Injurys/disabilities from roadside bombs are ruled non-combat related

[stray cat]

Sorry if I'm late on this - I just heard it on countdown


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-combat25-2008nov25,0,3682816.story

"Marine Cpl. James Dixon was wounded twice in Iraq -- by a roadside bomb and a land mine. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, a concussion, a dislocated hip and hearing loss. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Army Sgt. Lori Meshell shattered a hip and crushed her back and knees while diving for cover during a mortar attack in Iraq. She has undergone a hip replacement and knee reconstruction and needs at least three more surgeries.

In each case, the Pentagon ruled that their disabilities were not combat-related.

In a little-noticed regulation change in March, the military's definition of combat-related disabilities was narrowed, costing some injured veterans thousands of dollars in lost benefits -- and triggering outrage from veterans' advocacy groups.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Our troops have been fucked over so many times!

This could not be more wrong.

Not combat-related?

If these injuries aren't, then nothing is.

Send the folks responsible for this outrage into the front lines...

And see how they like it.

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I'm with you, Peggy. Bring those kids home and send the morons over instead.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

3. What were they? Roadside accidents?

[opihimoimoi]

4. We demand the names of those who changed the rules....its not fucking fair

to change rules when the Game is in Play

Them troops signed up when these socalled injuries were COVERED....and now...they are not??? How Fair is that?

We want the names of the ASSHOLES who did this....

[liberal renegade]

5. brought to you

by those who support the troops. Excuse my french, but this is just, "UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE"!
:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[Oregone]

6. Soon itll be bullets from an AK-47

The Ministry of Peace has yet to declare that weapon unfit for combat, in other words, unqualified to inflict a combat injury. If you get hit, its merely an accident.

[appleannie1]

7. What an outrage. Let's send the Bush and his corporate friends over there

then and bring our loved ones home.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Let's kick this one! It only needs one more rec!

C'mon, someone give this thread the rec it needs!

:kick:

[jimshoes]

9. It's beyond sad what they are doing to

these young men and women who are sacrificing all and then getting hosed by the people who put them in harms way.

[mopinko]

10. can you say 'lawsuit'?

i knew you could.

[happychatter]

11. wtf? WTF? huh? no way... no no no... Bush's lackey at DVA did this?

what?

They're already limiting normal Veterans Benefits to recycled guardsmen by calling into question their "Regular Army" status

but this? Stop-lossed soldiers, enslaved and brought back for multiple tours of combat duty, getting blown up, and denied service connection for combat injuries?

I find this incredible...no way

this has to be some kind of misinterpretation... no way, with a simple regulatory maneuver, can they undo Congressionaly mandated benefits..

no way

I'm too angry to check the link

somebody do it for me

[happychatter]

12. OK, one was overturned and the other will be

this matter needs more investigation

can one of you smart people find the precise language of this regulatory modification?

also we need to know, how many other Veterans are simply languishing, having been denied or have cases on appeal (sometimes years of work)... based upon this revised regulation?

those would be the facts

[FloridaJudy]

13. Just when I think this Administration

Can't possibly sink any lower, they start digging a hole at the bottom of the pit.

:cry: for our troops.

[4_TN_TITANS]

14. This defies all common sense.

And cements why Gen. Shenseiki (spelling?) will be an outstanding voice for Veterans Affairs.