Manns Medium

According to an article titled “ VA Moves to Prevent Veteran Violence Over Disability Claims ”  “Veterans Affairs officials want to change when soldiers can view some of their medical records online, fearing veterans could become violent if they see negative comments and think their disability claims will be denied.  Veterans must get a medical exam as part of the process for filing a disability claim for a service-related injury. Within days or weeks of the exam, veterans can see the doctor's forms or notes by using the "Blue Button" on My HealtheVet, the VA's website for health records.  A group of department officials said Monday that they fear veterans could see the notes from the exam, assume from this partial picture that their claim is being denied, and take out their anger on local VA officials. They voiced their safety concerns Monday to members of the department's Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation at their meeting this week in Washington. ...

It is always been a question as to where all these radical groups who truly hate America came from.  Now the homegrown ones, we know when, how and why they were created but the mystery about foreign haters always perplexed us that are until now. The extreme hatred of this nation can be traced back 31 years beginning with the  Beirut  Bombing when the Honorable Ronald Reagan was in the White House, George H.W. Bush was by his side and Richard (Dick) Cheney was in his ear.  Want proof of what I say, consider this. Prior to October 23 rd , 1983, President  Reagan  had Okayed shelling from the waters of Lebanon villages without discretion.  Killing women and children because he wanted to “teach them a lesson”.  The brains of the administration decided to give those angered by this shelling a target so they sent over Marines to act as peace keepers, tying their hands and making the Rules of Engagement policy so tight tha...

Imagine this, you being told that if you sign on the bottom line, so many benefits will come your way.  You will be able to serve your country and make a decent living too.  You join for the education, medical, dental, housing and the other hundreds of benefits that are said would be earned but for many the service to the country is the real driving force. You spend 2, 3, 4, 6 plus years putting your life on the line or just waiting until they call you into action.  You train from basic and even during your active time for that moment when your unit will get the order to suit up.  You tense up each and every time you hear of any unrest in the world anywhere or you hold your breath as some politicians shoots off their mouths about military intervention.  You serve during or take part in any conflict with hostile forces/countries and you travel the globe to train with other countries military not knowing when you may be called back for real.  You survive...

Matthew Daly of the Associated Press penned an article about the Senate and House Committee finally reaching an agreement regarding the emergency bill to help relieve the very large number of veterans waiting on VA doctor’s appointments.  In it he reports “After more than six weeks of sometimes testy talks, House and Senate negotiators have agreed on a compromise plan to fix a veterans health program scandalized by long patient wait times and falsified records covering up delays. The chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees have scheduled a news conference Monday afternoon to unveil a plan expected to authorize billions in emergency spending to lease 27 new clinics, hire more doctors and nurses and make it easier for veterans who can't get prompt appointments with VA doctors to obtain outside care.  Louis Celli, legislative director for the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans group, said the deal would provide crucial help to veterans who have b...

Am I the only veteran who sees something wrong with the way PTSD is being handled within our medical community?  I must be because I do not hear any other veteran group saying anything about it.  Imagine being somewhat suicidal or homicidal and then being given a prescription drug that makes you even more so.  Is not this what is happening right now? Imagine the stress felt during peacetime where you as a military member is dressed in uniform and hear all that saber-rattling by people who will not be dodging one bullet, thinking ata at any time you may be called on to put your life on the line because some politician wants to make a point.  That’s stress but not one of the contributors to PTSD according to our highly trained physicians who make these determinations.  For 3 to 4 years you live with this possibility each and every day but that’s not stressful according to them. The times we are at war, you as a military member, worry about getting called ...

Some time ago, I solicited from the Department of Veterans Affairs disability income for which I had honestly believed that I had earned but like many veterans who has to endure the decision of those who may have never served a day or only have this position of authority because they knew someone or their parents knew someone, I got a letter that truly made me sick to my stomach.  Apparently there needs to be a large paper trail in order to get the benefits earned after service.  Now none of this is explained to you before you sign on the dotted line and just how many are they expecting to think that far ahead when signing up for military service.  For many of us, the thought of not returning home is the primary concern not that after we do our time we have cataloged the necessary documents to get awarded our benefits.  And it surprises so many that veteran suicides are so high and tempers are so short.  Imagine being told that all this awaits you after your se...

It never ceases to amaze me how some can love money so much that they are willing to take advantage of anyone and everyone they can to reach their goal of bathing themselves in green.  The worst part is those they set their sights on are normally those who have done them no harm.  Many people say that terrorism is the ability to stop the regular activities of citizens and robbing them of a sense of security.  According to Mr. Curtis L. Coy, Deputy under Secretary for Economic Opportunity, Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, his department “has recently been notified of potential fraudulent attempts to contact Veterans using VetSuccess.gov.  These individuals may be operating under company names such as Auto-Desk, Venus Remedies, or Aesculap Implant Systems.  Be aware that these are potential fake inquiries, and you should not communicate with or send any information to these individuals.”  He warns all vete...

As a former United States Marine my heart goes out to my fellow marine and his family as profiled in this article by Kimberly Hefling of the Associated Press titled Veterans advocate kills self after war tours .   I can not claim to feel exactly what his family feels right now but I can say that any military member or uniformed person who loses their life through any means, especially a fellow marine, makes me feel empty because even though we may not share the same blood we do share something greater. The article read “ Clay Hunt so epitomized a vibrant Iraq veteran that he was chosen for a public service announcement reminding veterans that they aren't alone.   Hunt found an outlet to help improve the system by doing work with IAVA. He helped build bikes for Ride 2 Recovery and participated in long rides.   Using his military training, he went to Haiti several times and Chile once to help with the countries' earthquake relief efforts. He proudly told his parents of spl...