Boston Globe Publishes Spineless Anti-Veteran OpEd

Boston Globe OpEd

Benjamin KrauseBoston Globe oped authors distorted the purpose of VA disability compensation to justify a total destruction of VA’s current disability system. In the oped, “VA hospitals aren’t the VA’s only scandal,” the authors claim the current disability system is a scandal because it pays too many veterans disability benefits.

The authors, former VA deputy assistant secretary Michael McLendon and psychiatrist Sally Satel, of the American Enterprise Institute, support a much more streamlined approach to disability compensation that increases dependence on VA’s rehabilitation model and decreases payouts to veterans. However, the premise of their argument is false — they claim the current system did not factor in rehabilitation — which is a totally unhistoric false assertion.

The McLendon and Satel oped so revels in asininity and is so out of touch with historic facts and modern reality that I cannot justify spending my entire day unraveling the poorly thought through allegations from these anti-veteran thought leaders. In light of the disability backlog and related VBA scandals, how could anyone with a conscience ever propose such a proposition until the backlog is at least fixed and VHA repairs its scheduling? Disappointedly, Boston Globe editors failed to fact check the article, which was little more than anti-disabled veteran propaganda disguised as intelligentcia babble.

The following claim serves as the underpinning for the entire argument within the oped, and it is totally false:

The current system — which was established in 1917, before modern treatments became available — was never intended to promote rehabilitation. Instead, it presumes that service-connected conditions mean a permanent earnings loss. To some degree, this philosophy encourages veterans to see themselves as incapacitated.

In reality, the current system of a consolidated Veterans’ Administration was established in 1930. Before then, veterans benefits were administered by numerous agencies, including the Bureau of War Risk Insurance. The laws governing VA’s first disability compensation system were finalized in 1932. Compensation for injuries were formerly administered under pension in 1917, but that part of the pension program was considered outmoded and discontinued by the 1932 VA law redraft that established the modern disability compensation program we see today. Contrary to the claims of our anti-veteran authors Michael McLendon and Sally Satel, rehabilitation and the possibility for recovery were specifically addressed in the first round of formalized VA laws on which our current system is based, in 1932:

 The plan finally agreed upon and enacted into law provided that payments of disability compensation should be based upon the reduction in earning capacity resulting from the disability, ratings to be based upon the average reduction in earning capacity resulting from such injuries in civil occupations, and not upon the impairment of earning capacity in each individual case, so that there would be no reduction in the rate of compensation for individual success in overcoming the handicap of a permanent injury….

This monetary benefit was termed “disability compensation,” a departure in name and intent from “pension.” The pension laws provided for the prorating of the maximum allowances according to the degree of disability and did not take into account the reduction in earning capacity in civil occupations but simply the curtailing of the ability of the individual….

The legislators went one step further and included a provision for the ” rehabilitation ” of disabled, honorably discharged service men whereby a veteran who found himself at the conclusion of hostilities unable to resume his pre-war occupation would receive, at the hands of the Government, vocational training to equip him to pursue a new line of endeavor in which his physical handicap would not be a bar.

[Download and read pages 117-118 of 1932 Compensation laws here]

Based on this quote from VA laws, we know the compensation system referenced by McLendon and Satel did not exist as they claimed. Instead, the laws did incorporate rehabilitation as an option to help a veteran become gainfully employed despite their limitations. We also know individual assessment of cases was actually prohibited by the law in order to not penalize an individual for “overcoming the handicap of a permanent injury.” This is the equivalent of a military Workers’ Compensation program, which was the goal of the creators of the law at that time.

The McLendon and Satel oped basically argues that military should not have the same equivalent of Workers’ Compensation that has been in place formally since the 1932 change to a unified Veterans’ Administration – the authors claim it was 1917. Historically, the current scheme was developed in 1932 in an effort to skim money from the veterans’ budget into the New Deal. While imperfect, the system is intended as a safety net for people who work in dangerous lines of employment, which is little different than Workers’ Comp systems for firemen, police and doctors. It included laws to incorporate rehabilitation into its framework, contrary to the oped’s claim and its own citation from PBS. The current system specifically did not base disability compensation on rehabilitation because the government authors of the program did not want to discourage rehabilitation.

In a nutshell, the new system proposed in the oped would only award a few veterans with disability benefits if the veteran cannot work. Other veterans who were injured in service with some kind of permanent injury but could work might receive an insurance card for future health care through Medicaid or Tricare.

Injured veterans would be put into a long-term rehabilitation cycle in VA. Veterans unable to be rehabilitated after a few years would receive disability compensation benefits. “As a last resort, a veteran who has been through high-quality rehab but still cannot work would be eligible for disability status.”

The few veterans given disability benefits would be in a perpetual hamster wheel of analysis by Veterans Affairs, “Benefits would be based on functional incapacity and reviewed every three to five years.”

Read these two excerpts from documents that completely underpin the position of the oped — at the least they will give a deeper appreciation of your disability benefits and what went into creating the system. These are documents any editorial staff should have checked:

  1. 1932 Veterans’ Administration Federal Law Excerpts
  2. 1933 Decrease in VA Funding

As mentioned before, document #1 is an excerpt of the laws created with the new Veterans’ Administration that combined all agencies “helping” veterans under one umbrella published in 1932. Page 117 discusses the historic purpose of disability compensation. The laws were newly inked or adapted for the purpose of sculpting money away from VA programs and into the New Deal. Not surprisingly, the overall budget and new disability awards to veterans was immediately reduced by 75%. Document #2 states the number of awards for disability per month declined, “However, as of September 1, 1932, due to a number of causes, the increase in actual awards declined from 14,261 during May, 1932, to 3,739 for the month of November, 1932.”

After you read the oped and the documents Boston Globe should have looked at, I have a question for you. What planet do you think these writers are from? How can they claim the real scandal lies in veterans getting too many disability benefits when the system was set up as a form of Workers’ Comp and has been in place for over 80 years? How can anyone believe disability compensation is a scam in that more veterans benefit from it than should?

Only the selfish and spineless in America would capitalize on a very real VA scandal, like the Wait List Scandal, by tying in that sentiment for the purpose of destroying another VA benefit in a manner that is clearly anti-veteran.

The real scandal is VA’s lack of transparency and inability to fairly adjudicate current claims, not the mere fact that veterans receive compensation. This is well covered throughout numerous reports and even the federal government. To conflate the current scandals with a nonfactual diatribe against veterans getting fair benefits they fight tooth and claw to receive shows the complete distain against veterans both authors and Boston Globes editorial staff apparently have toward veterans struggling to get a fair shot at benefits they were promised.

Do you agree with the authors? Why? How will this impact our country’s responsibility to care for veterans harmed in the service of our country?

I plan to write about this at a later date because I view opinions like these as a cancer that grows and destroys good tissue. While our disability compensation is a scandal in that VA causes veterans to wait years to receive their benefits, these authors misplace that designation by implying the real ‘scandal’ is actually giving too many veterans disability compensation benefits.

