordered the water wells capped on base and in the town of Edgewood due to the severity of the toxin laden water. Talk about toxic kool aid, I gues Bill Oreilly is right it is in the Kool Aid.Superfund Information Systems - CERCLIS: Contaminants the first 4 listings show cardio pulmonary problems from the CDC. ATSDR list
para 7 is an excellent summary of the tests /home.comcast.net~knowlto/places.htm
http://www1.va.gov/... this is a VA Manul from Oct 2003 28 years after the tests were stopped in 1975 after the facts became public and the Ford administration were caught red handed, the CIA and the Army apologized but Rumsfeld and DOD never accepted repsonisibility, and they are now 31 years later still avaoiding it.
In April 28 2005 Lane Evans and Ted Strickland sent Sec Nicholson of the VA a letter with the names of the approximate 10,000 men of Detrick and Edgewood, on 5 October 2005 Sec Nicholson replied stating that he found the lsits to be useless and he was sending them to DHSD at DOD where they would find the veterans. But in March or April 2004 a William Winkerterder Jr testified to the Armed Services Committe of the Senate that DOD would not be able to identify the "test vets" until FY 2009.
All they need to do is call Rick Erdtmann at the National Academies of Science IOM at 1-202-334-1925 and tell him to send the names and addresses of the veterans and thier widows that was compiled for the March 2003 IOM Sarin report, and attempt for the VA to contact these men and widows, people our age usually don't move, we stay put, it's hard to move when you are disabled, old and sick. But the attempts should ahve been made, witha 75% death and disability rate.
Mr McGovern, I may be crazy, lord knows many people think I am, even my shrink told me to quit watching the X Files. But this is real, and a lot of men are dead and penniless due to DOD letting the VA ignore us for the past 31 years, some of these men have been waiting even longer some of the 1958 test subjects are still alive and sick, and they are getting the same run around I am, this is happeining in VARO's across the country, it is not just here in South Carolina. Some of the widows of the test vets were never told of their husbands use in the tests, I never told my own wife until 2002 when I became disabled and filed the initial claim with the VA, we had to sign non-disclsure agreements with National Security clauses, if we told doctors, family, friends etc we were promised 25 years at least at leavenworth and it would be in the gates, Since all of this is now declassified, I don't see how they could make this charge stick any longer, it has been investigated many times.
Many times Congress and the VA have said we are going to find these men and get them help, March 10, 1993, a Dr Susan Mathers for the VA told a congressional panel they would find the "test vets" Bill Clinton apologized for the tests in May 1995, again in November 2004 after a Detroit Free Press article by David Zeman the VA promised to find the "test vets" as far as I know they have not contacted anyone, I am the "info center" for the group I am in contact with about 10 other "test vets" thats how I know what is happening around the country. Politicians are useless,no one wants to atke on W, Cheney, and Rumsfeld, I am dying because of these men, I am not afraid, can you help me, or at leats help me find a public place where I can confront Rumsfeld over the Edgewood test vets and the dead and disabled that he helped to cause in violation of the Nuremberg Codes in 1974 and 1975.
In my mind gassing and drugging your own soldiers is a wrose crime than gassing an enemy, the Kurds were fighting with Saddam, besides Rumsfeld helped Reagan sell him the chemicals for his 1987 and 1988 war with Iran and the Kurds, shouldn;t they be charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes. They enabled him, what about their accountability for the crimes they allowed on their own volunteer soldiers, and now to not allow the release of data so the disabled and the widows can colect their veteran benefits is just flat wrong, this even goes beyond dispicable.
Can you help the Edgewood test vets? After 31 years we need someone to help us, I was a infantry Staff Sergeant, this goes beyond what I know how to accomplich Mike Bailey 803-808-5371 a collect call would be fine I am disabled I am up day and night 24/7 anytime is good for me. I have more evidence if you need it Mike Bailey 6778A June 25 1074 thru 22 August 1974........ here are the names and e mail addresses of the otehr test vets
Bearrun286@aol.com Michael Ellek son of Albert Ellek Edgewood 1958
ddufrane@nyc.com David Dufrane Edgewood class of 64?
eepmuth@nyc.com Eric Muth was at Edgewood twice in 1958
firehawk_28@yahoo.com Rick Lake was at Edgewood in 1974 in the group with me from Ft Lewis
fmokar@onslowonline.net Frank said he was there in 1966 I think
Lamei2006@aol.com Larry Meirow was there in Nov & Dec 1972
len.sistek@mail.house.gov House VA committee investigator can verify this
lisa.friedman@langnews.com newspaper reporter that wrote an April 3 2006 article filled with misinformation from the VA
pbp@integra.net Buck lives in Salt Lake City Edgewood in 64
purdiemae@yahoo.com her husband is one of the original MKULTRA subjects claims he has electronic implants ??????
tomsegel@joimail.com Tom Segel is a retired Marine from the Korean War and Nam that has written a few articles about the Edgewood tests and the people me, Eric etc.
Mr McGovern I hope you know how to use this info, Rumsfeld and Cheney need to go, and these "honorable" vets and their widows be allowed to get their VA benefits, how does a grateful nation make this up to them, ignoring them for 31 years since the info became public and allowing the DOD and the VA to keep sweeping them under the rug, are we an embarassment to W, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Daddy Bush, they are demanding Saddam die for gassing the Kurds, what should happen to them for gassing and drugging us in 1974 and 1975, they didn't stop because it was wrong they stopped when they got caught. Help
Michael Garber BaileyMy address is 301 Harbor Heights Dr 21 DLexington SC 29072SSG Infantry 100% P&T disabled vet
Poll
should Rumsfeld
go see the devil and pick a pineapple
8%
let the widows of the test vets play with HIM at Edgewood
0%
give him to the Kurds since he sold Saddam the gas in 1987
13%
let the veterans harmed by his approval of the human testing sue him
0%
drop dead from stress
4%
all of the above
73%
Votes: 23
Results
::
Other Polls

