Wounded Warriors
Shame on our nation for allowing wounded soldiers to become victims of a disability rating system that is the product of a war being fought on the cheap ["Insult to Injury," April 16]. And especially shame on our elected representatives who are allowing this travesty to exist while voting for funds to build bridges to nowhere and other nonsensical projects. Military members getting shafted can least afford the low disability ratings. "Insult to Injury" should be required reading for young men and women who are thinking of volunteering for the armed forces.
VANCE SWAYZE
McGehee, Ark.
Your investigative report on veterans' disability treatment that blamed the Pentagon reflected adversely on your editorial staff. The Pentagon is forced to carefully control the disability award system to keep costs within the funding limits established by Congress. Federal law prohibits the Pentagon or any other federal administrative body from spending more money than Congress allocates it or from moving funding from one purpose to another without prior approval of Congress.
COL. J.H. WALKER
USMC (Ret.)
Irvine, Calif.
Thank you for shedding light on our veterans. I'm outraged at the discrepancy between what military life is really like and what the nonmilitary perspective is. Very little, if anything, is spoken in our homes about the sacrifices made on a daily basis. Thank you for venturing into this arena and possibly influencing others to do the same.
CHERYL HILL
Spouse of active-duty soldier
Fort Benning, Ga.
As a disabled veteran, i find it interesting that Americans are only now finding out that the medical treatment of our wounded servicemen and women is less than we would like it to be. We are unhappy because the system is arbitrary and frustrating. Where have we been for at least the last 60 years? The solution is simple. Close nearly all United States Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics except a few hospitals for veterans who need continual and total care. Place veterans' medical care under Medicare and Medicaid, where veterans would receive better care from better doctors in better facilities. Veterans would be better off with treatment by their local physicians in a local setting.
DEAN F. KEELEY, PH.D.
Iwo Jima survivor
Lafayette, La.
It is a disgrace that our country is failing its veterans. President George W. Bush made a host of promises in his campaign letter of Sept. 13, 2000, to active-duty military and veterans. Unfortunately, like so many others in Washington, D.C., he has not kept his word. Thank you for exposing the truth to the American people. They need to know.
MATTHEW C. FORD JR.
Township of Washington, N.J.
How dare our government ask military men and women to fight, then extend their tours, provide faulty equipment, and not help the wounded. Instead of the government turning its back on these men and women, it should venerate them as heroes.
SARAH HART
Belmont, Calif.
Your cover title "Cheating Our Vets" could have read: "Cheating Our Vets, Again." I am referring to the cheating of disabled veterans who are denied concurrent VA disability compensation with their military years of service retirement pay. Anyone else, other than military retired for years of service, receives VA disability compensation and whatever retirement pay that they are entitled to: congressional, civil service, or civilian. The correction of this inequity, H.R. 303, has languished in Congress because of a veto threat by President Bush, our commander in chief.
MASTER SGT. JAMES A. HILFORD
USAF (Ret.)
Asheville, N.C.
advertisement