If you think this game of changing policy midstream after veterans are harmed by war is new, check out this budget projection dated January 4, 1933 from Veterans’ Administration to President Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt wanted VA to adopt insurance type laws that restricted benefits to syphon money away from VA to help fund New Deal spending. They did so, and the spirit of those laws are in place today. The document was titled Reduction in Estimate for Veterans’ Affairs.

[Download the VA Spending Reduction Document here]

Before I jump into my opinion piece in response at a later date, I wanted to get your comments for potential inclusion in that piece. Please comment below if you have a strong opinion one way or the other on the plan proposed by Michael McLendon and Sally Satel.

[Read the Boston Globe Disability Destruction oped here]

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Voc Rehab Survival GuideBenjamin Krause is an award winning investigative reporter, Veterans Benefits Law attorney, and disabled veteran of the US Air Force, where he served in its Special Operations Command. He attended Northwestern University and  the University of Minnesota Law School using VA Vocational Rehabilitation.

While in law school, Benjamin won his decade-long fight for full disability benefits and now helps others do the same with this website and his guide, the Voc Rehab Survival Guide for Veterans. Since its first publication in 2011, the guide has helped the veteran community receive millions in untapped benefits through the VA Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment program. 

Connect with Benjamin on  Google+,  Twitter,  Facebook and LinkedIn.

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24 Comments

  1. It is truly a nice and useful piece of info. I am happy that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

  2. We already have a slow system of hurry up and wait political bureaucratic fraught with mismanagement. Quick to get from us with deadlines with the irs as their bull dog not on a leash.
    Now their expecting to introduce new methoologies. It’s not the methods but the administrators, politicians that are the problem and the vets suffer. We suffer when opinion sways our duty to our veterans. It was difficult giving our all in a hostile environment in defense of our country now home we have to defend ourselves against that same country we gave our all defending.
    from one of many who at one point in his or her life wrote a blank check made payable to the united states of America, for an amount of up to and including their life. We stand together I got your six.

  3. Just two more worthless opinion givers who probably never served. Hell they even let Cheney the Draft-Dodger send people to War. These two do more damage to all Veterans as they side with the Tea Party in it’s attempts to cut Veteran’s Benefits, like they have been doing for 5 years. This at the same time the Republicans are screaming for more War in Iraq.

  4. Know your enemy gentlemen……..He was inept from jump street.

    WASHINGTON (AP) — A Veterans Affairs deputy assistant secretary who didn’t immediately notify top officials about a theft of 26.5 million veterans’ personal information is stepping down, citing missteps that led to the security breach.

    Michael McLendon, deputy assistant secretary for policy who supervised the VA data analyst who lost the data, said he would relinquish his high-level post on Friday.