VA and Medicare Billing?

There is a story in today's Watchdog, about trying to get legislation passed to allow veterans to use their medicare benefits at VA hospitals nationwide, http://www.vawatchdog.org/newsflash/newsflash05-04-2006-9.htm

It sounds like a great deal for those veterans that use Medicare that are low rated service connected injuries, like the 10% or even the 90% veterans, this would allow them to get treatment for all medical problems in the same location. Helps for those veterans like myself with multiple medical conditions.

My concern comes with the VA trying to pass a rule requiring ALL veterans then to have Medicare Part B, like they do for retirees and Champus.

Totally disabled veterans that have injuries that cause the veteran to be permanently and totally disabled now get all medical care for free at the VA regardless if the problem is service connected or not, the Colin Powell thoery, "if you broke it, you bought it" our service broke us, medically, so the government now cares for all of our medical problems as it SHOULD be.

However, if they pass a rule to allow the VA to bill Medicare, they need to exempt all 100% SC veterans from carrying Part B, why should they now be forced to burden the additional cost of 88.00 dollars a month, this will be a new way to stick it to disabled veterans , and they do not deserve it.

A vet expresses himself

I received this in the mail box this mornijng and I thought it needed to be shared, many vets all over the country have written similiar letters to their own representatives.

Please forward this to ensure that my elected federal officials may judge for himself how critical this issue is becoming for veterans in South Dakota - Some of us have been forced to wait for two months for routine appointments even though the local bureaucracy has promised they are working diligently to solve the problems. Without specific interventions by a Veteran Service Office, I would still be waiting in my third month with out medications. Today I was told by the Veteran Service Officer to just be patient AND quiet for another three months or more, and the problems may be eventually worked out if we are fortunate. The obvious solution is to simply replace Dr. McCracken who has deftly engineered this entire fiasco. However, her claim will simply be that she was doing the best she could within the budget provided. As if that justifies all that veterans have be suffering for the last two months; the claim of just following orders has not been acceptable since the trials in Neuremburg. IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT YOUR VOTING VETERANS THEN FIRE THE STAFF MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MESS, AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE FUNDING SO THAT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF DOCTORS ON STAFF TO SEE VETERAN PATIENTS ON THE BASIS OF WHAT THE PATIENT NEEDS - NOT WHAT THE BUDGET ALLOWS!!!!!I noted on your website that you provide "Case Work Assistance" as part of your Constituent Services - Please do something right for this "case" to solve the myriad of problems currently existing.Senator John ThuneUnited States Senate SR-383Washington, DC 20510May 3, 2006SUBJECT: Mandatory Funding Needed NowDear Sir,I have also sent this to your Washington, DC office by your email contact process on your internet web page. South Dakota's veterans are demanding answers from our elected leaders and especially need your official response to this issue that will only be evaluated or measured by the actions you demonstrate for all of us to see.The time for enactment of Mandatory Funding is RIGHT NOW - Do not wait any longer - Your delays mean veterans die!!!The following is quoted from this published news article:http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/14489242.htmThe White House asked for $80.6 billion in 2007 for the VA, including $3.2 billion for mental health programs. But Rep. Michael Michaud, a Maine Democrat on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, said the VA would need more, sooner. "What's going to happen is unless we give added resources, they're going to have to start rationing care," Michaud said. "It's going to have to start pitting veterans against veterans."Jeff Schrade, a spokesman for Sen. Larry Craig, an Idaho Republican and chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said Craig was unhappy over the VA's botched estimates on health care last year. Congress now requires quarterly budget reports, which Schrade said show that VA's budgeting appears to be on track. "What concerns us is they're seeing a lot more patients than they anticipated," he said.The VA's contradictory estimates on PTSD surfaced in February. Prior to a Capitol Hill budget hearing, the agency replied to written questions from Rep. Lane Evans of Illinois, ranking Democrat on the House VA panel. Asked about the need for mental health services, the VA told Evans that it expected to see 2,900 new cases in fiscal 2006, which began Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30. A week later, the agency issued its latest quarterly report on use of the VA by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The numbers indicated it had diagnosed 4,711 possible cases just from October through December - more in the first three months than it told Evans to expect over the entire fiscal year.But critics said that even if the annual PTSD rate was constant, the number of cases was rising nonetheless. "They continue to downplay the severity and the real size of the problem," said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and a platoon leader during the war. VA officials also had at the time of the February budget hearing a report from the department's Special Committee on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It warned that the VA was unable handle services to new combat veterans as well as survivors of past wars, saying: "We can't do both jobs at once within current resources."Failure on your part to enact a mandatory funding stream is a crucial AMERICAN issue and if it means a repeal of the Bush Tax Cuts then accept the simple fact that the lives of these men and women mean more to this nation than waiting for some mythological pennies to "trickle down" to tax payers. Please note that we are smart enough to realize the political lie when it is stated - Schrade said VA budgeting appears to be on track - and is then quoted that the VA is SEEING A LOT MORE patients than they anticipated ......This time congressional leadership blaming the VA leadership will not work - the problem of funding has been know for a long time well in advance of the current status veterans face.How can anything be on track when in the first three months of a fiscal year you have almost doubled the expected numbers for an entire year. And most predictions indicate it will become far worse than any anticipations or expectations have been provided for in the budgeting process. Hate to upset your mom's apple pie perspective on veteran issues but so far the party in power has failed the veterans even more dismally than the current White House Administration has failed in management of War Policies and Operations.The only band aid that can be now applied is NOT the tourniquet of budget cuts via the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission, but the issuing of actual medical care at whatever levels are needed regardless of costs. If you do not make this happen right now, then I must hold you accountable for the next veteran deaths that occur from not receiving timely and appropriate care. It is also an inexcusable outrage to blame a veteran for misconduct simply because he could not find a way to articulate an actual need for help. The veterans that I know will not only hold you to these deaths but actually blame your willful neglect of facts that clearly indicate the proximity of cause. Your position on both the Defense and Veteran Senate Committees demands that you MUST step forward and actually attempt to not only LEAD your party but FORCE them to do the right thing for all veterans. Cutting the budget is clearly the worst possible solution - UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY WANT MORE VETERANS DEAD SO THAT YOU MAKE A SIMPLE ONE TIME PAY OFF THROUGH THE INSURANCE CLAIMS.If you find this insulting then there is actually some hope that you can find the political courage to do what so desperately needs to be done, RIGHT NOW!Veterans DESERVE to have your answer RIGHT NOW, Sir! And I, for one, demand it! Publish it on your website if that is the easiest form for you to communicate, but we will be watching your actions. Step up and lead your party, sir, and maybe it will survive the George Bush Presidency.Sincerely,

