Doing What is Right with Wounded Warriors

Recently National Public Radio ran a two part story about one of the families that we had found us and that we instantly became motivated to try to make a difference with. How this all turns out in the end, we still don't know, but I do know this. We can't allow those who are in positions of responsibility and authority to hand out entitlements like some kind of gift that is won.

These young men and women who are injured serving our country haven't "won" anything. They earned it, as sure as earning their paycheck. Why some bureaucrats feel like they should push back every opportunity to help a wounded warrior is beyond me.

Then there is the situation of the Veterans Administration. Several things have been chewing at me here recently, and one of them is the fact that they acknowledge (In a report to the President of all things) that if a Veteran appeals his or her rating, the wait time can be as long as 635 days. How can that be okay with anyone? How can we tolerate that, why should a Veteran tolerate that?

Then there is the method that the VA begins compensation payment to the newly wounded Veteran and his family. After the Veterans is medically retired, they receive half of their base pay at time of separation. Even if the VA knows the rating that they have “awarded” (there is that word again) they do not begin payment until they have in effect, skipped a month. Why do they get to skip a month?

The Veteran didn’t skip a month. Countrywide or Wells Fargo, don’t skip a month, eating didn’t skip a month, nor did the utility company. I don’t think they should get a free pass, unless some mandates that everybody else has to take a pass too.

It wasn’t comfortable taking on my friends in Colorado, but this was a fight that had to be done. We made every effort to make the system work. It didn’t.

If you are a recently retired wounded veteran, how long did it take from the date of your retirement to the time of your first VA check? They are telling us that it is 60-90 days. I don’t think that is right. Not according to the families we have asked.

Send any comments to me at rstradley@usacares.us

Roger

Links to NPR stories: NPR : < http://216.35.221.77/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14350593> Wounded Soldier's Family Feels Forgotten by Army - BERKES: Thirty-seven year old Reece Hinkle quit her job as a corporate ... Ms. REECE HINKLE: If the right thing needed to be done, he wanted to be right in ... NPR < http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14360278&ft=1&f=1012> : Wounded Soldier's Care Tangled in Military System Reece Hinkle on Receiving Her Husband's Photo . Ron Hinkle's military awards and medals . Enlarge. Marisa Penaloza, NPR. Among the medals in the Hinkles' ...