This article may come as a surprise to you civilians but as a combat Veteran who has seen the inside of many VA medical Centers worldwide, it doesn't surprise me one bit.

We in the military call military doctors "horse doctors" because they are so incompetent. It's a fucking joke....but we're not laughing.

Some of our guys have to wait 8 FREAKING MONTHS for a doctors appointment because the VA medical system is so horrifically short staffed due to the adminstrations budget cuts........$28 BILLION dollars in cuts so far. The latest budget seeks to make permanent TRILLION DOLLAR TAX CUTS for the wealthiest and corporate America ......yet seeks to cut the VA budget AGAIN by over $2.8 BILLLION dollars.

THIS IS A FUCKING OUTRAGE AMERICA!

50 VA medical centers are being closed due to these budge cuts......medical centers that we Vets and returning wounded from Iraq desperately need right now.

SHAME ON THESE BASTARDS IN THE ADMINISTRATION for treating Veterans so terribly.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Now is the time for everyone to be outraged and demand the resignation of the whole bush administration. Our troops first of all should not be in the middle east and must be treated with the most good care possible. Support our troops. Totally.

If you aren't outraged then you are not paying attention. Support our troops. Question our government and stop their immoral actions. Everyone should watch the dvds presented by BraveNewFilms.org Discover what supporting our troops really means.

God bless our troops.

Regards,
Aimee
DataOptions.com

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

I left the Army in 1980, and to this date I have not used the V.A. system. The first time I was told that I would have to wait 7 months for an appointment,I decided that there was no way that I would use this broken system. 7 Months? This is the thanks I get? No thank you.
This administration doesn't give a shit for its' vets. The only thing they care about is gutting the infrastructure of America and making profits for themselves.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

I was just a kid in junior high and high school during Vietnam, so when I later read Ron Kovic's book and saw Oliver Stone's film, I thought they were exaggerating. I've grown up and learned a lot since then. It is a cruel joke that Walter Reed's website dares to call that poor excuse for a hospital a "health care system" and claims "we provide Warrior Care." For the president and the top brass, maybe, but not for the poor grunt who arrives there with pieces missing. There was a press release recently where Maj. Gen. Weightman (CO of Walter Reed) bragged on having a suggestion box for the soldiers. That's swell, General. Thanks a bunch.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

I think soldiers and their friends and families should surround these disgusting hospitals, peacefully and powerfully demanding change at every level. Those of us who believe in universal health care should join them too. This is a homeland atrocity and we the people have a stake in this.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

The care of seriously wounded soldiers is very different from that of care for less serious/complicating illnesses and injuries. I say that as someone who has spent the last 20 years working in healthcare in both the Army & civilian healthcare worlds.

When the wounded trooper is ready to transition from critical care to rehabilitative care they should be transferred from Bethesda/Walter Reed/Brooke, etc to the CIVILIAN healthcare facility of their choosing, paid for (100%) by TRICARE. Let the patient or their next of kin determine, based upon medical need or geographic proximity to home.

Likewise, the VA Medical system should be closed and shut down. Put VA eligible patients on Medicare and let them go wherever they can get the treatment they need.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Look, the fact is that the people don't understand the extent of the problem.

The way the casualties are suppressed and sugarcoated just keeps the public awareness of the magnitude of the problem down.

The "number" the people know is "3,000" killed. They don't really consider the fact that there is an order of magnitude more people coming back who may be worse off than dead.

All "wounded" are considered the same thing. A double-arm-amputee is just an "amputee", just like someone who lost a foot. The people don't hear the reports from the urologists who do genital amputations on a daily basis. They just don't know how much carnage there is, and so they think "3000 dead", they can live with that.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Rise up, rise up!!
In my life what I've observed is that how one person in power does one thing is how (s)he does everything. The Great Decider has so much blood on his hands that adding the blood of the vets at Walter Reed is but an inconsequential spatter. Of course he'll do nothing for you! Why is everyone so surprised? When is the Revolution?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

I can't feel sorry for anybody that voluntarily joins the military. Did you really think that you were serving your country, freedom, mom and apple pie?