Bad Math the VA Way

The VA is up to it's normal bag of tricks, low balling the amount of veterans that are going to need mental health help. This story at VA Watchdog.org can explain it far better than I can,,, I just gather the vet info into one location that I think will have an impact on veterans and their families lives.
http://www.vawatchdog.org/newsflash/newsflash05-03-2006-6.htm

Taxpayer vs. postal customer

Veterans even affect postage rate excellent article on post office pensions are affected by military service and who should pay the cost the taxpayers or postal customers, hey ain't they the same people? http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0506/050106cdpm1.htm

Send Terry Stulce to DC

Terry Stulce showed me tonite why he should go to Congress from Tennessee, I am a disabled veteran from Columbia South Carolina, who got into a KOS Blog Chat with Terry on Sunday night, while he was looking for supporters online at KOS.

He asked me to send him the information about my "issue" to his campaign site, which I gladly complied with. He read it and called me this evening, and spent over 30 minutes discussing the issue with me, asking questions, trying to learn about the problem, and why it couldn't be solved thru the current Congressional representatives.

I explained the extent of the contacts I have made in the past four years, Congressmen, Senators, Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney, President Bush, newspapers and yet no one does anything about 10,000, dead and disabled Cold War test veterans.

A recent medical study by the IOM has shown that of the 7120 men of Edgewood Arsenal's Chemical Weapons and drug tests, that 40% are dead 2098 men and that 54% of the 4022 survivors are disabled another 2200 men. The data was gathered in FY 2000 and published in March 2003, which tells me DOD knew the data before the publication date, as they funded the data gathering. The NAS/IOM also has the names and addresses of the 7120 men used in the illegal experiments, (another presidential signing statement at work) and will release the names and addresses to the Veterans Affairs as soon as the Department of Defense authorizes it. (can we say when pigs learn to fly)http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3795/4913/5842.aspx

Terry, listened, when was the last time you had a "politician" listen to you and want to comprehend what you were telling them, without a check in your hand? I didn't have to buy a seat at the table, it was an American problem we were discussing, an issue that effects men and women from every state in the U.S. Not just Tennessee, now to me that is the kind of person we need in Congress working for all of us.

I am not a rich man, I am a disabled veteran, but for Terry I think I can squeeze a hundred out of the budget, we need him in the halls of the Capitol, as a law maker, not a chair warmer like so many are today. I would much rather send honest, leaders, that take the time to listen to the voters, he made me feel important, and that says a lot about him. He made time for me, when was the last time a politician made time for you? He is a leader for all of America, he will do Tennessee 03 proud, the voters there need to make sure he is the person they send to the Beltway to represent them, I don't believe they could do any better.

He is not about the campaign dollar, he is about doing the right thing. He is the type of man that we can all feel good knowing he is there looking out for our interests, and not some corporations bottom line.

