Talk:Veterans
Concerning the benefit distinctions between Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard Units, who funds the benefits? Does the federal government completely fund benefits for active duty and reserve troops while the state governments help out with National Guard units? If that were the case, then either the federal or state governments would have to pony up more funds. Not every state government can do that as easily as others.--Anhhung18901 22:22, 19 December 2005 (MST)
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Depleted Uranium
Pete,
Depleted Uranium is the number one cause of Gulf War Syndrome, and up to 57% of the vets that served in the first Gulf War are on disability due to their exposure to this substance. This current Iraq adventure is going to be even worse. Will you stand up in the US Senate and demand that we stop producing and using weaponry using DU, and fully fund health care benefits to the VA programs that help these veterans deal with what DU has done to their bodies and lives? 161.181.53.10 13:02, 23 December 2005 (MST)
- I can support this.--pashdown 13:02, 13 January 2006 (MST)
Emailed commentary
Greetings everyone,
This info about a veterans demonstration in DC and elsewhere just came in via email. A key issue for disabled veterans is "mandatory funding for VA health benefits". Check out http://www.millionvetmarch2006.com/
In my opinion, these guys are reaching too far and are dreaming. The point is that vets are being shortchanged of the contract between the VA and the veterans. Ashdown can make a difference.
Agent Orange
Pete,
I have an uncle who is still suffering the effects of having come in direct contact with agent orange. I belive that there does need to be protection against using chemical warfare that is found to be OBVIOUSLY bad for humans. I won't get into wars themselves because it just produces elongated flame-wars. Chemical warfare needs to cease!
--Projektdotnet 15:56, 2 May 2006 (MDT)
Republican Votes on Veterans Affairs
http://www.americansforsharedsacrifice.org/Senate_DAV_Votes.htm I first read about this on DK.
Utah Orrin Hatch (R) 32% Robert Bennett (R) 21%
There is also a section showing how each Senator voted on each issue. This is a double-edged sword. No Republican scored as high as Democrats on these issues, but Hatch and Bennett did vote for budget increases. You can't vote to maintain Veterans' benefits without the concurrent increase in budget.
Whether this was a case of 'first I voted for it...' I don't know. What I do know is that our veterans deserve the best in leadership and equipment in the field, and the benefits and medical care they've earned when they return. What I find particularly galling is that complete lack of planning. The injuries in Iraq are frequently injuries that would have killed the soldier in previous wars. Traumatic brain injury is especially horrific and expensive to treat.
Should we have Veterans' Bonds just like we had War Bonds in WWII? Maybe they should be called Peace Bonds this time around. One proposed action is the "Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Act". http://capwiz.com/dav/issues/alert/?alertid=8736051&type=CO
