VA IS A PUBLIC OPTION

I still don't understand some of our retired military brethren. I mean here we are, you and I and all of them, the recipients of free health care, and as far as I'm concerned it's socialized medicine. And some of them are recipients three times over - Tricare, Medicare and VA. Well, that's a pretty neat deal. And frankly I'm glad I have access to all that health care. But you know what, it ain't free. All of us taxpayers are paying for it; those who served and those who didn't. I think that's socialized medicine. Of course our brethern will say, "but I served, I earned it, it's been promised to me." I don't deny that. But what's wrong with extending these benefits to all citizens in some way or another? To me it's a very selfish attitude. I've got mine and screw you. I don't want to have to run the risk of paying more taxes to include you in a universal health care system. Oh yes, and especially a universal system in which a few undocumented aliens might slip in. WR, Col., Ret

BRAIN WASHING OUR TROOPS

Just can't seem to overcome this feeling of dread I have. I mean it's not ruining my life of anything but I just can't escape the feeling that things are not well here in the US of A. People are too polarized and some people have way too violent tendencies and some of them are totally wacko to boot. And then you got Palin stirring the pot and Limbaugh and the other guy on Fox whipping the throngs to a frenzy. Those guys make me so mad. They have nothing invested, no responsibility, no requirement to get anything done for the good of the country and yet people, many of them apparently, think the sun shines out of their butts. Did I mention that Limbaugh is a druggie (I'm sure he still is) and Palin is a quitter? Why anyone would take any of these people seriously is beyond me.


You don't spend any time around military facilities but I do. Disturbing. You can't go to any public place that has a TV set on Fort Rich or Elmendorf without seeing Fox News. It's everywhere - BX, commissary, medical clinic, hospital, gas station, food court etc. Our military members are getting brain washed. I need to figure out a way to do something about it. The other day I was stuck in a clinic for some reason and the guy from Fox News was on (I hope you know who I mean; just can't think of his name right now). He's nuts; stark raving mad foaming at the mouth nuts. wr, Col, Ret.

A BROTHER REMEMBERS A BROTHER

When Danny finished high school and left for the army, we were still paddling pirouges in the bayou. Danny and I helped my daddy make a living, fishing, hunting and trapping. We were poor and didn't even know it. We all knew how to work hard.
My life paths has took me to places I didn't know I would ever be at. I went to work for the Desoto Parish Tax Assessor about 26 years ago. When he retired, I was elected, and have never had an opponent since. The Lord has richly blessed me.
Retirement is coming up in the next year or so.

About 3-4 years ago, I started trying to find out what happened to Danny. It probably took that long before I could even talk about it. Until then, all I knew was that he was in the 101st airborne. Didn't know what unit he was in. I have found several men that did remember Danny. One of them was injured the same day, with AK47 fire to his shoulder that left him permanently disabled. Brother, Steven

Vietnam

What I remember about Vietnam that hits me right away. After an operation, we would come into our FSB (fire support base) and would have these great barbeques. It was a great bonding time. Of course, we didn't call it bonding. They were guys that were watching your back and you were watching theirs. My main bonding buddies were my squad members, about ten of us. I remember one especially from Texas. We called him Mex. I don't know why. Everybody had a nickname. One of my buddies died not long ago. He was one crazy mf. Did you see,The Hurt Locker? Reminded me of the guy from that. To think that I made it through is sometimes overwhelming. I was just a nineteen year old kid when I went into the Marines. After High School, I had beat around, trying things. Nothing clicked. I had a low number in the draft and knew I was going to get drafted. It was in my future and I kept thinking, I've got to deal with this. And, to be honest, think about it. I'm a kid just out of High School going to City College, mainly to look at the skirts. I'm in San Francisco, the most exciting city in the hemisphere. Gays were just beginning to show up in the City then but I could have my pickings and was having the time of my life. My Mom and Dad and sisters were always after me to settle down. They didn't want me going to Vietnam. I kept trying to tell them that I'd probably stay right in San Diego or something. Right!!!! LG

THE TWO WARS WILL BE A LONG TIME HEALING

The returning vets of our two present wars are going to be vastly different that what we've seen. Just being in the country is probably enough for PTSD. The flip side of the coin is that lifestyle in Iraq is so different too, living
conditions, that sort of thing.


I talked to a psychiatric nurse for VA one day this week and she laid
out a scenario like I had not heard. She said that VA has to try and
authenticate claims like PTSD while at the same time provide support
and that these guys are so on top of tweeter, social networking things that literally, they can spell out their needs and entitlements more
than those like herself who work for VA. It is estimated, at least I
read this: one out of every two Iraqi/Afghanistan vets will require
some kind of assistance from VA.

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

I get my health care at the VA and often question my decision because it is a choice. I do like to "smell soldiers" is my figurative line. The vet population is quite interesting to say the least. First of all, many of them are simply screwed up--various reasons. For instance, I think combat solders all suffer some degree of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). In fact, everything I hear and read about the present crop of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan is that they will be the worst ever for PTSD. Not that they literally have experienced more combat but they are more aware; with constant media, an assess to all sorts of information, it is a kind of fulfilling prophecy: you are going to have problems and so consequently you have problems.