I am just a poor disabled veteran and he made time for me, think what he will do for his own voters........I ask you all to send this man five, ten or even 20 dollars anything you can spare, it will be some of the best money you ever put on a horse, and this man is a work horse, a thoroughbred from Tennessee...............

GAO report on Chemical Weapons Defense

http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d06592high.pdf

This is a summary of the report, it does have a link to the full report, given the state of the world, this may become a very real threat, being a victim of chemical weapon and drug testing in the mid 1970's I take a very strong interest in this subject, and other related matters, the men I served with have a 74.43% death and disability rate, chemical weapons are dangerous and need the proper respect, any nation that uses them in a combat situation, needs to be held accountable for their use, it should be illegal world wide and nations that do not agree to this doctrine need to be treated appropriately.

Chemical weapons suck........................

Open Letter to the Disabled American Veterans and their members( DAV)

Disabled American VeteransATTN: Mr. David W. GormanExecutive DirectorDisabled American VeteransWashingtonSUBJECT: Use of Official Position in Political CommunicationsDear Sir,I will begin by quoting a published account of your statement regarding the character of Mr. Principi:" LETTERSVA contractor and its chairmanApril 28, 2006Re "VA Contracts Go to Ex-Chief's Company," April 23The Disabled American Veterans organization has intimate knowledge of the role of medical services company QTC Management Inc. in the disability evaluation process, and it has found no serious problems associated with the work the firm has performed for more than eight years. It has been our experience that QTC and its chairman, Anthony Principi, have consistently adhered to the highest ethical standards.Principi's service as secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs was marked by his commitment to this nation's servicemen and women. He has always upheld the highest standards of his office, and no one on either side of the aisle in Congress has questioned his integrity and 100% commitment to serving veterans.DAVID W. GORMANExecutive DirectorDisabled American VeteransWashington "This above letter was published at the following web site:http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-lew- principi28apr28,1,2103298.story?coll=lanewscomment&ctrack=1&cset=trueso there is a reasonable expectation that it is accurate.I have a SEVERE problem with any official of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) who would speak out on behalf of a former Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) who is now simply cashing in on his "alleged" expertise, and leading the veterans down a disingenuous pathway to a state of private care that the future veterans will eventually be forced to pay from their own meager disability awards or pensions. This has to be one of the biggest sweetheart deals of this or the last century for former VA Secretary. Anthony Principi has been responsible for the abuse of so many veterans in the claims process alone that he should be indicted - not praised as if he were somehow honorable, and deserving of any respect. The fact that you would spout off in this manner makes me question whether or not the leadership of the DAV has my interests seriously at heart, or is simply trying to suck up to the current political figures. I must also question why an organization that is so acutely tuned to not making any statements that can be considered political will allow one of its highest ranking officials to intervene in another political food fight with praise for a former government official who is simply being taken to task for the huge projected expenses that he will obtain. Additionally, these services will obviously provide tremendous personal benefits to Mr. Principi. On the face of it, sir, even though political party affiliations are not mentioned, you have entered political operations at the highest levels when you signed your statement as the Executive Director of the Disabled American Veterans. Plus your opening sentences are endorsements that go far beyond the pale of non-partisanship. In fact, one could almost infer you believe that the QTC Management, Inc. organization is even better qualified to handle veteran issues than the current staff of government employees. Well, that really is a fine hello for all the subordinate National Service Officers to contend with as they represent the individual veterans at various levels in the claims process. The State Commander of the South Dakota DAV has usually declined to even publish my written opinions because I do not hesitate to define the political parties by name. And, if you accept the current error rate made by the QTC Management, Inc personnel in medical evaluations as not worthy of consideration, then you ARE part of the problem.This deserves an immediate response from you sir, and should be published in the DAV magazine. Perhaps then you could also justify why the spending of an estimated 1.2 Billion Dollars on overcharged services from the QTC Management, Inc. is in anyway shape or form serving the interests of veterans. My God, sir, the staffing shortages in medical specialities alone could be immediately corrected with that kind of funding made available throughout the various hospitals across our nation.Next, there is absolutely no way to currently determine the actual validity of any evaluation conducted by a corporation that is so obviously linked to serve the benefit of NOT the veterans, but INSTEAD the governmental agency that in normal operations wrongly denies, delays, or even has employees lie to cheat a veteran from his claim. The VA lawyers that were convicted in federal court cases went to prison under Principi's reign. GET REAL, sir, do you really expect us to believe that this corporation will actually do anything that helps a veteran in his claims for disability compensation.I can only assume that if there is not an immediate response to this, then you have in essence told every single member of the DAV to go sit in the corner, and be content with what you have been given. If that is the case then you can expect my lifetime membership card returned with a complete sense of outrage that this organization is being led by people who will actually betray its very own disabled membership.Sincerely,SIGNATURE SENT

Letter to Veterans Disability Commission

General Scott and fellow Committee Members, I admit you have a daunting task before you, and I ask that you consider the fact that SSD is based on payroll taxes, it is not a gift from a grateful nation. For that matter neither is VA compensation, it is to compensate a service member for injuries or medical conditions caused by their military service to this nation.