  5. You are absolutely correct. Let me state that in 2011, the company my cousin worked for often had contracts that usually a fire from growing pot, over loaded the circuits and a fire would occur. These homes were salvageable but would make this company as a contractor who won the insurance bids easily, ( as in the know of how to do ) and a nicely done home “given to a family” from another country. While many of us struggled after 9/11. ( and still do) I happened to have my ” first of three” back surgeries the Friday before, and that was from an injury in January 1981. When I requested my active duty record, I got 3 whole pieces of paper, AFEES ENTRANCE 03/29/1979 ( my 18th birthday) a shot record of all things of great importance, and my discharge paperwork, and my discharge physical that states, “back injury Jan. 1981, feels like baby, ( fetus and no way in hell was it, I wasn’t that far along) pressing on nerve.” It also stated as explained by the doctor, go through the disability for a VA rating. I had an official copy of that record, as a medical person, “we knew” the importance of a copy vs official copy. My EX, who I probably never had gotten I involved with, because I had been physically assaulted, stalked by this guy, who sat down while I ate on a treat dinner as an E-2, HA, and was “sorry.” But, after his Captains Mast, which I had to be there, after a reduction I n rank, loss of pay, gee 15 minutes later was going to kill me. I had to leave town, returned asked stay or go? I stated stay. But lucky me. After changing barracks room, and after a “day shift” ( didn’t matter what shift, it was a habit after dealing with patients) I took a shower. Half dried off, I hear the sound of keys, like lots of keys, my roommates would say it was them, and the worker was to knock and announce, I grabbed a quilt off my bed, tried to hold the door shut, but size alone had no chance. In my own room, I was raped. At 18 your mind isn’t fully developed, you know, “I will live for ever as I do stupid things?” His wife an HM2, E-5, hung with friends that if I reported it, base pariah I would have become. I remember, feeling all my dreams shattered. Liken to a mirror image of myself, cracking, and falling on the ground. My mind heard, “you tell, you will be out.” I stuffed all of it, locked it up tight, but tried to find a way to leave, no cost swap, didn’t fly, terminate my shore duty, which gee, nice to know, came through the day I learned I was pregnant. No self esteem. He was military, Abusive let me use the car rare in Hawaii. I always had pain, it depended on a good day or a bad day. He was always a “bad day” for me. I joined the reserves, gave a copy of those Medical Records to the Petty Officer. We made jokes about a copy of an official copy. I was trying to gain some independence. ( he WAS NOT LIKED AT ALL BY OUR NEIGHBORS IN GULFPORT, MS) my facade was half good, pretended happiness, even after a quick divorce after the last black eye. ( he got to retire, he would not let me stay in, gee, pursue my dreams?) I was thankful that I got to work on active duty at NRPC in New Orleans, a neighbor who watched my young babies, took them to preschool, not charge me a whole lot, because I was surrounded by love. But my days were long, sleep was short. It was even noticed by a chief that some days I “favored” that hip and leg. But I exercised, I believed I could it would go away. I met a guy, a Marine. I will say, he “was good,” as long as he got to play Marine. But later when he was out, as long as I did pretty much everything, it was fine. I was recalled for Desert Storm, I was well liked, my facade was good. No one could open a door locked. I made friends, had fun too. But never again thought it would happen “twice.” The 18 year old girl was back, it was noticed, again, keep it put away. We were to move, orders moved up, never said a word, not till we reached CA. Then I told him. It didn’t matter, “sorry.” Too much happened, it affected me. Decisions? Rational thinking? A friend I met “knew.” She was older. She told her story, I told mine. Even when we moved to “hades,” we remained friends. Interesting to note, nightmares, but blended faces. Until it I started falling apart, I had issues, if I did a good job, they would “know,” and open that door that was slowly leaking and breaking the seal. It broke after three horrific years and one week of three terrible events. VA HOSPITAL CARE YOU SAY? SURE, It’s just damn great! A first ever car accident, a cop lucky me, ( with six others to show up for a woman In her 50’s who owns it? The law here, “do as I say, not as I do.” It took me 3 1/2 years to loose all the damn lab rat weight from drugs. ( in 1998, I was also diagnosed with arthritis and Fibromyalgia which makes sense and a “connection” to what a C&P doctor just was so much smarter than I who constantly kept up with research, USA you lag, “TRUTH.” But one of the best doctors around several states? Oh, sure, I bet she knows all, “gag!”) BITTER? HELL YES! MAD YOU BET! WHY? Because of the CRAP FOR TREATMENT, AT THIS VA, WHO CANT UNDERSTAND TWO WORDS, “NO MEN.” A litmus test. My back started a decline, it wasn’t right after the accident, 11 months later, damn, a bed again. 99% of my day in a bed. CBT Therapy Anyone? Well, DALLAS HAS ITS OWN RELATIVELY NEW VERSION, DONT BRING IN AN MAYBE THAT IS WHY THEY DESCRIBED IT AS RELATIVELY NEW. DON’T BRING IN STUDENT INTERN WHO HAS TO “READ FROM A BOOK.” IF I HAD KNOWN? GEE I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT IN MY BOOK TOO! ( oh, there is another version of this therapy as well, more artistic expression) TWICE IN THAT ER, THE TIME WITH MY BACK? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? “YOU BRING IN A MAN WHICH HEY DOCTOR ITS YOUR ER AS YOU SO STATED NUMEROUS TIMES, NO MEN MUST BE ASKED BUT WHAT, IN A FETAL POSITION MEANS I WILL JUMP YOU AS BIG AS SHE WAS? YOU SEE, THESE INDIVIDUALS SAY AND DO AS THEY PLEASE, GIVE ME A SHOT, 4 STRAIGHT DAYS OF NO SLEEP BECAUSE OF SEVERE, WHEN I SAY SEVERE AS BEING ONE WHO WORKED IN AN ER, ICU AND CCU, DO YOU THINK AFTER MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WAS FANTASTIC? I ASKED FOR AN X-RAY. WHY, BECAUSE IT PROVES WHAT MORONS FOR DOCTORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHIATRIST THEY BRING IN, AND NEED TO BE EXITED OUT, MY X-RAY, IF SHE WOULD HAVE “LISTENED INSTEAD OF TELLING ME HOW I WAS WASTING HER TIME IN HER ALL VERY QUIET ER IS THAT SOME AS WELL FEELS WRONG IN MY T-SPINE. THEY X-RAY MY LOWER BACK, BOTH HER AND THE TECH DECIDE “YOUR FINE THEIR AINT NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!” WELL, YES, ACTUALLY THERE IS. I “KNOW” HOW TO READ AN X-RAY, AND I CAN SEE ALL AROUND THE METAL BACK IS COMPLETELY SWOLLEN!” 20 WASTED MINUTES I LEFT, WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT, ( 6 days later, funny how another intern without a brain, who could it possibly be stating I came in for bladder distention times 3 months, that my pain a 10 was a 4 after I left, and just FYI that is an impossibility because “that shot” takes at least 1 hour to even begin relief! Me? 3-6 hours. Gee, now how could a person know that? As well it is hard on the kidneys and shouldn’t be given often. THE DIRECTOR WENT ON FAUX PAS VIEWS AND WASNT AWARE OF ANY ISSUES OTHER THAN LONGER WAIT TIMES? GOOD TRY JACK HOLE! BUT, I GOT A COPY OF MY RECORD, AMAZING! NOW HOW DOES ONE FAKE A BACK INJURY WHICH FYI HAD ARTHRITIS GROWING IN THAT AREA AND THE EXCELLENT DOCTOR AGAIN SCRAPED OFF, 6 MONTHS LATER IT WAS BACK, THIS WAS A FUSION. THAT TOOK ME TO SEVERAL PAIN MGMT SPECIALISTS FROM CALIFORNIA TO ARIZONA AND WHAT A “BEAUTIFUL JOB” THE DOCTOR DID. HERE, LET ME GIVE YOU STRONG DRUGS! IT WOULD BE FINE, THEN I WOULD DECLINE, FINALLY AFTER A 3RD SURGERY AND A LONGER RECOVERY, MY LIFE HAS REVERTED BACK TO A TIME I NEVER WANTED TO EVER SEE AGAIN, A DAMN BED! IT HAS ALREADY ONCE AGAIN, MAKE A JERK OF A MAN WHO HAS “ISSUES” WITH ME NOT WORKING, COMPARING ME TO MY SISTER IN LAW BORN WITH A CONDITION SINCE BIRTH, HAS NO EMPATHY, AND I SEE ONCE AGAIN WHY AM I THE FOOL? IT TOOK ME TWO HOURS TO DRIVE A BLOCK AWAY, CANT WALK IT BUT TO PICK UP A FEW THINGS BECAUSE MOVEMENT TO REACH FOR SOMETHING, CREATED A PAIN I CALL THE GRIP YOUR LUNGS AND WAIT HERE IT COMES, AN EXPLOSION TO THE BACK OF MY HEAD. THOSE DAMN IDIOTS THINKS THIS IS ALL ABOUT DRUGS? SERIOUSLY, I KNOW, SO CAREFUL I AM! WHEN YOU HAVE A FRIEND IN SCOTLAND A SCIENTIST, A FRIEND WHO KNOWS THE DALI LAMA AND STATED, “IF YOU WISH TO HAVE AN EVENT I WILL GO TALK TO HIM,” BUT NOW YOUR DOCTOR OF 19 YEARS THINKS YOUR “WHACKED IN THE HEAD” BECAUSE THE PANIC ATTACKS BECAME DAMN HORRIBLE AND I HAVE TRIED TO TELL HIM, WE NEED TO DISCUSS WHAT THEY HAVE WRITTEN IT CAN MAKE YOU THE “BAD GUY,” MAYBE AFTER I STATED I WOULD RATHER GO TO PARKLAND THAN THE VA DALLAS EVER AGAIN, A STRANGE LOOK PASSED HIS EYES-WELL I HOPE LIKE HELL HE SAW THE NEWS. BECAUSE MY VA RECORD IS SO POLLUTED WITH LIES, DECEIT, AND JUST PLAIN “FOS” I FEEL I COULD TEACH THESE IDIOTS HOW TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS-IF A PATIENT STATES, “I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING.” YOU SHOULD ASK, WHAT IS EVERYTHING? SEE HOW EASY THAT WOULD BE? JUST FYI, ANTIDEPRESSANTS HAVE NEVER WORKED FOR ME, IT MAKES IT ALL WORSE AND WEIGHT GAIN. AND WHEN MY DOCTOR HANDED ME A NEW DRUG TO TRY, BUT FORGOT TO WRITE A SCRIPT FOR IT WITH A FREE MONTH SAMPLE, THE FIRST THING I DO? SEE HOW LONG THE STUDY WAS DONE. MOST DRUGS TESTED ARE A DOUBLE BLIND TEST, KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, A PLACEBO OR THE DRUG. BUT WHEN IT IS TESTED FOR 32 WEEKS? SAY HELL NO. OH, AND IT IS ONLY 200 DOLLARS A MONTH.
    IF YOU NOTICE, I AM TELLING “MY TRUTH.” MY TRUTH IS MST DID NOT CREATE INVISIBLE ISSUES THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND LEFT ME WITH A NERVE DAMAGED LEG ON MY RIGHT SIDE. WHICH I TAKE DRUGS FOR. AND PAIN MEDS? WE ARE TALKING, AVERAGE OVER A YEAR, 4 PILLS A DAY, WHICH FYI THEY PULLED MY DEA RECORD, IDIOTS TO “ASSUME” BECAUSE THE WAY I BOUGHT PARTIAL REFILLS TO THINK IS THE AMOUNT TAKEN, THEN STATES LIKE AN IDIOT ONLY CAN, GEE THESE TWO MONTHS HERE YOU TAKE 4 A DAY. YES, BECAUSE NOW MY LIFE IS A BED. AND SHE WOULD NOT KNOW THAT EVEN THE AMOUNT BOUGHT I STILL HAD A 1/4 LEFT IN THAT BOTTLE AS WELL AS A TWO WEEK SUPPLY IF I HAD TO GO TO A STATE LIKE MN THAT WILL NOT REFILL YOUR MEDICATIONS.
    MOST DO NOT KNOW THAT MOTRIN CANDY WAS GIVEN OUT IN LARGE DOSES AND PROBABLY WORSE FOR YOU WHILE YOU WERE MILITARY. THEY DID THE SAME WITH HYDROCODONE. AND MY FRIEND WHO KNOWS ME BETTER THAN THE MAN MARRIED TO FOR 25 YEARS IS ONE WHO RECEIVED WELL OVER THE DOSAGE THAT IS NOW RECOMMENDED NO MORE THAN 3000mg A DAY BUT 4800mg SHE WAS GIVEN AFTER A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. AS SHE STATED TO ME ON THE PHONE, “IT IS NOT A MATTER OF “IF” MY KIDNEYS FAIL, IT IS A MATTER OF “WHEN” THEY MAY FAIL. IT IS ALSO THE TYLENOL THAT DOES IT. TRUST ME, MY FRIEND IN SCOTLAND CAN TELL YOU NOT A PRETTY PICTURE AT ALL.
