Comments on: Your Voice: Military Malpractice Case

CBS News Viewers React To The Haunting Story Of One Marine's Misdiagnosed Cancer

[snowball122]

This is a tragic loss.To learn more about the short comings of military health care see groups.yahoo.com/groups/mrgrg-ms

[okiefromalva]

When I was in the army (a long time ago) the saying about the military was "You play ball with us and we''ll shove the bat up your you-know-what." I guess things are pretty much the same now.

[swcoasty]

It is not fair to single out a few people from the military and veterans health system and make such a big story out of it. If you look real hard , I am sure that the same thing is going on in the civilian health care system as well. I am a disabled vet and if It wasen''t for the outstanding care that I have been given in by the VA that I wouldn''t be here now. I get the very best care that anybody could ask for thanks to the Togus VA in Augusta Maine. Sometimes it is unfortunate that some people fall through the cracks, rather they didn''t go through the right channels or somebody make a mistake in jugement but that is no sign that the whole system should be punished for it. After all these doctors and medics are still just people and make mistakes just like everybody else.

[rynall]

Having worked for the military for 20 years, I have some insight. Military doctors have always been looked at as less than ethical, reliable or intelligent. They are perceived as joining because they have no office overhead and don''t have to pay malpractice insurance. God bless this family. I have a son in the Marines who happened to know this member. I pray for all our military and for this family.

[boscoe62]

Dear Rodriguez Family,
My heart broke the night your story aired. I also lost my father (a WWII Prisoner-of-War for 463 days) to misdiagnosed cancer. My father did not get his benefits or purple heart for almost sixty years after he came home from the war. I was blessed to have had my father longer than Carmelo''s son. That child should receive 100% benefits for his father''s courage and the fighting he did for our country and for his own life. Carmelo gave his life for this country, the least our country could do is provide an education and insurance for his son.
I, too, will write letters to insist that the Feres Doctrine be thrown in the trash!! Our government should be ashamed of the way they treat the young men and women who risk everything to provide freedom for those of us at home. Instead of giving raises in Washington we need to support our troops!!!
May God bless your family. You are in my prayers.
Boscoe62

[sunset10000]

Demoralizing our docs is the admist of already poor job satisfaction and them looking at other career options is not right. They do the best they can but we don''t live in a perfect world. What happened is certainly unfortunate and I feel for the family.

But, also consider what happens to docs serving in the field and who have to triage numerous patients. Opening them up to an already lawsuit triggered society would make their jobs very difficult and not worth the already high lawsuit risks.

[maygodbless]

TO THE RODRIGUEZ FAMILY: I just want you to know that Carmelo is with JESUS. My heart goes out to you and your family. May God Bless the son of this Great Marine. Since I have seen this story on CBS my heart is heavy. What a hansome and blessed Man. I have contacted Senator Obama''s office on this issue and I have requested that they watch this story. May God Bless you and my heart and prayers are with you. :-)

[twotiger-2009]

They track down children and women abusers. Animal%u2019s abusers are also dealt with when discovered. We have discovered a GREAT ABUSER. Society has honed and focused itself to deal with these gross crimes against mankind and animals. It is evident that the Washington DC infrastructure lends itself to attract people who are TRULY insensitive to abuses of people and animals. They think that they are above the law and expect the rest of society to follow laws they don''t have to. Is it time for the American people to let them know they are not above the laws of humanity? People make the government; make the people in Washington be responsible.

A minimal financial solution would be to have the American people place into law that everyone (without exception) in Washington DC or state politics, including lobbyists, and their families must have their health issues checked out by the Veteran''s Hospital doctors. Having personal doctors or services from outside Veteran''s hospital or labs should be "out of plan" and must require personal financial obligations.

It seems that people in positions of responsibilities can%u2019t be depended on for some things. Perhaps petitions and referendums are in order.

A side benefit to passing such a law might produce mass exiting of lobbyists (there are more lobbyists than legislators) and somewhat diminishing number of earmarks.

[kylw48]

My Sympathy goes to the the Sgt.''s Family. My Little Brother is a Marine and im a former MisDiagnosed Air Force member. This Deeply saddens me. Words cant explain the way this makes me feel but also makes me wonder if any of the canidates running for presidency will even make an issue of this? it has been goning on for so long its just ashame that it took the life of such a young full of life man for truth to finally see the light!

[js7062]

As a Mother of a son that is severing second tour of
Iraq I was so outraged to see that this young men death was not honored or repected the way it should of been. After all I did put his life on the line for all of us to have all the freedom and he did it with HONOR how could the Government do this to him, and his family. He is a Hero God Bless you Sgt. Carmelo Rodriguez.