The average SSD check is 850.00 dollars a month, VA compensation for a 100% disabled vet with a wife and a child is 2626.00 a month at this time, for a total of 3476.00 a month or $41,4712 dollars a year. Many of the disabled veterans require help around the house and that prevents the spouse from working or the need to hire an assistant for the veteran.

While 41 thousand a year sounds like a grand sum, for those of us with mortgages, car payments, teen agers in school and life's other events like electricity, gas, insurance, food, clothes and the rest of life's expenditure's, it gives us a decent life, maybe once in awhile if you save, you can take the family to Disney World every few years. But no disabled veterans are accumulating any great wealth off of this.

In comparison, the victims of the WTC and The Pentagon bombings received multi-million dollar settlements, and many of them are suing for more from the Airlines, the building insurance companies, and anyone else with deep pockets. How does that compare to the SSD and the VA compensation these proud veterans and their families receive?

If you go thru with this plan to find a way to create off sets, are you going to grandfather the people already that have their budgets set to their income, or are you going to destroy the lives of totally disabled veterans and their families, haven't they sacrificed enough with their health, and their quality of life, now that you feel the need to upset their lives, while you "review" their future compensation. If you are only going to stick it to the "new disabled veterans" can you make that fact known, if not, let a few commit suicide while you play your investigations out, the PTSD review of the past few years should have taught you how disabled veterans especially those totally disabled with PTSD react. Is your review worth a few more lives?

I hate to say but this reminds me of General MacArthur and the Bonus Marchers of WW1, the only thing missing is the fires of the shanty homes on the Mall.
/s/
Michael G Bailey

Why Military and vets need to vote Democrat in 06

Over the week end I published the first draft on why military and veterans and their families need to vote for Democrats. Some news over the week-end makes it more important now than it did when I first wrote the diary.
The Veterans Disability Commission received permission to "look at" disabled veterans that receive Spcial Security Disability and compare it with the Veteran Affairs compensation they receive when they become disabled by military service, no one is saying if they intend to have a grand father clause or not, or if they plan to implement it across the board on veterans and their families already receiving it. Think of the nightmare that would create with family budgets. Is this "comapssionate conservatism" if it is I don't need it or want it and I definately can't afford it. Can other veterans and their families?

Why you should vote Democrat in 2006 and 2008, I never thought I would be saying those words myself. I am a military man, through and through.. I joined the Army at age 18 in 1973, I served this nation from the Vietnam War era, served on the DMZ in South Korea, armed combat patrols, border incidents.I went to Germany and saw the Cold War up close and personal, the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the feeling of impending doom from the Soviet Union. I left the Army in 1982 after helping to establish this nation's desert warfare training center at National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.
I joined the National Guard and wrangled my way into a unit that was being activated for Desert Storm and went off to practice my profession, one last time, war. This is what an Infantry NCO trains for, to keep his troops alive thru combat, bring them home alive, write as few a letters home to greiving parents and wives as possible. I believed in General Patton's credo, "don't bleed for your country, make the other guy bleed for his". Honestly military types have the tendency to vote Republican, because they talk the talk, but the past five years have shown us they are "spinning the veterans and the active duty military" and here is how and where:
1. We can't financially afford to vote for Republicans, our families will suffer if we do
2. The federal government (Bush and friends) have empaneled a Veterans Disability Review Commission, the report is due out in February 2007, after the mid-term elections, are they that afraid of the recommendations? Some of the idea's being floated already are a complete review of PTSD, the awards, the percentages paid and if compensation is being paid at the appropriate level (usually means cuts are coming B) They are studying the idea of off setting your potential Social Security Disability payments against your Veterans Disability compensation payments (translation is if you are wounded in action or medically harmed on active duty, they want you to pay whatever your Social Security Disability Insurance payments, insurance for which you paid into with payroll payments, against your compensation from the VA for wounds you receive in combat or training, excuse me do republicans really think a service member is going to get rich off VA and SSD compensation? Compare it to the multi-million dollar settlements the same republicans gave to the victims families of the Twin Towers, does it even appear fair? Hell no. Let's be honest none of us joined the military to get well compensated for being blown up, shot or mentally destroyed, where and who is being asked to sacrifice, you and your family, again, why?
3. You were sent to war by men who say things like "you go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you want" excuse me, Afghanistan and the Taliban were a war that was necessary payback for 9/11, the move to Iraq was the Republicans agenda item, a want to, not a need to, all the pretenses for going have been destroyed by facts. You were sent to war on the basis that he had to go because Saddam "gassed his own people" by a group of men who are no better, they ordered the use of chemical weapons and illicit drugs on enlisted soldiers in 1974 and 1975 while members of the Ford White House,. Donald Rumsfeld was both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of Defense, and Dick Cheney was his successor as Chief of Staff, both positions had the need to know and approve of the continuation of the "human experiments" that violated the Nuremberg Codes of 1947. Congress forced the tests to end in 1976. President Ford ordered the end to them, they did not stop them because they were wrong, they stopped when they got ratted out. http://www.nap.edu/....
4. These men used in the tests by the DOD and the CIA were found to be dead and disabled at a 75% rate in a March 2003 IOM report paid for by DOD, 2098 men dead and 2200 disabled http://www.iom.edu/.... , since March 2003 the DOD and the VA have not found or addressed one soldiers or their widows claims for veterans benefits.These are the republicans that keep telling you "A Promise Made Is A Promise Kept" ask the Edgewood Test vets about the "promise"....
5. Here is a manual wrote by the VA in October 2003 that shows the extent of the tests and the known medical problems on pages 13 and 14, pages 33 and 38 show there are no known tests to determine exposures, months later let alone 3-5 deacdes later. Yet on April 3 2006 http://www.vawatchdog.org/.... a VA spokesman said when and if any of these veterans were hurt in the tests they needed to be examined and tested to see if they were exposed, WTF, a contadiction in known facts, the manual says there are no tests. What and how are they going to treat your exposures to DU from the new battlefields of the Middle East. How come almost 70% of Desert Storm veterans are drawing VA compensation, yet the VA and DOD say there are no known medical problems from the First Gulf War. This administration's credibility sucks on veterans health issues, and your families future is riding on these people's policies.
6. Caring for Veterans on the cheap http://www.tomdispatch.com/.... shows that in the past 14 months that the government has treated 144,424 service members or their family members for wounds or mental issues related to deployments, over 200,000 anxiety or anti-depressants have been filled, some by soldiers being sent back to combat, Prozac warriors, makes you question life in service.
7. The current administrations policies have led to lowered recruiting standards to fill the ranks, yes the service has a lot, a tremendous amount of willing committed patriots, but standing next to these fine men and women are some people who in better times would not be there with you. They are now approving plans to recall retirees back to active duty, in a national emergency, they have always had that authority, but with the new rules, they can activate the critics of the current policies and then under the UCMJ prosecute you for further statements, go ahead speak your mind then, you might find your retirement pay reduced after your last tour of duty, the thanks from a "grateful nation", remember back on active duty, you no longer have "free speech" insubordination is a real charge and has severe financial consequences, again affecting your family.
8. Bottom line voting republican is now harmful to your health, financial security, and the happiness of your family. Can you really afford to vote republican again? I encourage you and your family members to talk to their relatives and explain this or hand them a copy of this, and ask them to vote their heart and their conscience, anyone but a republican gets my vote in the next election cycle, my family is depending on it......a disabled vet
9. Bottom line is you just can't afford to vote republican, your wallet can't stand it

