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| English: Cases of PTSD and Severe Depression Among U.S. Veterans Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan Between Oct 2001 and Oct 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
From Denny: It's gotten to the point in America that the only way military veterans can get the help they need is to take to the airwaves, especially comedy shows, to inform the public and put pressure on Pentagon officials and politicians.
These two Vietnam War era veterans are interviewed on the Daily Show, revealing how absolutely ridiculous is the "leadership" at the Pentagon. Is it any wonder we have the pompous a$$e$ installed at the helm of the NSA and its ensuing outrageous mass global surveillance for the past two administrations?
At the center of these vets' 40 year struggle is an idiot decision made by some long retired seriously idiotic general that on a whim declared that anyone suffering from what is now called PTSD will get a dishonorable discharge. If a veteran is tagged with a dishonorable discharge then he or she is not allowed to receive any mental health help at all ever.
Forget the fact these veterans served their country? Maybe the Pentagon forgets once they've used them for cannon fodder, discarding them like a piece of trash. People like you and me, well, we don't forget. Nor will we forgive the Pentagon if they don't get off their seriously lazy a$$e$ and start doing the honorable thing: upgrade all of these Vietnam veterans from dishonorable discharges to honorable discharges so they can finally get the help they have long needed for 40 years running.
This President finally did install a soldiers' Sec. of Defense in the form of Chuck Hagel. Hagel has done a good job of pressuring the Pentagon to properly coordinate with the Veterans Affairs to speed up help for veterans of all the other wars past and current. There are still about 400,000 veterans awaiting help but at least the numbers are declining at a steady pace, according to veterans' advocates.
So, now it's up to Sec. Hagel to shake the lazy Pentagon tree yet again and get this idiot military practice reversed or abolished in time to help out all these Vietnam vets in dire need before they die off. A refusal to help these Vietnam vets with mental health issues explains why there are still so many homeless Vietnam vets all these decades later.
Come on, guys, 40 years? And you still refuse to do nothing about the problem? I'd like to know just what the hell I'm getting out of these military "leaders" that justifies my taxpayer dollars and them receiving a fat cat pension of $200,000 when they retire. Now, that's one sweet deal, isn't it? Wouldn't you like to retire at full pay too? Who wouldn't? Of course, this is another military practice that should be reversed too. Hagel can address that later.
Right now it's past due time to help the Vietnam veterans get the PTSD help they have long needed. This is a national outrage and disgrace. Address it now. I have lost patience with this entire Pentagon for being so damned cavalier, willing to allow thousands to suffer needlessly when it was easily within our power to right the ship and do the right thing immediately.
Check out the Daily Show interview and what the veterans themselves have to say about the problem. Then storm the office of your idiot cheatin' Congress and push them off point to do what's right to help these veterans...
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