Comments on: Is The Military Neglecting PTSD Troops?

Veterans' Advocates Say Ignoring Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Is A Military-Wide Problem

[coolprophet]

MORE TROOPS AND VETERANS SUPPORT RON PAUL
On Veteran''s Day, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul today addressed a crowd of over 5,000 enthusiastic veterans and supporters in Philadelphia. The Veteran''s Day weekend rally took place at Independence Mall. Thousands of veterans and their friends and families heard country music superstar Rockie Lynne open the event for the Texas congressman. John Holland, the founder of a leading advocacy organization for troops, veterans, and POW/MIAs, delivered an enthusiastic endorsement of Congressman Paul, before the congressman addressed the crowd. The rally coincided with the launch of the Veterans for Paul Coalition, a group composed entirely of American war veterans. "Dr. Paul''s support among veterans is extremely high," said Paul campaign spokesman Joe Seehusen. "These great patriots who have fought for our country know that only Dr. Paul''s foreign policy of peace and secure borders can guarantee true national security, and they want him fighting for our country''s freedom." Congressman Paul was himself a Captain in the Air Force who served as a flight surgeon during the "totally unnecessary and illegal" Vietnam war. He receives more campaign contributions from former and active military and military affiliates than any other 2008 presidential candidate. youtube.com/watch?v=KzlqKoON3EM

[pammywilson]

My family and i would like to thank Kimberly Dozier, Katie Couric and the staff at CBS Evening News for reporting this story. My family and i are eternally grateful for all the support you have given us during a very difficult time in Saunders "Shawn" Alston life.

Respectfully yours,
His mother.... Pamela Alston-Wilson

[woodjd42]

krazyarm
( Any Country that put its veterans as secound class citezens is DOOMED to lose their soverinty )
Although I agree with this I would like to add something.
Niccolo Machiavelli was misrepresentated and condemned by Pope Clement VIII because of his writing "The Prince". The main theme of this short book was that all means may be resorted to for the establishment and preservation of authority. (The end justifies the means) The worst and most treacherous acts of the ruler are justified by the wickedness and treachery of the governed. However this was not Machiavelli''s real philosophy. To read his real philosophy read "Discourses on Livy"
He was great however.

[liberalvet]

What a disgrace our VA is. While I firmly believe GWB has made it worse I know for a fact it has always been bad. I applied for PTSD after service in Somalia and was denied, luckily I had a loving and understanding family that helped me learn to live with it. I did get a 10% disability for a skin disease I contracted from there, but after 1 year they denied it stating it was not service related. I just gave up the appeals as they were going no where. The VA needs a complete overhaul.

[krazyarm]

Niccolo Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469 in Florence, Italy. Machiavelli was a political philosopher and diplomat during the Renaissance, and is most famous for his political treatise, The Prince (1513), that has become a cornerstone of modern political philosophy. In the book Prince he writes: ( Any Country that put its veterans as secound class citezens is DOOMED to lose their soverinty ) Pay heed to this advise AMERICA the Uninted States of America is NOT treating her Veterans right and will pay a price for this neglect.

[lvdragonlady-2009]

The military ignored PTSD in Vietnam vets and they are doing it again. So what is the surprise. They want people to serve but they get NO help when they return. So much for the greatest nation on Earth, we treat our military no better then some third world countries. Shame on your America for letting it happen.

[Bobbyblues]

As a member of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association, I have found that not just PTSD benefits differ, also where you were stationed has a lot to do with benefits.
I served on a ship off shore. At times our ship came under fire and men lost their lives, but the VA doesn''t consider us eligible for PTSD because were not in a combat area, "boots on the ground".
I have Prostate Cancer, a disease related to exposure to Agent Orange. We took on water to distill for drinking, cooking, and bathing. In that water, was storm water runoff with AO in it. Blue Water Navy Veterans are 10 times more likely to come down with AO related diseases than the solders that served with boots on the ground.
After passing the AO act in 1992, they payed all Vietnam vets who suffered from the diseases related to AO. In 2002, when the Iraq War was in the planning stages, the VA realized that it would be short funded. It started looking for ways to cut cost. One of the ways it found was to deny any vet who did not put boots on the ground, for any claim related to AO. After paying 1000%u2019s of BWN Vets for exposure, they took away their disability pay.
In 2007, The Blue Water Navy Vets won a Court Decision in the "Haas" case that said they were to get the same benefits as other Vietnam Vets that were exposed. The VA appealed that decision and is trying to rewrite the rules. They want to rescind M21-1 in the Federal Register so if they loose in appeal, they can still deny Blue Water Navy Vets.

[woodjd42]

parrot2

I am sorry for the use of the word "majority". It just seems that way to me sometimes. There are so many that say they support the troops but nothing ever gets done. I think that the majority maybe care and feel pitty but never enough to demand change and get things changed. The ones like Texas468 that deal with it every hour of every day are the ones that realy care. For the rest they feel bad at the stories and such but not bad enough to call or write these "on the take goverment people" and demand change.

[texas468]

Thanks woodjd42 for your service as well as your prayers for my husband and all vets. It''s nice when there are nice, level-headed people on these posts every now and then!!!!

[karilynn4]

I think its sad we expect these men and women to go in to combat and give there lives for this country and we repay them by not giving them the help they need and kicking them out of the armed forces with nothing. So to those out there serving your country thank you and I hope things will change