Poll
how should military types vote
get family and friends to vote (democratic)
33%
don't say anything and vote to stay (republican)
0%
be true Americans and vote right
0%
vote their wallets every one else does
0%
give me one good reason to vote republican ( can't can you)
66%
going to listen to Mr Dopey (rush the addict)
0%
Votes: 3
Results

Canada's "test vets"

Canada is ahead of the United States in recognizing their "test vets" they have provided a compensation program, but it appears that the veterans or their surviving family members have not signed up for, it, Like the US, the Canadians are waiting for the veterans or families to find them, they are not going to look for or go thru the records and find out who deserves to be compensated, and the program has apparently now been as successful as some had hoped.

The difference is at least our friends north of the border have done something about it, that is more than Congress or DOD can claim here in America.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060430/mustard_gas_060430/20060430?hub=Canada

Outside the Beltway: Blogs and their uses

Vet Commission get OK to review SSD

In an unprecedented decision Congress has okayed the review of Social Security Disability benefits by the Veterans Disability Commission who is supposed to be reviewing Veterans Benefits, there are some on the committee who feel a disabled veteran getting VA compensation and SSD are being overpaid for being disabled in the line of duty to this nation.

They forget that VA compensation is a payment for two reasons, to compensate you for being HURT, the other is to offset your diminished earning potential. As most of the military view it as the "Promise" of a grateful nation. To then look at SSD as a government give away, it is like any other job, you pay the money every payday, if you never need the disability portion of it, you have still paid the premium every payday, just like life insurance, if you NEED it. Hopefully none of us will, but obviously some do, that is why it was created back in the 60's. For those of you who do not know it, SSD was not part of the orginal plan, it was added in the early 1960's.

The major factor here is, that you pay for that insurance, to ensure your family will have some money in case of disability, does anyone believe that an injured soldier who is getting SSD and VA compensation is getting rich off the combined incomes? No, they can have a comfortable life, but it is not a silver spoon existence. Many disabled veterans require enough care around the home, that their spouses can not work, thus depriving the family of that income, where is the government's responsibility in that arena? Would it be better to break the family up and place the veteran in a nursing home? I doubt it, where is the compassion in that?

The average SSD check is what 850.00 dollars a month, a totally disabled veteran with a wife and one child gets the grand sum of 2626.00 every month. 3476.00 a month, this is for a totally disabled man, less than 40,000 a year, yes it sounds like a great amount of money, and yes a family can live decent off that income, do not our veteran families deserve any less, they suffered while their loved one was off to defend this nation, and then were harmed.

Where was the out cry when this nation compensated the families of the victims of the WTC on 9/11, that cost billions, at once, veterans compensation is paid out over decades, there is no veterans family getting a multi-million dollar settlement. Speaking of settlements, when an employee gets hurt at work, there is worker's compensation, most employee's get a lawyer and sue the company and obtain a large settlement, the veterans do not have that option, nor can their families, you take what the government gives you, and most are grateful.
They understand that the life of a soldier has potential costs, how can they not, that is one reason the nation is having a hard time finding Army and Marine recruits, it's a very dangerous job, expecially in WAR time.