    SO, BEN, AND YOU ALL. I CANNOT TOLERATE SITTING, IMAGINE THAT. AND SINCE I GOT ONE REGIONAL OFFICE PERSON TO ASK VITAL QUESTIONS SHE ASKED ME, “ADMITTED, THERE IS NO COPY OF MY ACTIVE DUTY RECORD AT ALL IN MY RESERVE RECORD, AND VALIDATED AGAIN THIS WEEK. INTERESTING TO NOTE, A DOCTOR RAN A WIRE METAL OBJECT USED TO TEST FEELING A PART OF YOUR BODY, I CAN NO LONGER FEEL THE TOP OF MY RIGHT FOOT, I COULD BEFORE AND IN FACT DO NOT LIKE MY RIGHT LEG TOUCHED PERIOD. MY THOUGHTS? SO WILL I NEED SCOOTER INSURANCE? I AM PISSED. MY OBSESSION AS THE MAN-CAVE GUY I CALL HIM, COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I WOULD READ EACH WORD-BECAUSE EACH WORD THAT HAS BEEN FILL IN THE BLANK QUESTIONS NEVER ASKED A DOCTOR STATED NO PROOF OF A BACK SURGERY YET AN X RAY DONE ONCE AND ABNORMAL ( WHY THE ER DOCTOR STATED I LEFT WITHOUT WAITING FOR RESULTS AND HER DOCUMENTATION ALONE SPEAKS VOLUMES OF A COVER THINE OWN ARSE) A DOCTOR WHO STATES INCREASE IN DRUGS IN PAST TWO YEARS BY MY DOCTOR, YES, DAMN LEG, NON-NARCOTIC, BUT DID HE READ IT WRONG BECAUSE ACTUALLY A BIG DECREASE OH YOU KNOW SO MUCH BUT HAVE PROVEN YOUR INCOMPETENCE, FAITH YOU SAY? TRUST? KNOWING RECORDS DESTROYED? INTERESTING. BECAUSE THE TIME PERIOD MENTIONED I KEPT GETTING THIS PITA REQUEST ABOUT HAVING A HYSTERECTOMY. AND I NEEDED TO SIGN, MY THOUGHTS THEN? “SCREW YOU.” MY THOUGHTS NOW? PISSED. WHY? BECAUSE I DO NOT SLEEP WELL, AND MOST SATURDAYS I PASS OUT FROM TOTAL EXHAUSTION, MY FIBRO AGAIN MST, ALSO AFFECTS SHORT TERM MEMORY AND CAN BE A SPIN CYCLE OF “PAIN AFFECTS THE BRAIN,” SOME WOMANS VOICE, MY PHONE NORMALLY TURNED OFF I FORGOT AFTER TALKING WITH A FRIEND, ALL I REMEMBER WAS SOMETHING ABOUT MY BACK, AND I RESPONDED YES PLEASE MY BACK NEEDS TO BE FIXED FIRST, THEN BACK ASLEEP I WENT. WHO KNEW THAT IT WAS WACO WHO SEPARATED MY CLAIMS TO SEND A DENY YOU LETTER BUT HEY TRY AGAIN! GEE, MY WHOLE FAMILY KNOWS THIS TRUTH. “WHEN I AM STRESSED OR OVERLY EXHAUSTED IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR ME TO TALK IN MY SLEEP VERY CLEARLY HEARD.
    NOW, BEN, YOU HAVE MORE AMMO. I AM A 53 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER THAT MY DAUGHTER WHO HAS BEEN A TROOPER ( like mother like daughter although she knows, don’t you dare be stupid like me! Yes, stupid for not filing right away, and heck could have filed for unemployment too, but I try not to be a “FREE LOADER” OFF THIS DAMN SCREWED UP MESS, CANNOT GO SEE MY DAUGHTERS GOING TO BE THE ONLY ONE SHE HAS, SHE TRIES AGAIN SHE AND THE FETUS HAVE A 50/50 OF WHO SURVIVES RATE, DAUGHTER OF HER VERY OWN THAT BOTH OF US SECRETLY GOT OUR WISH. BUT YES, PLEASE TELL THE BOSTON KNOWS ALL TRUTHS OF INDIVIDUALS LIKE ME RECOMMENDED TO BE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT IN SERVICE, WHO HAD TO CHANGE A GAME PLAN AND HAS EXCELLED BUT “REFUSES TO PAY YOU TO BE CALLED I AM DAMN SPECIAL CLUB” BECAUSE SOME OF THE BEST IT HAS BEEN LIFE AS THEIR TEACHER WHICH GIVES AN OVERWHELMING ABILITY TO OUT PERFORM THE NO LIFE AS YOUR TEACHER. SO, SOCIAL WORK ADVOCATE ON A LARGE SCALE FOR ALL WHO HAVE SERVED, PROFESSORS WAITING TO ENDORSE ME, A PLAN ALREADY FORMED IN MY HEAD OF WHAT IS NEEDED, “AS LI FE HAS BEEN MY TEACHER AS WELL.” ASK THEM? SO SOMEONE WHO DID HER JOB, IMPRESSED AND RECOMMENDED TO DO MORE, WAS BEATEN, LIFE THREATENED, THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER RAPED, BUT A TROOPER, LOCKS IT UP, HIDES BEHIND A MASK OF SMILES AND LOVED TO HELP AND GIVE BACK ANY POSSIBLE WAY SHE COULD-NEVER DID GO GET HER SO CALLED WORKERS COMPENSATION, OH, ALSO ENLISTED THE HELP OF HER POLITICAL OFFICIALS OFFICE WHO DID ME THE GREAT FAVOR OF EXTENDING THE WILD GOOSE CHASE INCLUDING A SOCIAL WORKER, A VSO PERSON, AND OH YEAH, WISE ENOUGH TO “TEST YOUR TRUTH, YOU KNOW, ETHICS, MORAL CODE, TRUST WORTHINESS GAVE YOU JUST A TAD, BUT NOT ALL, AND NOW YOU HUNG YOURSELF, JERK I WILL NOT “LIKE” YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND READY TO CRAM THAT FLYING STARS AND STRIPES LARGE POLE PLEASE, RIGHT UP EVERYONES BACKSIDE”. WHY WOULD THAT BE? DID I DESERVE TO HAVE PTSD? I HAVE SEEN DEATH, DEATH OF ALL KINDS, EVEN MY OWN MOTHER WHO WHEN I LOOKED IN HER EYES, IT WAS JUST HER BODY, SHE WAS GONE, I KNEW, HELL, YOU GET LUCKY SEEING IT SO MANY TIMES IT DOESN’T TAKE ROCKET SCIENCE TO SEE IT. TELL THEM, TELL THEM HOW BECAUSE OF A STUBBORN STREAK SHE COULD FAKE IT, BUT NOT REALLY WELL ENOUGH, BECAUSE “STUFF HAPPENS, AND AT 52 MY WORLD SPIRALED, I HAD A HARD TIME EXPLAINING, I WAS STUBBORN IN SCHOOL BUT A PROFESSOR ASKED IF I HAD MY PAIN MEDICATION, ( I was volunteering for her class when I had the accident) I STATED I DID, SHE SAID WOULD YOU TAKE IT PLEASE YOUR PAIN FACE MAKES IT HARD TO TEACH! TELL THEM BEN, SHARE MY DAMN STORY, I HAVE KEPT IT QUIET FOR YEARS, I BELIEVED THE VA WOULD HELP ME. OH EVEN THE FORT WORTH CLINIC WHO TRIED THE MIND GAMES TO BUT WHEN I STATED WHERE DO YOU SEE THAT ON THE RADIOLOGY REPORT BECAUSE I SEE EXACTLY WHAT HE STATED, THEN REPEAT IT AGAIN, AND PEOPLE WORRY I WILL GO DEAF? THORACIC SPINE, PLEASE INCLUDE IT IN THE TEST. ( and pull your head out of my ass of pain idiots) LEAVES A MESSAGE, SO VERY CLEAVER, SINCE THAT MESSAGE WILL PROVE IN A COURT OF LAW JUST LIKE A MEDICAL RECORD IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT AND NO I DO NOT WISH IT AMENDED YOU MUST MEAN APPENDED BECAUSE DIRTY LITTLE LIES, MAKING YOU APPOINTMENTS WHEN YOU TOLD THAT SO CALLED OUR NEW THERAPY AS WE KNOW IT ( A LINE OUT OF THE BOOK FOR A.A., AND NO NOT ME, BUT MY MOM, DEFINITELY A GENETIC PREDISPOSITION BUT HELL, MARRIED TO THE MAN I REFUSE TO CALL ANYTHING BUT SLIME, TRUST ME, YOU KNOW THAT PIG FROM THE SOPRANOS ON TV? I REMEMBER GOING THERE WITH HIM, AND FEELING LIKE I NEEDED TO RUN THE HECK OUT, FINALLY WE LEAVE, AND HE TELLS ME ABOUT BODIES HAVE BEEN GROUND UP THERE, WELL ITS A BUTCHER SHOP, NO HE MEANT HUMAN BODIES.
