Posted on 04/12/2005 7:25:02 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
They probably won't discharge him until his appeals are exhausted. As a minority and a muslim you know they will bend over backwards to make sure his rights haven't been violated. His attorney's are claiming mental illness. I can easily see gazillions of dollars in treatment.
While my beloved would say I am a know it all, I do not in anyway know all when it comes to our military.
But, from the stand point of being a Vet. I served. When I decided to separate from the military I was given a physical, to make sure my health was alright and I suppose to make sure if there was some reason for a disability that it was documented. Nothing.
I am unaware of a military serving their time, no health issues and still being given full medical after a 4/6 year obligation.
The military offer's excellent insurance for those who separate or serve on Active Duty through their Guard job.
If someone knows more on this I would be most happy to hear, facts are always the best when it comes to these types of discussions.
I am a Vietnam veteran. I have seen a big improvement in the VA hospitals over the years. While I may not want major life saving surgery done by the VA, for routine care and prescriptions they do a very good job. For homeless and PTSD treatments, there is no affordable alternative provider than the VA.
I am just starting to read the new book "The Bonus Army" by Paul Dickson and Thomas B. Allen. In the frontispiece (?) there is a quote by outgoing VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi alluding to the Bonus Army marchers:
"History is littered with governments destabilized by masses of veterans who believed that they had been taken for fools by a society that grew rich and fat at the expense of their hardship and suffering."
Republicans would be wise to give veterans every consideration to resume their re-entry into civilian society, and to provide adequately for the survivors of the fallen. this is a policy set forth by President Lincoln.
The Democrats will seek to divide the veterans over the issue of benefit cuts (real or imagined.) Why should Republicans play into the Democratic strategy to win back the veterans vote? It's just plain dumb stategy.
Our severely disabled veterans of all wars should receive everything that they need to live productive lives.
When this hunk of garbage gets straped down on the table, he will be in the same sack with McVey (sp?). By this time he will have had his courts-Martial remove all benneys and not be authorized anything except a sterile needle. No Pay, No nuttin!
Vets who don't serve to retirement and are not recognized as having a service-related disability do not get health care for life. Maybe they get to use the pharmacy, from what you say, but that's a far cry from full health care.
What I find most interesting on Free Republic are the comments I receive when I post threads on the Military VA benefits.
Some have had the hoot spa to say that you should serve and not expect anything from our great county. This way of service is the only honorable way to serve our country. I say horse pucky.
Other's say, that military folks are not entitled to anything. They say point it out, where did the military say they would do XYZ?
Other's do not want their tax dollars going to those who served to help with the medical care, perhaps injured as a result of defending our country.
There are many other classic's but I am getting depressed just recalling them.
I must though say that there are many like you, and other's who tend to side with me, that we owe our lives to these fine men and women. That they were willing to give their lives and some the ultimate gift, to ensure that another 9/11 will never happen again. It is an all volunteer military. I get that. If they want a better paying job go somewhere else.
That if you join and take the GI Bill, then you are some type of liberal couch potato taking the chips from someone sitting in front of the boob tube watching that stuff like baseball while our troops are in Iraq.
So, hell yes, they deserve a GI Bill. I want them to better themselves once they have the chance. The military is not a hand out, it is a career for some and for other a stepping stone to something else. In the end, we owe them and we owe them big time.
Let's step up to the plate. Fight for their increase pay. Fight for our retiree's who have served in battles of past, to get the best medical care available.
To make sure each and every living Veteran injured in service to our country receives the best medical care.
Is that asking to much ... maybe ... but if any country can step up to the plate I am pretty certain the US can.
Sorry for the frustrating babble, it is a topic I feel passionately about.
They do not get it for free unless they have a service connected disability. Even if you have a service connected disability say for a bad back, if you are treated for say diabetes that is not connected with the disability you have to pay a co-pay. They are trying to get only the disabled to go to the VA because they are being inundated by people that have health insurance,but go to the VA instead. It was a nightmare around flu shot time especially at the Palm Beach County Va.
No, I think we should just demonize Steve Buyer and President Bush because the writer of this hatchet job says they're bad people.
Pardon my hoot spa, but, until 1996, only vets with service-connected disabilities were eligible for treatment in VA hospitals. That means that the vast majority of WWWI vets, many, perhaps most, WWWII vets and some Korea and Vietnam vets were not eligible for treatment until 1996. Were they being disrespected by America? GI's were promised some benefits (education assistance and Civil Service preference, for example) under the GI Bill, but not free or even partially-subsidized healthcare unless they had a service-related disability.
By the way, my father was wounded at Anzio and received a 10% disability payment from the VA for the rest of his life. He also developed skin cancer from sun burns he received in North Africa and was operated on in a VA hospital in Augusta, GA, in 1953. I support the VA's treatment of vets with service-connected disabilities. I just do not think that those without service-connected disabilities have an equal right to access at VA hospitals.
Kenneth Daves, MSGT, USAF (Ret.)
Unfortunately what is developing now under GOP leadership [ousting Smith] amounts to ... those on active duty are heros but veterans are a cost.
Stupid question, but which do you fear getting the nom. more
Hillary, Kerry or Gore. All might be running. What an odd group of candidates the Democrats will have next time. Half of them are leftovers from 2004.
You're right. Hillary's on the Armed Services, and I'd add Kerry, since he just got some legislation passed for veterans. Both are in a position to capitalize on this slip up.
Gore, I don't know. I have trouble taking him seriously. But I think we need to take both Hillary or Kerry seriously.
To answer my own question, Anybody but Hillary, even Kerry.
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