The Veterans Disability Commission is called a bi-partisan committee, it has 9 republican appointed members and 5 democrat appointed members, how "fair and balanced" is that? But to give these men credit, they do appear to be honorable men, the republicans have cracks in their ranks, some of them do not approve of the direction this is veering and have voted to oppose it. The vote on proceeding with the SSD investigation comes on May 19th 2006. Write the veterans commission at veterans@vetscommission.intranets.com and let them know your opinion of what they are attempting to do, write and call your Congress critters and Senators and let them know your feelings on these issues. If we don't speak up now, we have no one to blame later, it is for us, our families and our nation's future, if they do this, who is going to come when they have the next war? The veterans who are already disabled? Why would a sane healthy man join the military for these options of dying as broke and as penniless that a grateful nation can leave you and your family.

My thanks to Larry Scott at VA Watchdog.org for the article on this issue and all other veteran issues you can find to print, veterans all need to give this man a round of applause, he works tirelessly on our behalf. http://www.vawatchdog.org/old%20newsflashes%20MAY%2006/newsflash05-01-2006-1.htm

Why Veterans and Military Can't afford to Vote republican in 2006

Why you should vote anti-republican in 2006 and 2008, I never thought I would be saying those words myself. I am a military man, thru and thru, I joined the Army at age 18 in 1973, I served this nation from the Vietnam War era, served on the DMZ in South Korea, armed combat patrols, border incidents.I went to Germany and saw the Cold War up close and personal, the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the feeling of impending doom from the Soviet Union. I left the Army in 1982 after helping establish this nation's desert warfare training center at NTC Fort Irwin.

I joined the National Guard and wrangled my way into a unit that was being activated for Desert Storm and went off to practice my profession, one last time, war. This is what an Infantry NCO trains for, to keep his troops alive thru combat, bring them home alive, write as few a letters home to greiving parents and wives as possible. I believed in General Patton's credo, "don't bleed for your country, make the other guy bleed for his" This is normally a republican thought process, not so fast, here is why military members and veterans and their families should vote anti-republican this election cycle, we have to we can't afford to vote against our families needs.
1. We can't financially afford to vote for Republicans, our families will suffer if we do
2. The federal government (Bush and friends) have empaneled a Veterans Disability Review Commission, the report is due out in February 2007, after the mid-term elections, are they that afraid of the recommendations? Some of the idea's being floated already are a complete review of PTSD, the awards, the percentages paid and if compensation is being paid at the appropriate level (usually means cuts are coming B) They are studying the idea of off setting your potential Social Security Disability payments against your Veterans Disability compensation payments (translation is if you are wounded in action or medically harmed on active duty, they want you to pay whatever your Social Security Disability Insurance payments, insurance for which you paid into with payroll payments, against your compensation from the VA for wounds you receive in combat or training, excuse me do republicans really think a service member is going to get rich off VA and SSD compensation? Compare it to the multi-million dollar settlements the same republicans gave to the victims families of the Twin Towers, does it even appear fair? Hell no. Let's be honest none of us joined the military to get well compensated for being blown up, shot or mentally destroyed, where and who is being asked to sacrifice, you and your family, again, why?
3. You were sent to war by men who say things like "you go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you want" excuse me, Afghanistan and the Taliban were a war that was necessary payback for 9/11, the move to Iraq was the Republicans agenda item, a want to, not a need to, all the pretenses for going have been destroyed by facts. You were sent to war on the basis that he had to go because Saddam "gassed his own people" by a group of men who are no better, they ordered the use of chemical weapons and illicit drugs on enlisted soldiers in 1974 and 1975 while members of the Ford White House,. Donald Rumsfeld was both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of Defense, and Dick Cheney was his successor as Chief of Staff, both positions had the need to know and approve of the continuation of the "human experiments" that violated the Nuremberg Codes of 1947. Congress forced the tests to end in 1976. President Ford ordered the end to them, they did not stop them because they were wrong, they stopped when they got ratted out. http://www.nap.edu/books/030904832X/html/378.html
4. These men used in the tests by the DOD and the CIA were found to be dead and disabled at a 75% rate in a March 2003 IOM report paid for by DOD, 2098 men dead and 2200 disabled http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3795/4913/5842.aspx , since March 2003 the DOD and the VA have not found or addressed one soldiers or their widows claims for veterans benefits.These are the republicans that keep telling you "A Promise Made Is A Promise Kept" ask the Edgewood Test vets about the "promise"....
5. Here is a manual wrote by the VA in October 2003 that shows the extent of the tests and the known medical problems on pages 13 and 14, pages 33 and 38 show there are no known tests to determine exposures, months later let alone 3-5 deacdes later. Yet on April 3 2006 http://www.vawatchdog.org/old%20newsflashes%20APR%2006/newsflash04-03-2006-8.htm a VA spokesman said when and if any of these veterans were hurt in the tests they needed to be examined and tested to see if they were exposed, WTF, a contadiction in known facts, the manual says there are no tests. What and how are they going to treat your exposures to DU from the new battlefields of the Middle East. How come almost 70% of Desert Storm veterans are drawing VA compensation, yet the VA and DOD say there are no known medical problems from the First Gulf War. Credibility sucks, and your families future is riding on these people's policies.
6. Caring for Veterans on the cheap http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?emx=x&pid=80291 shows that in the past 14 months that the government has treated 144,424 service members or their family members for wounds or mental issues related to deployments, over 200,000 anti-anxiety or anti-depressants have been filled, some by soldiers being sent back to combat, Prozac warriors, makes you question life in service.
7. The current administrations policies have led to lowered recruiting standards to fill the ranks, yes the service has a lot, a tremendous amount of willing committed patriots, but standing next to these fine men and women are some people who in better times would not be there with you. They are now approving plans to recall retirees back to active duty, in a national emergency, they have always had that authority, but with the new rules, they can activate the critics of the current policies and then under the UCMJ prosecute you for further statements, go ahead speak your mind then, you might find your retirement pay reduced after your last tour of duty, the thanks from a "grateful nation", remember back on active duty, you no longer have "free speech" insubordination is a real charge and has severe financial consequences, again affecting your family.
8. Bottom line voting republican is now harmful to your health, financial security, and the happiness of your family. Can you really afford to vote republican again? I encourage you and your family members to talk to their relatives and explain this or hand them a copy of this, and ask them to vote their heart and their conscience, anyone but a republican gets my vote in the next election cycle, my family is depending on it......a disabled vet
9. Bottom line is you just can't afford to vote republican, your wallet can't stand it