    TELL THEM BEN, DID I DESERVE TO BE RAPED? DID I DESERVE IT THE SECOND TIME BY A GUY WHO I THOUGHT WAS A FRIEND? DID I DESERVE TO HAVE MY WHOLE LIFE BECAUSE I KNOW I AM NOT GETTING YOUNGER, TAKEN FROM ME BECAUSE IT AFFECTS HOW YOU THINK, FEEL, SELF ESTEEM, THINKING HOW UGLY YOU ARE WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR BECAUSE ALL YOU SEE ARE HOPEFUL EYES WISHING I COULD JUST FEEL A BIT, NOT MUCH, I AM NOT SELFISH, OF HAPPINESS. TO BE THAT CAREFREE YOUNG GIRL WHO BELIEVED PEOPLE WERE BASICALLY GOOD. WHO WOULD HIKE ALONE IN THE FOOTHILLS ABOVE HER HOME TOWN NEAR THE SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK. WHO WASNT LIKE THE RICH BRATS, NOPE SHE EARNED HER THINGS AND LEARNED TO SEW SO I COULD MAKE MY OWN CLOTHES. NO, THE NAVY SHE HAD DREAMS, EVEN AFTER THE TWO EVENTS, AN ABUSIVE MARRIAGE, JOINING AGAIN THINKING A SECOND CHANCE, TELL THEM. TELL THEM I WONT GO NEAR MY GRANDDAUGHTER FOR FEAR OF A PANIC ATTACK, THAT CANT SIT AND PLAY WITH HER, AND I TELL MY DAUGHTER WHY. MY BOYS ARE GREAT, BUT MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE A DIFFERENT BOND, WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME SHE IS BEAUTIFUL AND SHE LOOKS LIKE ME, I HAVE TO TRY AND SEE WHAT THEY SEE, MY YOUNGER PICTURES, I SEE SOME BEAUTY, NOW, ALL I SEE IS A ” BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS.” YES THAT IS FROM A MUSIC GROUP WHICH I TEND TO AGREE WITH ONE SONG, THAT I WISH TO SIT LONG ENOUGH AND LEARN TO PLAY THE LITTLE MERMAID FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER, OF COURSE REFRESH MY ACQUAINTANCE WITH A CELLO AGAIN. TELL THEM, WHAT DO YOU THINK HER LIFE OF PAIN IS WORTH? 33 YEARS OF SUFFERING IS EQUAL TO WHAT? TELL THEM, THAT SHE KNOWS HOW TO RESEARCH TO THE POINT OF MAKING AN AWARD WINNING JOURNALIST AND GIVE THEM MORE INFORMATION THAT DOESNT GET TALKED ABOUT YOUR MONITORED TELEVISION NEWS, THAT VERY FEW STATIONS REPORT FULL TRUTHS, THAT TED CRUZ THE IDIOT FROM TEXAS WHO PULLED THE WENDY DAVIS MOVE, SURELY A SPACE DIAPER ON HIM, THAT HE SPEAKS WITH TWO HEADS, BACK TO THE CONSTITUTION BUT REALLY RHETORIC OF B.S., BECAUSE AN ETHEREAL BEING A “GOD” NOT MEN AND CERTAINLY NOT THE ONES WHO HAVE “IMAGINARY FRIENDS” AS AN ATHEIST PUT IT, THAT HE IS NOT FOR AMY BELIEF IN THAT DOCUMENT, HE IS FOR CONTROLLING WHAT YOU RESEARCH AND SEE AND EVERYONE SHOULD OWN A GUN AND WALK THROUGH A TARGET STORE WITH IT. PEOPLE ARE BLINDED BY WHAT THEY THINK THEY KNOW, BUT DON’T KNOW A DAMN THING! I AM NOT CLAIMING TO BE BETTER THAN ANOTHER, NO I BELIEVE THAT WE HUMANS SHOULD TREAT EACH HUMANE-LY, THAT TAKING CARE OF THOSE WHO SERVED AND TRUST ME DOING MEDICAL BOARDS AND MEETING A GUY WHO UNFORTUNATELY HAD EQUIPMENT FAILURE MADE HIM LOOSE ONE EYE, STILL MORE THERAPY AND WOULD BE 100% DISABLED AND WAS ENLISTED BUT HAD A COLLEGE DEGREE AND WAS ON THE EXECUTIVE SIDE FOR FORD. DOES HE TOO DESRVE TO BE CUT OFF BECAUSE AFTER ALL HE GAVE AWAY SITE & MORE? AND JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE THE CORPSMAN THAT ENJOYED HIS FIELD MEDICINE A NATIVE TO NEW ORLEANS WAS THE PERSON WHO HAD TO REMOVE THE EYE HANGING ON HIS CHEEK. STRANGE, HE REMEMBERED JOEY’S VOICE. JOEY WAS AWESOME AND WOULD BE IN THE THICK OF IT WITH MARINES-THE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN THAT MOST AMERICANS HAVE NO DAMN CLUE ALL THAT HAD GONE ON WHILE THEY ENJOY LIFE AND A FIRE IS BLAZING BUT NO ONE KNOWS. TELL THEM, TELL THEM I DONT WANT DAMN PILLS YOU HORSES ARSE! I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SEMI NORMAL EXISTENCE AND WANTED TO WORK UNTIL MY LAST BREATH BECAUSE SEVEN YEARS OF SURGERY, OF PAIN, OF THINKING GEE ITS ALL IN MY HEAD ACCORDING TO THE “8” PAIN MANAGEMENT CRAP I WAS TOLD AND FED AND THE LAST ONE TOOK ME EXACTLY ONE WEEK TO SAY “HELL NO TO METHADONE THERAPY, AND THE REASON WHY MY DOCTOR STARTED TO TREAT ME. BUT BECAUSE WE MUST “LINK” FIBROMYALGIA WITH TRAUMA WHICH IS THE LARGEST CROCK EVER AND I KNOW IT SAME AS MY DAMN BACK HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MST, I HAPPEN TO HAVE FAMILY RESEARCH THAT SPEAKS OF THE ALCHEMIST OR FATHER OF CHEMISTRY, ASKED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THAT ROYAL ENGLISH SOCIETY THAT WAS STARTED A VERY LONG TIME AGO, HE TURNED DOWN THAT ROLE, A FOUNDING MEMBER INSTEAD, NO, NO CHILDREN, BUT HECK HIS PARENTS DID HAVE WAY MORE THAN A BAKERS DOZEN, HAD GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS AS HE WROTE A SISTER HE FAVORED AND SHE FAVORED BACK, AND STRANGE AS IT MAYBE THEY DIED DAYS APART, HE WAS MY FIRST CLUE, AND ALL FROM THE 1600’s TO THE PRESENT, IT SEEMS TO BE A GENETIC LINK, AND OFTEN BUT NOT ALWAYS HOWEVER ONE COUSIN AND I SIX MONTHS APART THREE GIRLS BUT HER AND I SO SIMILAR AND “WHO TALKED ABOUT OUR ACHES AND PAINS AND BEING TIRED” BOTH HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE LIKE TWINS WITH THE SAME GENOME FIRING OFF ON THAT DNA STRAND. THAT MY DAUGHTER OLDER THAN HER DAUGHTER WHO WAS TALL AND PEOPLE WOULD FLOCK TO HER BECAUSE THE OUT POURING OF LOVE SHE HAD FOR OTHERS DIED IN CAR WRECK IN JANUARY 2012, AND MY DAUGHTER LIKE ME, WE DON’T JUST SHED TEARS FOR THE HELL OF IT, WAS IN A CAR, HAD SPOKEN TO HER MOM