We owe the war veterans forever! It amazes me how an American man or woman can be asked to serve their country to whatever extent necessary -- to risk or even give their life for the service of country -- and then be pushed aside and apparently forgotten because he/she is of no further use.
What is even more amazing is that many of these warriors will say they would do it again for the service of their country if called upon. How should we repay this gallantry? I feel American citizens should never compromise anything for these heroes. For God's sake, can you imagine where this country would be if not for the willingness of these soldiers?
I believe if a soldier is wounded in battle, we owe them the best medical treatment available, and only by the best facilities, and paid for 100 percent without restrictions by an appreciative nation. They should not be shuttled about or made to find their own way for their treatments.
We also owe them vocational retraining, continued education, housing and any additional care they may need for the remainder of their compromised lives.
How do we pay for this commitment to the wounded veterans? Simple: Eliminate unmerited support of any type to people in this country who do not contribute to our society or whom are here illegally.
Our failure to support our American patriots for as long as necessary spits in the eye of the values they actually stand for. Loyal Americans should hold our leaders accountable to these heroes. We should stand firm and say: No, you will not mistreat these individuals who were willing to serve without compromise and risk their lives so that we could continue to live in and enjoy a free nation.
Ernie McFerrin
North Augusta, S.C.
When did you server Justus? Where do you get your info about being left out in the cold? Personally I don't know anyone who served honorably that expects the government to take care of them forever.....they were trained to take care of themselves and prefer it that way........that's most of the soldiers I know, anyway. Why am I bothering.......Justus never answers questions.........too much of a coward.......clearly never served.
southernguy08 - first, thanks for your service. Second, when I joined the Army we were told that we were to have a certain level of benefits upon retirement. It was never in writing in any contract but it was told to us and understood. And although Congress has changed the promises over and over again I would still do it again. I do believe that veterans who have become handicapped due to an injury in war should be given the best treatment and rehabilitation available at our expense. When I was growing up and for the first half of my military career most Congressmen and Senators had served in the military and knew how much the promises meant and gave an even shake to veterans. Now a very small minority of those same bodies have served and most of the rest don't really understand or in some cases even care.
Veterans and military personnel already have the best Socialized Medicine in the world. All Veterans must once again have access to the VA health care system. Thanks of a grateful nation.
Both the article and justus4 are right. I served on the DMZ in Korea when it was a casualty a day tour, did three and a half tours in VietNam. First, let me say the military health care is unqualifiedly excellent. Of course, there's a BUT: it's excllent but you have to get to it through layers of bureaucrats most of whom have never heard a round fired in anger whose seeming mission in life is to deny benefits. Were promises made? You bet; we were promised free medical and dental care for us and our families for life. The goverrnment reneged, were taken to court, and the court said yes, you WERE promised that, but it wasn't on the contract you signed. Suckers.
So the government has license to renegotiate the rules long after your signature on the dotted line. Like when they dropped dental care. Like when they started charging health care premiums,. Like when they dropped a year of education benefits. Politicians believe --especially liberals -- that nothing is too good for our military; so sometimes we get less than that.
The only way to begin to get a grip on the massive health care needs of veterans is to end the U.S. wars of choice in Iraq and Afghanistan.
JohnRandolphHardisonCain-- DID YOU SERVE?? My husband did but I take care of him, along with some very good civilian Doctors!!!!
JohnRandolph, you are a bloomin' idiot. How would ending the wars help WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and all the other war veterans?
AMEN to you corgimom!!! He's too dumb too bloom. LOL
I can honestly say that my father was one of the few that was taken care of till the day that he died by the hospital at Fort Gordon. He also had to take Medicare and Tricare to pay for that medical care. He had to pay premiums for those coverages which he was told when he enlisted back in 1953 should have been free for life for service to his country. The bad thing was he died of cancer that was attributed to his service and should have been treated at the VA. We found that out after he died.
Mr. McFerrin says military personal injured in service are entitled to the best medical treatment available and only by the best facilities. And he admonishes the public to do even more because they're earned to our endless gratitude. But there's an obvious inequality here. Injured military veterans are already getting more public money spent on their behalf than law enforcement people who get injured in service. Is an injured military veteran more important than an injured law officer? Both served the public but we ballyhoo and spend a lot more money on the military vets. You may not agree but I think law officers perform a more needed service to our society than the military people do.
Cain doesn't really care about American Soldiers. If you look at the "Augusta Alternative" blog he spends upwards of 12 hours a day cutting an pasting to you will find a quote from him .............. "F@%$ the American Soldier serving in Iraq." I was shocked to find that even a spineless wimp like Cain could be so cold.
I wonder where CAIN would be today if it wasn't for the American Soldier. I love and respect all the men and women that fight to protect our country. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!