It is sad that it took getting wounded for some people to figure out that the US government doesn't give a fuck about veterans. It never has. Ever since the revolutionary war 300 years ago US veterans have been taking it up the ass.

The US military is nothing more than a corporate mercenary force defending the economic interests of less than one percent of the US population. Yes, the same one percent that has been getting all of those tax cuts.

So stop believing all of the patriotic propaganda that you have been fed since kindergarten and start telling everybody to stay as far away from military recruiters as possible. What will our corrupt, fascist government do then, reinstate the draft? They aren't that stupid because then they would really have a mess on their hands.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Why is it that the majority of the military is registered republican when the GOP constantly cuts Vet benefits and it's the Democrats who fight for all of the veterans healthcare?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

I am an active duty Infantry soldier serving in the 4th Infantry Division ( two time combat vet). I dont think people really grasp the severity of the issues facing the military. First off...yes all wounded is just wounded. The Army would like everyone to believe that the "casualty" suffered a minor bone fracture, scratch or whatever- however many of us come home without arms and legs. Those of us who have been fortunate to come home intact are more than likely wounded mentally. The ARMY solution...give a 30 minute class on stress and send us on our way. BTW 4ID came home in November from a year long tour...instead of regrouping and being helped by our so called " health care system" weve been put down on orders to redeploy for our 3rd tour in Iraq in four years.
Yes most soldiers support the repubs, however these guys are usually from Alabama or some small rural community and are ignorant to the politcal arena. To all those who conviently use "Support our Troops" slogans, support us by getting us out of this fucking mess!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

In 2000 I spent a couple of weeks at Walter Reed. The staff was professional and caring. The facility was a dump then. We were told never to go outside at night and to never go outside in daylight alone.

The best kept ward there had drapes covering the windows and a keypad lock on the door. This is the facility where Congresspersons came for treatment or to dry out.

I slept in a ward for six or eight people that was empty of patients. There was no war at the moment. The ward bed was provided, as it was far too expensive to stay in the hotel in town while I waited for my return medevac flight to Germany. Also it was not safe to stay in town. Just up the street from the hotel where Walter Reed sent me to stay pending my appointment and return flight, a man was shot to death coming out of a mall.

Anyway, there was mold on the ward walls then and staff told me that the ward was to be closed.

If they soldiers think they are being screwed over now, just wait until they have to deal with the VA.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

This is Vietnam all over again! Fighting for benefits, terrible conditions in VA Hospitals..... and alot of Iraq war vets are ending up homeless! For those who haven't seen it yet, I urge everyone to check out the trailer for this new documentary about homeless Iraq war veterans, its called
WHEN I CAME HOME:
www.whenicamehome.com

Support The Vets!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Can't you lefties see that the VA IS socialized medicine. Is this what you want the entire American medical system to be like? And don't tell me that the only problem is that the "wrong people" are running the VA. How naive.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

my name is gregg and i am a vetern of the iraq war. i keep hearing about the hospital that isn't up to code and is a bag nasty. thats only the tip of the iceberg. i worked in a hospital at camp pendleton marine corps base for 4 years, except when deployed to iraq. at first glance it seemed to be a great facility untill you start looking around the corners and under rugs, so to speak. it dosent matter where you go in the military you are always subjected to less than average care, no matter what facility you visit. no suprise, after about a year i really started to have problems. wait let me back up and tell you my story.
to be continued...
i remember coming home. i thaught i was fine and so did the rest of us. all we wanted was to see our friends and family. but with out realizing it we had changed, not just a little bit but alot. we hold these memories of what happend over their so close but some i dont tell anyone. i guess i could wright a book, make a movie or tell you the story but youll never grasp and embrase it compleatly.each story is diffrent.
war, some times i have a memory of when i was there, sometimes i can hear the helos in the back ground like like soft music. or ill be in a conversation and ill visualize whom i am talking to wearing camies. or driving down the street and visualize blowing up buildings and men moving forward threw the fields. i thaught these things would fade. but as time goes on the memories are stuck in my brain like a splinter that woulnt go away. now that i am a little older now these blend with my everyday life all the time. i guess i wasnt built for combat. i know i have helped every patient i ever came in contact with. i did the best i could. i always wanted to see everything under the sky good bad, i was indiffrent as a child. but what i wasnt planning on is how the experiences that you go threw can push you to the brink. once your there and you have to make decisions on who is going to live and who would die, how do you tell the guy layen on the ground, i wish i could help you but no mater what i do your still going to die. i know this but i dare not tell them. as some one slips in to uncontionious their heart stops beating and they stop breathing, we call this crumping, so you do cpr untill you cant do it any more your muscles go weak and you do it some more. i guess what i am tryen to say is i gave so much for my country, i love my country so much. yet our government has swept us to the way side. like the trash thrown from a moving car. how can the president show such little disreguard for human life. i think we should inact a law. if the presadent wants to have a war or skirmish in another country. he has to be their in that country to lead the troops. after all they want us to hail to the chief and fallow his orders. the only way ill fallow another presadent in to war is if he or she is their in harms way. you risk your neck ill risk mine. but untill then piss off bush.