ON THE PHONE BECAUSE SHE WAS MEETING UP WITH TWO FRIENDS BUT HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH LIQUOR HE CONSUMED, GOT OUT OF THE CAR, HIS FRIEND IN THE BACK KILLED, AS I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED HER AS A NIECE JUST AS MY COUSIN CONSIDERED MY DAUGHTER THE SAME, CARS STOPPED AND SHE HUNG UPSIDE DOWN SCREAMING FOR SOMEONE TO GET HER OUT, DIED IN A HELICOPTER OR LIFE FLIGHT. JUST AS MY DAUGHTER BUT THE DIFFERENCE WAS MY DAUGHTER WAS THE MIDDLE ONE AND TWO BROTHERS WHO SHE TOLERATED ONLY SO MUCH, THEN YOU ARE TOAST, THAT THOSE TEARS SHE SHED, AND STATING ” MOM I REMEMBER PUSHING HER IN A STROLLER WHICH I DO HAVE PICTURES OF, BEING PREGNANT WENT INTO AN EARLY LABOR, THANKFULLY A DOCTOR NOTICED WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, WAS TOO FAR ALONG TO GO TO A FUNERAL. WHY IS THAT ANY OF IMPORTANCE? BECAUSE MY OWN IS BRINGING THINGS I EXPERIENCED MYSELF AT HER AGE IN HER EARLY 20’S, AND THAT STUPID SOCIAL WORKER TO HELP ME BUT INSTEAD MADE IT WORSE NOT BETTER IN THE LEAST DETERMINES MY HEALTH ISSUES ARE RELATED TO PTSD AND MST x 2. ( her charting which would stop me and state, “we only have an hour so we don’t need ALL THE DETAILS,” then waste our hour running her stuck on repeat mouth, which my mind even didn’t have all issues, but hey, it’s okay to state that I carried pepper spray and the whom ever she asked, all she really needed to do was let me know because I had no idea regarding this tiny container was a dangerous weapon, and with my records the only thing she had right was my name, grand isn’t?)
    I KNOW WHAT I STATED EVEN WITH MY BRAIN THAT CYCLES, I CAN MEDITATE AND HAVE BEEN LUCKY OR NOT LUCKY, REMIND MYSELF IT WAS THE PAST, YOU WERE YOUNG REMEMBER IT CANNOT HURT YOU, I HAD NO IDEA THAT A VETRAN HIMSELF IN A WW EVENT, DID THE VERY SAME THING.
    BEN, TELL THEM ALL HOW IT AFFECTS ME HOW I HAVE A FEAR TO SEE MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER HER HUSBAND I LOVE AS WELL, AND THAT BEAUTIFUL GIFT OF A CHILD THAT I WISH I COULD BE HEALED WITH MY BACK, THAT ALL I REALLY JUST WANTED AND NEEDED WAS A SPECIALIST TO FIX MY BACK, I JUST WANT A PIECE OF JOY, MY LIFE MIND AND BODY JUST WANTS THIS NIGHTMARE TO GO AWAY, AND SINCE THAT TREATMENT AT THE VA IN DALLAS, WITH KENNY MARCHANT AND HIS “LIKE ME PAGE IF YOU ARE A VETERAN WHO HAS EXPERIENCED UNBELIEVABLE TREATMENT, RUDENESS, INCOMPETENCE, OUTRIGHT NO WAY IN HELL HAVE I BEEN HELPED BUT MADE TO FEEL MUCH WORSE WITH MY BACK AND WHAT THEY DO IS DELAY YOU, CONFUSE YOU, DOESN’T HEAR IT HURTS TO SIT, ( and this C&P BASICALLY TOLD ME BECAUSE OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS AND THIS WAS ABOUT UTI’S AND MYSELF EXPLAINING THAT IT IS A SYPTOM OF FIBROMYALGIA AND THAT THE “JURY IS STILL OUT” ON HOW EVEN RESEARCH WITH MY CONDITIONS GIVES SEVERAL THINGS THAT COULD, I MEAN REALLY COULD BASE ANY REAL FACTUAL THEORIES THAT SO FAR HAVE YET TO BE PROVED.”
    BEN TELL THEM AT THE BOSTON GLOBE THAT EVEN THE SITE OF THEM NOT KNOWING THE FACTS OF A DEEP HOLE EXISTS BETWEEN WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE LAW AND THE VA GAMES PLAYED THAT I AM TO THE POINT OF WAITING WHEN IT STRIKES TO JUST GO TO AN ER THAT IS ROUGHLY FIVE MINUTES FROM MY HOME AND SEND THE BILL TO THE VA AND STATE “YOUR FAULT BY DELAYING CARE,” YOU ALONE VA OF NOT GIVING A DAMN ABOUT PATIENT CARE AND YOU ALONE DIRECTOR AT THE VA HAS PROVEN YOU ARE COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY INCOMPETENCE MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BE YOUR GOAL TO CHASE PEOPLE AWAY, NOT INSPECTING BEHAVIORS OF YOUR STAFF AND ALLOWING ALL VILLAGE IDIOTS START AT THE TOP AND HAS THAT TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES CAN USE WHATEVER TACTICS TO SAY AND WRITE IN A MANNER THAT DISGRACES THOSE OF US WHO WORKED IN SPECIALTY AREAS AND ME WHO WAS NOTHING BUT AN HN COULD RUN THREE CLINICS AT ONCE AND MADE SURE WE HONORED THE CODE KNOWN AS THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH AND REAL PROFESSIONALS DO NOT ACT IN A MANNER THAT SHOWS TO RATE A HOSPITAL AS ONE OF THE BOTTOM FEEDERS IN THIS COUNTRY TO SAY EMBARRASSING AS THE REST OF THE WORLD WATCHES ON AND CANNOT BELIEVE THAT YOUR EXPECTABLE AND IN EXCUSABLE THOUGHTS OF CARE AND DAMAGE DONE TO NOT ONLY A VETERANS BODY BYT A VETERANS MIND, AND THOSE IN THE PENTAGON DON’T GIVE A CRAP BECAUSE WE ARE NOTHING MORE THAN “COLLATERAL DAMAGE,” AND THE CONCERN IS YOUR OVER PAID AT THE TOP CONSIDERATION FOR NOTHING MORE THAN SHEAR GREED.
    TELL THEM BEN, TELL THEN BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SEE ROTTING FLESH THAT WOUNDS YOU CANNOT SEE DOES SO MUCH DAMAGE ESPECIALLY BEING RAPED FEMALE OR MALE, THAT EVEN STILL TODAY THE “VICTIM OF SUCH VIOLENT ACTS,” THAT THE VICTIM IS MADE TO FEEL THEY WILL BE THE ONES ON TRIAL BECAUSE “SURELY WE DESERVED IT” BECAUSE JUST FOR TAKING A SHOWER, FOR BEING FRIENDS, THAT YOUR CONSERVATIVE CLOTHING WAS NOT PROVOCATIVE IN ANYWAY AT ALL UNLESS OF COURSE YOU CONSIDER JEANS AND A BASEBALL SHIRT AND SANDALS OR SPORT SHOES. TELL THEM OUR REALITY OUR MINDS OUR BODIES THAT WE CAN HARDLY ENJOY A MOMENT IF ONE HAS TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES ARE WATCHFUL TO THE POINT OF PARANOIA WE WILL EVEN FEAR OUR OWN SHADOWS. TELL THEM BEN, WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO MAKE SURE EVERY SINGLE DOOR IS LOCKED AND RECHECKED. TELL THEM BEN WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WHEN YOUR THINKING IS SO SCREWED UP YOU PANIC OVER KEYS MAKING SURE YOU DO HAVE PEPPER SPRAY, YOU DO WANT TO OWN GUN EVEN THOUGH YOUR AGAINST VIOLENT ACTS OR YOU MAYBE IN SUCH A DARK PLACE YOU WOULD USE IT ON YOURSELF. TELL THEM BEN HOW THE VA IS SUPPOSE TO “HEAL US AND AT LEAST GET TO A POINT THAT WE FEEL AT LEAST 75% COMFORTABLE BUT STILL CANT TOTALLY BE PARANOID AND OFTEN THAT COMFORT IS A DOG YOU LOVE BUT SHE TOO FEELS MY PAIN. TELL THEM THIS BEN THAT EMPATHY THAT STILL TODAY YOU GIVE A DAMN ABOUT OTHERS AND EASILY WOULD HELP BUT YOU CANT HELP EVEN YOURSELF ESPECIALLY SINCE THE VA FLAT OUT REFUSES TO BELIEVE YOU IT IS NOT ABOUT A DAMN PILL! TELL THEM BEN THAT EVERY DAMN TIME I HEAR THE WORDS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE I WANT TO TELL THEM I WISH TO SHOVE A HUGE FLAG POLE WITH THE DAMN FLAG UP SOMEONES ASS!
