GAO: Wounded vets still getting shoddy treatment.
GAO: Wounded vets still getting shoddy treatment.
In February, the Washington Post’s Dana Priest and Anne Hull revealed that wounded veterans at Walter Reed were living in deplorable conditions of “neglect” and “indifference.” Following the reports, the Bush administration, Congress and the military promised to fix the problems. But a new report released by the Government Accountability Office concludes that “wounded warriors are still getting the runaround from the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs”:
Delays for disability payments still average 177 days — nearly six months — with no indication that dramatic improvement is in the offing.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs is holding a hearing today in which two GAO officials, along with others, will testify. The GAO’s testimony is here.
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What we need is for this story to stay on the front pages long enough to get some actual improvement. When it’s only long enough to fit the average American’s attention span, all we get is words.
Maybe somebody in Congress can adopt this cause and ride herd on it?
September 26th, 2007 at 10:19 amDelays for disability payments still average 177 days — nearly six months — with no indication that dramatic improvement is in the offing.
Let me get this straight…it’s OK to wait 6 months for medical treatment, but it’s not OK to have the same amount of time off from active duty for leave.
Maybe the Dems should introduce a bill that gives soldiers as much time off as it takes to file a disability claim.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:21 amJake D? OoOoOOoOOo Jake!
Care to explain this lack of defense spending? Or are you going to use this deplorable example of Republican patriotism as a reason that universal health care is a bad idea?
September 26th, 2007 at 10:22 amIf anything demonstrates the hypocrisy of this administration, its their treatment of the military, both active and veteran.
Constantly trumpeting that any attempt to end the insanity as unpatriotic and a spit in the faces of our troops, while at the same time sending the same troops out without proper training, equipment, or rest into situations already dangerously exacerbated by mercenary troops that the administration hired and then, when they are wounded and sent home, dismissed as readily as toy soldiers, thrown into a box and dismissed. Like little boys with toys.
Shame on this administration.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:23 am4, Well said, raynman, well said.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:25 amAdd to that the continuous chest-thumping patriotism and the seeming elevation of the military constantly by the fascists when, in fact, they are crapping on them left and right. It’s time for our young men and women to begin speaking out against this fascist regime of smoke & mirrors. These vets are the only ones who can achieve credibility from an experiential point of view and they need to begin protesting and loudly.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:37 amMissmolly: True! There are so many Bush scandals and abhorrent facts being outed daily that it makes one’s head spin to even keep track of all the criminal/anti-constitutional activities by this fascist regime. I suggest going to Smirking Chimp if you really want to see when this country became truly “fascist”. It didn’t happen recently as we are now all beginning to realize – it happened when the Supreme Court installed Dictator Bush and halted the recount of the people’s votes. From that point forward, just connect the dots to see how craftily they’ve accomplished it all…..9/11 as the false flag to set into motion the Patriot Act which destroyed all of our constitutinal rights and freedoms, to the Military Commissions Act which deleted the right of habeas corpus (making it impossible for anyone to defend themselves any longer), as well as Bush’s “above the law” and now infamous SIGNING STATEMENTS
September 26th, 2007 at 10:41 amIt is probably not a good idea to piss off our service Men and Women.
Then again, this is probably why they passed this disgusting bill:
The Veterans Disarmament Act – HR 2640
September 26th, 2007 at 10:44 amWho supports the troops? This should be the top story on every news channel and front page on every paper. The administration touts the great fear that we need to fight and your unpatriotic if you disagree and then spits in the face of the soldiers and marines that make greater sacrifices than we’ll ever understand.
Great posts above. The soldiers and marines have always been my #1 concern about the invasion of Iraq. I’m disgusted with this.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:55 am“Support the Troops!”
-Republicans
September 26th, 2007 at 11:09 amUnfortunately, what is happening to these veterans is nothing new. David Cline, one of the early members of the VVAW [Vietnam Veterans Against the War] and a past president of Veterans for Peace, died recently from the effects of Agent Orange, which he had suffered while stationed in the jungles of Vietnam in 1967. He also headed a relief fund in support of those people, including Vietnamese, who were exposed to Agent Orange and was constantly battling the VA and the government, who were trying to downplay the effects of this toxin that the United States had sprayed in Vietnam during that misguided war.
Dave was featured in the powerful documentary Sir! No Sir!, which chronicled the GI movement that took place during the Vietnam war. Also, Oliver Stone, who directed the Vietnam War film Platoon, served with Dave in Vietnam and based Charlie Sheen’s character, Chris, on Dave Cline.
Dave Cline, one of the giants of the antiwar movement in this country-R.I.P.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:13 amMy brother is a disabled Vietnam vet and, I can guarantee, gets a run around that takes months, and months, and months to get anything done through the VA hospital system. Our treatment of the wounded vets of all wars and services is a national disgrace !
September 26th, 2007 at 11:28 amWho supports the troops? This should be the top story on every news channel and front page on every paper.
Comment by hellinabucket — September 26, 2007 @ 10:55 am
The sad thing is Veteran groups have been protesting Bush’s treatment of veterans for the last 7 years and not one protest has been in the news. Not one F*cking veteran protest.
Add the fact that the Rubberstampers ended the almost 50 year practice of yearly hearings with veteran groups to hear their grievances ( so it wouldn’t embarrass the president one Repuke said at the time ) and the New Dem Majority has not brought those hearings back yet either, I am unhappy to note.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:40 amAlso unhappy to note, here at TP, veteran threads get less comments than a stupid Jenna Bush thread =P
September 26th, 2007 at 12:07 pmI agree Wayne.
We ask the ultimate sacrifice but don’t provide the ultimate support and respect they all deserve. Corporations have dictated what direction this administration has gone and they don’t care about the “collateral damage” caused in pursuing their goals.
Where are the posters on Bush’s side? They can’t even fake support so they run from this. Side effects from being a chickenhawk I guess.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:16 pmhelinabucket: “Where are the posters on Bush’s side?”
What are they supposed to say about this? Just repeat their mantra that the military is pro-republican or that Democrats don’t support the troops? It’s pathetic, it’s a myth, but they’ll keep repeating their mantras.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:23 pmThey are supposed to say that they are ashamed that they stand behind a man that pushed these brave americans into a conflict that was not necessary and then has neglected them when they need our help.
The Democrats could score big points in this country by addressing this. Their neglect to take this to the forefront disgusts me as well.
What type of Nation pushes their armies to the limit and then turns their back on them?
September 26th, 2007 at 12:26 pmWhat type of Nation pushes their armies to the limit and then turns their back on them?
Comment by hellinabucket — September 26, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
A Nation that is actually ruled by the
September 26th, 2007 at 12:33 pmCorporate EliteRobber Barons, instead of We The People. =|hellinabucket: “The Democrats could score big points in this country by addressing this. Their neglect to take this to the forefront disgusts me as well.”
Please remember that there are two aspects to “taking this to the forefront.” One, Dems have to publically say something. Two, the media has to report that a Dem said something.
Dems have made many public statements about this issue.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:41 pmagrred Col. Maybe the hearing today will bend some more ears and garner the attention it deserves in the media.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:10 pm