i keep getting messages from people who want to know more about iraq. ill start at enlistment. back in 1999 i was a bit of a hell raiser, i guess i always had been, i ended up back in jail, i had plenty of time to think about where my life was going, i had to go back in front of the judge, in orange county when you get arrested you go back and see the same judge, i remember seeing this judge two times before. she said "if i ever see you in this court again i am not going to throw the book at you mr. wyckoff i am going to throw it at you. i am going to squish you with it." i got the hint, after getting out and working on third street prominaude in santa monica for 5 months and doing quite well, i came across a airforce recruiter who said i was moraley bankrupt and he would not let me in his airforce.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Spare me your outrage. This crap has been going on since there were wars and for any of you to be outraged is utter nonsense. Where was your outrage when the gubmint was gutting the VA for tax cuts? Where was your outrage when wounded troops and Marines in Viet Nam, Republic of, were burning shitters while in the hospital because they were "ambulatory" and if you can walk, you work. Where was your outrage when Veterans were cut from the lists so you could have tax cuts. Where was your outrage when we came home and people called us crybabies because we were so frickin shell shocked we couldn't string ten words together. Where was your outrage when our children started being born with three arms and other Dioxin benefits. Where was your outrage? I know where it was. It was up your ass, just where your head is now while you express outrage about Walter Reed.

Hell, WR is probably the BEST of all the VA centers.

Read the following I gleaned from The Atlantic:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/197803/tracy-kidder-soldiers.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

My grandfather died in Audie Murphy VA; my grandmother stayed there to take care of him until he did. Otherwise the nurses forgot to check on him, feed him, clean him up (he died of cancer) and so on. My cousins brought my uncle - veteran of 3 wars, wounded in WWII - home to care for him after too much of that non-treatment almost 30 years later. I was simply mocked and humiliated out of that particular hospital, refused treatment at 2 others, and finally treated - iincorrectly - at another. The result for me was ten years of fighting the system, 3 screwed up back operations, the combination of which made my nerve damage and pain both permanent. I also lost my wife my home and everything else; I was on the street for a while there. Only my courageous and loving wife's fight for me kept me alive. I get minimal treatment now; I haven't had a physical in over 5 years. They're constantly reducing my benefits, and trying to get rid of me by making things more difficult for me. I've had 3 more operations since, and need another, but have to stay home and care for my now-disabled wife. We "make too much money" on SSDI for any other kind of help. My brother finally gave up on the VA and it's 9 hour waits for ibuprofin and a two minute talk with a doctor, and goes to local ERs. There's nothing else he can do. Oh yes - my mother, also a WWII vet, was operated on after being thrown 97 feet from a car (struck by a young medic in a Falcon trying to beat our car across an intersection - we couldn't see him coming through some bushes). A few years later they had to re-break both of her legs to try to correct the damage done the first time. She was in pain - which her doctors denied - for the rest of her life. My father died following his doctor's (incorrect and out-dated) advice.

Sorry, but we do NOT take care of our wartime - or any other - vets, and now the civilian sector is getting to be the same way.

Ian

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Depleted Uranium and it's effects on our soldiers coming home!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]