Veterans still getting shoddy treatment

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico.com

A government report being released today concludes that wounded warriors are still getting the runaround from the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs despite big promises of change after last February’s revelations about scandalous conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, says delays for disability payments still average 177 days — nearly six months — with no indication that dramatic improvement is in the offing. The GAO also found continuing frustrations and shortfalls in care for the increasing number of military returnees from Iraq.

“Delayed decisions, confusing policies, and the perception that DOD and VA disability ratings result in inequitable outcomes have eroded the credibility of the system,” the GAO says in testimony to be released on Capitol Hill today. “Thus, it is imperative that DOD and VA take prompt steps to address fundamental system weaknesses.”

The government is still not properly screening and treating traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, in part because not enough health professionals have been retained, the report says.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/6022.html

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Mind you, questioning Pentagon Policy in these matters could be seen as "giving aid and comfort to the enemy", or "violating Executive Privilege" or.....

[DeepModem Mom]

1. K&R

[OneBlueSky]

2. of all the shitty things BushCo has done in the past six years . . .

neglecting the wounded veterans of the illegal wars he started ranks right up there with the worst . . . if there's one thing this country has always done after its wars, it's take excellent care of its vets, particularly those who were wounded . . . to treat these guys with such disrespect is the height of arrogant indifference in an administration filled with it . . .

Congress . . . it's WAY past time to initiate impeachment proceedings . . . stop these criminals before they do something REALLY irreversible (like nuke somebody) . . .

[erpowers]

3. Who is in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs

This makes me wonder who is in charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Why are things not getting done? Is is just that there are not enough of people working on the cases, or is it that the leadership is not doing the job?

[CAG]

5. Republicans... their doing their typical bait and switch with ANY

govt entity (except for military and corporate welfare). They avoid funding it adequately, service suffers, then they are able to say "see, govt doesn't work, we should privatize"

[CAG]

6. Correction....They're, not their

[Orsino]

4. Disposable people...

...that's what capitalism really wants.