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Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RMF who wrote (36421)	8/20/2009 11:17:12 AM
From: Peter Dierks	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 71588

Who do you think is responsible for what you perceive as unfair pay and treatment of soldiers? Could people like the former perjurer in chief who refused to allow any raises to the military (even during the boom) has culpability? You may recall that one of President Bush's first acts was to give the military a pay increase. How much has the usurper increased pay? Part of the problem with VA hospitals may be the penchant of current officers to want new toys over caring for their predecessors. They know that officers will get better care than what is often provided at the VA. There is no question that the free medical care for life part of the bargain that many enlistees were promised has not been honored.

To: RMF who wrote (36421)	8/20/2009 11:26:54 AM
From: jlallen	3 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71588

How many of our wounded soldiers had to come back to CRAPPY VA hospitals?? (Water on the floors, rats, etc.) Did you write a lot of posts complaining about that? What about the big LAG TIME for these guys to get therapy (physical or mental)? You been complaining about that? Good reasons to oppose Obamacare....

To: RMF who wrote (36421)	8/20/2009 11:40:34 AM
From: Jim S	2 Recommendations Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 71588

"HOW many of our ACTIVE soldiers have to get FOODSTAMPS and HIGH INTEREST loans just to maintain their FAMILIES?" While I agree that we simply can't pay our military people what they're worth to the safety of the nation, I suspect you don't know many GIs. Take a look at the current pay scale: militaryfactory.com Then you can add in the other allowances. Housing allowance, for example, for an E-4 in Los Angeles is an additional $2000/mo (approx). defensetravel.dod.mil So, to answer your question, very few junior GIs have serious problems with money, unless those problems are brought on themselves. "How many of our wounded soldiers had to come back to CRAPPY VA hospitals?? " Again, I suspect you don't know what you're talking about. While I agree that our returning heroes should be afforded the very best in whatever amount they can use, VA hospitals are excellent, much better than most civilian hospitals. The medical staff is outstanding. Admittedly, the bureaucracy to get into the VA system can be intimidating and frustrating, but once in the system, it is excellent. You are taking the one example of a dorm at Walter Reed in DC as the model for VA facilities everywhere, and it simply isn't the case. Walter Reed is one of the oldest, if not THE oldest VA medical center in the system. That, coupled with the location (Washington DC), allowed that particular dorm to go without maintenance for far too long. But, it isn't the standard. All that said, I agree that we can't give enough to our Military and Vets.