About a year ago I toyed with the idea of making a documentary concerning the highly lacking Veterans care in the United States. For those of you foreign to this concept, its absolutely terrible here. And I mean awful. To put it into perspective, I could go back to my native New Zealand and get better medical care by simply walking in off the street and requesting it. But not here, not in this country.

 

As someone that immigrated from a foreign country to serve in the U.S. Military following 9-11, I expected a lot more for those of us that served overseas and in combat. Apparently I expected too much. So a year ago I started a charity for NATO veterans of the Afghan War (OIF) regardless of nationality. The charity took off, exploded as it were, and I resigned directorship to a board due to my illness and for other, obvious reasons.

 

I have since been contacted by CNN to do a documentary on failing Veterans care.

 

Congratulations and thank you for your service!  Sadly, we have a long history of treating our veterans rather poorly.

We have a long history of treating each other rather poorly, not just our veterans.

 

 

Sadly, we have a long history of treating our veterans rather poorly.

 

Stans is correct It dates all the way back to the Revolutionary War and continues today. Thanks for your service and congratulations on your new project.

A very hearty congratulations! Keep us updated, would love to see the final product.

We have a long history of treating each other rather poorly, not just our veterans.

 

That is the absolute truth. If it costs taxpayers money to help someone other than themselves, they will generally be against it.

 

Additionally, for most of American history soldier and sailor have not been considered very honored career choices. If you think it is bad now, it was abominable until after WW2.

That's great news, DetCord. Well done!

A great achievement!

I guess I have been lucky. I never needed VA services and they paid for my father's nursing home fees. The VA is indeed wrought with mismanagement and abuse. The lack of oversight has been deplorable. I had the good fortune to find an adjudication officer with a heart.

That's great news, DetCord. Well done!

++1. Keep us posted. Hope it achieves the results.

@DetCord: Good on ya mate! Thanks from this old veteran for your efforts at promoting the cause.

 

I know that I have been blessed to have received exceptionally good care from the Jesse Brown V.A. Clinic in Crown Point, Indiana. I've even had good care at the Jesse Brown V.A. Medical Center on Damen Avenue, Chicago, where I've had several surgeries over the past four years.

 

However, I am also very much aware that this has not been the case for everyone, everywhere. I believe that my experiences are the result of the staffs and administration at the above cited facilities. This is one of the primary reasons why I'm so reticent to relocate to another, more affordable area of the country.

 

Apparently one of the stop-gap measures being taken by the V.A. is the creation of a "Veterans Choice Card*" (Temporary Program), which will enable Veterans to obtain care outside of V.A. facilities should they be unable to get an appointment within thirty days, or for a number of other reasons.

 

* http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/

Congrats on getting noticed for tackling such an important problem. Fortunately my grandfather returned from WWII without debilitating physical injuries. However psychologically, he was very damaged. I wish I could have spoken with him about the war, but he could never open up about it. Had PTSD been treated more seriously then, I might have been able to have a deeper connection with him.

 

So keep up the great work!

 

As a side project, I am the art director and designer for a new show called Wheel For Warriors, where host Dean Cain and famed auto builder Rich Evans help wounded veterans complete their project cars. We just finished filming the pilot, and start post production next month. It's a wonderful team of contributors, as everyone on the project (including myself) is donating their time and talent. We are confident the show will get picked up, so maybe I'll make a few bucks, or get to continue developing the show further later this year.

 

I certainly feels great to help bring a smile to the face of a veteran who has sacrificed so much.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wheels-For-Warriors/761913077187233

 

Aaron

Well done.

 

Also, it's good to see celebs like Clint Eastwood, David Lynch and Paul McCartney supporting this ongoing initiative to treat PTSD...

 

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/Meditative-Technique-Used-to--Combat-PTSD-PTSDMonth-ChangingMinds-261860131.html

 

 

If it costs taxpayers money to help someone other than themselves, they will generally be against it.

 

It really isn't so much the taxpayers who don't want to pay for the veterans medical needs.The real problem is that the Veterans Administration is spending all the money on themselves instead of on the veterans. Big bureaucracy and near criminal lack of oversight. That is what happens when we get a government agency that has no one to answer to or the 'other' agency they are suppose to answer to isn't doing their job either.

 

I just saw yesterday that a veteran received a official notice from the VA telling him that he was dead.

 

In my humble opinion any person in the military who is wounded in combat is owed the best health care in the world for as long as they need it (for free!) and any person in the military who is injured in a non hazardous environment should get at least as good treatment as the rest of the population.

 

My father in law was a WII veteran, as he got on in years and started having health issues we sat down and discussed his health care plans. We (my wife and I) asked his thoughts. He said," I've worked hard all my life to make sure I have health care and can afford the expenses - take me to any hospital or doctor except the VA. If I want to die of neglect or mistreatment I'll go there.". That my friends came from a man who served with The 105th Station Hospital in Africa and Italy. The 105th was a mobile hospital unit. My wife and I took her dad to numerous reunions that unit held. I met doctors, nurses and orderlies and not one of them liked the VA or would work for the VA. That says a lot about the VA.

 

@ DetCord, all veterans and active service people: You have my respect, my admiration, my gratitude and my endless support.

 

Best regards to all,

 

 

 

P.S. @ DetCord. Great program, great idea. I wish we had more like you coming into this country instead of . . . . . . . . . ,

I have since been contacted by CNN to do a documentary on failing Veterans care.

That's pretty sweet, Thanks for your service.