Va cuts

[ABN5-0]

So we go into harms way and sacrifice a lot so in the end we can get screwed? How come nothing beens mentioned about cutting the pay of those in office? Everyone has to give up something except those in office?

The top leaders of the House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees are willing to cut funding for the Veterans Affairs Department in hopes of averting across-the-board cuts in federal spending.

“We believe no constituency better understands the challenge America faces, and no constituency is better suited to, again, lead by example by putting country first,” says a rare joint letter signed by the four top Democratic and Republican members of the veterans’ committees.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/1...-cuts-101711w/

[Silverback]

No program should be out of consideration. I never joined for VA benefits.

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[mphellon]

No program should be out of consideration. I never joined for VA benefits.

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Might want to let this one go before you get slammed........

[LOOON]

No program should be out of consideration. I never joined for VA benefits.

Sent by Droid

Totally in agreement.

If you look carefully at the way the VA is already set up, they already have the right to refuse medical treatment to anyone that is less than 50% service connected disabled.

Cuts are coming and they need to come.

Edited to add: I got in an argument with a guy about Fed Govt cuts some time ago. He was all for cuts across the board as long as they didn't affect him personally. He didn't like the fact that I stated that all Govt benefits and jobs should be cut 20% across the board. And that just to start. meaning that he might lose his cushy govt. job.

Cuts are coming, otherwise, life as we know is going to go down the toilet.

[Silverback]

Have you read the article? Nothing mentioned seemed unreasonable.

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[IEDmagnet]

No program should be out of consideration. I never joined for VA benefits.

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None of us did Brother. But I damn well earned what I got. I appear normal until you run the tests on me, or the people who knew me before can spot all the abnormalities both physical and mental. My belief is that I did exactly what I signed up for, I closed with and destroyed the enemies of my country in armed combat, I led soldiers into harms way, and by God I'm proud of my service and I'd do it again without a moment of hesitation. But I do, without question, believe my Government owes me and every single one of us care and more for what we give up.

I'm 34 years old, I have been blown the fuck up 6 times, I can't close my eyes and tilt my head back in the shower or anywhere because I will fall. I have no hearing in my right ear, I can't remember shit from five minutes ago, but I remember everything from every day in combat. I have balance issues, all the same fucked joints the rest of you have, and my lungs are shredded from breathing the debris in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have PTSD that affects everyone in my family regardless of how hard I try to stop it, and I could sit around moping and whining about it. Live on my retirement and not do shit else. But I work, even then I need my VA benefits to help support my family.

The cuts may not be unreasonable, but like someone else already questioned, why is the 6 figure salary of the representatives in office not the first cut. Go from there and I'll not get as upset. But I find it complete horseshit that the Veterans benefits, and active duty benefits are so close to the front of the line for cutting when these pretentious fucks are still rolling in dough.

[Jumpin' Jack]

Well I have been going to the VA in Fayetteville and Augusta for about 21 years. I just got back from my annual exam at the spinal cord injury center down at Augusta and I have to tell you within about a year things have changed drasticly. The whole attitude of the personnel has changed.

In the last two decades I have always been treated warmly, efficiently and with a good dose of humor and bedside manner. This trip, the tension was palpable between the providers themselves and the providers and patients. SOMETHING is going on. I felt like I was dealing with a bunch of cold fish. These were people I have known for most of the two decades I have been going there. There was no asking how's the family, how are your grandaughter's, stuff like that.

I always ask pointed questions about the whether they are getting what they need to do what they need to do. I always got told yea no problems at all. This year these same questions just got a tight lipped, cold stare which I then asked "you can't talk about it huh?" Silence. But the eyes tell everything. A lot of tests were discontinued or cut back to doing them every five years or so instead of every year.

They used to put the vets up in a contracted motel while spending the week there going back and forth to the hospital. (it takes three or more days sometimes to complete all the tests) Now they have an "assisted facility" where you have to stay. If you have an assistant or family member to help you, they have to get their own motel to stay in. The facility has no medical personnel in house and the spartan conditions there were such that you had to ask for towels to bath/wash with. Three beds to a small room where all had to fight for the bathroom so to make it to the hospital before 08:00 as required. Keep in mind we are all in wheelchairs. The owners of these facilities are getting over like fat rats in a cheese factory. Something is going on.

JJ...

[Jeff82]

(meaning the vet committee people.)

[ABN5-0]

Silverback- I did not join for the benefits either. However, you have troops coming back from a war zone all fuckered up and the govt is unable to take care of them with what they have now. Im not saying to raise benefits but cutting them is not the answer. If the cuts are not unreasonable then why is that those in office are not cutting thier free health care for life? Those that have served or are currently serving do not get much as it is as far as health care. I dont remember where I saw it but someone wrote something along the lines of that if you are willing to send troops into harms way you must ready to pay for thier return. You are entitled to your opinion but I am interested to see why you think cutting VA benefits is a good idea.

[IEDmagnet]

I agree LOOON, just like I said before though, my largest issue is the cuts are starting at the wrong end. These Politicians are making ridiculous salaries for what? It's civil service, period, I'm not above paying a man or woman an honest salary for what they do... but in my short 34 years of life, I have yet to see a politician worth 6 figures. I know the cuts are coming, I saw what the article said was there agenda in the cuts to the VA, fine. But let's start with the spots where the most obvious overspending is occurring, then move down the line.

I guess my largest issue is the way they are discussing it. We need to do this to save the country, we need to cut that to save the country. But name one of those low-life fucks that stood up and said "you know what, I'm overpaid. Start by trimming my salary and we'll go from there." Not a fucking one. I'm sitting at 80%, all service connected, and on LODs... so from what they are saying I'm largely unaffected. But that still doesn't solve my irritation at the point they are starting with VA and AD benefits, IMHO that should be the last place they cut.

[LOOON]

But that still doesn't solve my irritation at the point they are starting with VA and AD benefits, IMHO that should be the last place they cut.

I also agree. Politicians should be the first to take a cut.

[Silverback]

Might want to let this one go before you get slammed........

Let it go? I don't think so. If anyone actually read the article the areas being CONSIDERED for cuts did not seem out of line. From my experience at VA for every Soldier suffering there are at least 3 faking it.

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[Silverback]

You Nancy's get a little stirred up when someone doesn't jump into the group-think circle with you. How many of you are guilty of crying for change and moaning for a non-socialist president that will cut spending...but as soon as someone discusses what could best be described as tertiary (look it up dumbass) cuts to benefits and your response is "Not mine's"... We will not get out of this huge financial hole we are in until EVERYONE rows together.

[K.M.I.A]

Best point made yet Silverback.Everybodys needs to get used to doing with less,is it going to be fair across the board,what do you fucking think.Life is not fair................Life is like a shit samich.............Eat it or starve.

[jbell23]

Life is not fair................Life is like a shit samich.............Eat it or starve.

Sounds about right!... I agree with Silverback that we all are going to have to make sacrafices to get out of this shit hole together but at what point are these dumbass "leaders" going too far with their cuts?