Blogs and their uses

I have been blogging now for almost two years, and I am constantly learning new things, like I really need spell check, the residuals of a stroke leave you wishing for the good old days, but hey in the good old days we didn't even have computers let alone the internet. I still remember transistor radio's that would not fit in your pocket, you needed a desk for them. Wolfman Jack, that nasty old new music they called it "Rock and Roll" god did my parents hate the Beatle's and Hermans Hermits, don;t even get them started on the Rolling Stones lol, sometimes the good old days are not what people make them out to be, they were just a different day.

Bare with me as I learn to change titles

This is a new venue for me and as times goes along I will learn how to change the posts titles and other interesting thigs to do with this. I write to vent and to share my ideas, I realize not everyone will agree with them, but tell me why, let us have an exchange of idea's and maybe all who read these msuings can grow. I am 50 now, and when I quit learning it will be when I have stopped breathing........ Mike

Why Do We Become Political

Why do we become political: Many of you have come to know me over the past few months, some of you read it for the points of views from a veteran, about the way our federal government really "cares" for the soldiers and veterans.
Then you found out I do have a few other passions that I as an American care about, our National Parks, who our elected officials should be, that I don't care for "American Idol" type democrats anymore than I do for "brain dead" republicans. Politics demand statesman, not photo ops, we need real leaders with real answers to real problems....

This country has become MORE divided now than at any point in the Vietnam war period, the hatred both both sides is bad, there is no common ground.
The only issue that appears to consolidate American's is border control, then there comes the problem with undocumented workers, even Caeser Chavez, the great farm worker of the 60's and 70's protested against "illegal" workers hurting his Farm Workers. All of us that are old enough to rember the "Grape Boycott" it was the same issue, that is before us again, undocumented workers.
The misuse of our nations military, and the refusal of this administration to admit it's shortcomings, Condi attempted to and Rummy slapped her down, with impunity, does this mean W likes Rummy better than Condi? Come on George fess up, does Laura know?
The refusal to fully fund the VA, and letting the veterans wait for Doctor appointments, at twice the percentage as last year. Yup, they really know how to care for our veterans, just ask any vet how well taken care of they feel.
Why are there 825,000 veteran claims on appeal within the VA system, and the federal government is reducing the number of employees to handle these appeals?
The federal deficits, have doubled in this administration, it took 42 Presidents to get us 4 trillion in debt, it has taken W just 5 years to get us to a debt ceiling of 9 trillion, way to go George, our great great grandchildren will still be paying this debt.
In the meantime you threw the middle class a bone and gave them 600 dollars in trade for reducing your rich friends tax liabilities and took us to a war, that was supposed to cost 1 billion, your underlings even fired the staff member that suggested the war might cost as much as 100 billion, as the facts now show us even he was wrong, by 200 billion, who should get fired now George? Rove maybe?
Then there is my newest pet peeve, the deal with Showtime and the Smithsonian, and the refusal to release the contracts due to confidentiality agreements, George the Smithsonian belongs to all Americans, from Maine, tp Florida, to Califonia to Washington State, Alaska, and Hawaii, it isn't the Republicans to sell, it wasn't a Wall Street company. What's next the National Monuments? Are we going to have to pay to see the Washington Monument, Abe, Jefferon Memorial, Grants Tomb, Mount Rushmore etc, you all get the point.
Where does the Congress finally get the back bone to say "We are mad as hell and we aren't going to take it anymore" it shouldn;t matter if they are Democrat or Republican, this is wrong, has been wrong and elected officials are accountable to all Americans, not just Democrats or Republicans.
You were elected to lead, either do it, or get the hell out of the way and let someone else do it......