    IF THEY THINK I AM NOT DESERVING BECAUSE I REFUSED TO BELIEVE I WOULD SPEND MY DAMN DAYS AND NIGHTS WITH VERY LITTLE SLEEP AND DIDNT RUN TO GET A RATING RIGHT AWAY, TELL THEM COME SEE ME I WILL GLADLY PULL THEM INTO “MY F’D UP LIFE!” TELL THEM I DESERVED THIS. I DESERVED TO HURT TO NOT SEE A GRANDCHILD WE THOUGHT MY DAUGHTER MAY NEVER BEEN ABLE TO HAVE. TELL THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD THE TRUTH! THAT THEY REALLY DO SANITIZE ALL YOUR RECORDS THEY SEE FIT TO DESTROY AND GET RID OF ANY EVIDENCE! TELL THEM THAT IS A DAMN TRUTH THAT HAS GONE ON FOR YEARS. TELL THEM I KNOW A PERSON REALLY WELL KNOWN HE HAD TO DO IT BECAUSE HE WAS ORDERED TO BUT WAS AGAINST HIS OWN ETHICS AND MORALS AND I BELIEVE IT CREATES A DILEMMA AFTER THEY HAVE SERVED WHETHER THEY WILL ADMIT TO IT OR NOT.
    I WILL NOT REST TILL EVERY ONE KNOWS MY PAIN AND WISH TO HAVE ALL THOSE STOLEN YEARS TAKEN AWAY FROM ME BACK! HOW MUCH “WORKERS COMPENSATION” AM I ENTITLED TO FOR 33 YEARS NOW OF INTERNAL PAIN YOU CANNOT SEE YOU CANNOT FEEL YOU CANNOT IMAGINE HOW EVERY DECISION CHOICE OR THOUGHTS YOU WISH TO TAKE BACK BECAUSE NOW YOU FEEL LIKE AN “EMPTY SHELL,” AND WHATS LEFT INSIDE YOU ARE THE PIECES OF A SHATTERED SELF THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH DAMN GLUE TO EVER PUT MANY OF US BACK TOGETHER AND BE WHOLE.
    MY REGRETS? HELPING THE JACKASS GET RE-ELECTED AND SENDING HIM A BILL FOR GAS FOR THE USE OF MY OWN PHONE FOR THE ABILITY TO REALLY SERIOUSLY DIG UP SO MUCH DIRT THAT YOU ARE PEELING THAT ONION AND YOU STRIKE A GOLDEN CENTER! BUT TO WHAT ONE BELIEVES WOULD BE THE HELP TO OUR FUTURE, OH NO, NOT AT ALL. ASK THEM WHAT IT WOULD BE WORTH TO THOSE DARE JUDGE ME FOR JUSTICE BUT WAS PLAYED THE DAMN FOOL WITH THE CONSTANT ASKING FOR THE “DECIDERS” BADGERING CONSTANTLY FOR PHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES WHEN THEY DAMN WELL KNOW THOSE BASES NO LONGER EXIST.
    TELL THEM, IF YOU SAY IT LONG ENOUGH YOU BELIEVE EVERY TRUTH THAT GOES UNSPOKEN THEIR ARE MORE JUST WAITING AND HOPING THAT ALL BAD EXPERIENCES AND DAMAGE THAT IS NOW PERMANENT OUT THERE YET TO SPEAK.
    BUT TELL THEM, “YOU BETTER WATCH THEIR OWN BACKS,” BECAUSE IMAGINE AN INCIDENT THAT WAS DONE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WAS JUST A SAMPLE THAT NOT COULD HAPPEN BUT A MATTER OF WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN TO EACH INDIVIDUAL AND I GOT FACTS THAT IT IS SO DAMN REAL IF I COULD I WOULD SCOOP OF EVERY BEING AND TAKE THEM TO SAFETY BECAUSE STILL INSIDE ME I CARE ABOUT OTHERS FIRST AND MYSELF LAST.
    BOSTON GLOBE, OP ED, YOU SHOULD ASKS US BEFORE YOU SPEAK, AND REALIZE IF YOU COULD FEEL THE PAIN OF ANOTHER, YOU WOULD OUT YOUR FOCUS WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO, NOT TELLS US WE ONLY DESERVE SO MUCH.
    I AM ONE PISSED OFF EYES WIDE OPEN FEMALE THAT SEES IT FOR WHAT IT IS. SECOND TO NONE? GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD? ARE YOU SURE AND CERTAIN ABOUT THAT?
    YES, BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE DUMB ENOUGH TO, BUT BEFORE YOU PASS JUDGEMENT ON ME YOU BETTER LOOK ME IN MY EYES AND SAY THE CRAP YOU SPEW ABOUT US BUT TOO AFRAID OR SCARED TO TRY.
    AMERICA CAN KMA! DONT THANK ME FOR MY SERVICE, I DIDNT KNOW RAPE WAS A SERVICE, NOR DID I KNOW A STRANGER COULD BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF ME THEN STALK ME THEN THREATEN TO KILL ME AND LEAVE ME WITH WOUNDS THAT NO ONE SEES NO ONE FEELS NO ONE TRULY UNDERSTANDS BECAUSE THEY SIT UPON A THRONE OF JUDGEMENT. CAREFUL NOW, YOU SOON MAY BE KICKED OFF THAT THRONE AND BECOME NOTHING MORE YOURSELF THAN ANOTHER PART OF THIS COUNTRY AS ” COLLATERAL DAMAGE.”
    FOOLS, A BRIGHT HOUSE OF FOOLS WHO ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A MOUTH PIECE AND ONE DAY WHEN YOU ARE NO LONGER NEEDED YOU SHALL BE REPLACED, AND FIND YOURSELF SIX FEET UNDER AND NO ONE WILL GIVE A DAMN BECAUSE DIVERSION TACTICS ARE REAL AND DO HAPPEN.
    GO AHEAD, TELL THEM ALL BEN. I NO LONGER CARE WHO KNOWS MY LIFE, MY SECRET IS OUT AND I COULD CARELESS WHO KNOWS. BUT MEET ME, LOOK ME IN MY EYES AND GO AHEAD AND I WILL SAY A PLETHORA OF CURSE WORDS TO YOUR FACES AND IN LANGUAGES YOU DONT KNOW AND WONT GIVE A DAMN, BECAUSE I AM TOTALLY DISGUSTED WITH IT ALL!
    USA AND THANK ME FOR MY SERVICE? “GET STUFFED!”

  6. I think you have to be a very strong warrior to get anything out of that va !me myself I can’t go on fighting! but if I have to ! I will gain strength and fight for those veterans that deserve it dammit! God bless and keep up the good work! Ben and all you vets stay positive and thanks it will get better

  7. WE MUST REMEMBER THERE ARE BAD “APPLES” IN ALL GROUPS. SOME PEOPLE(WHO ARE NOT EVEN VETS) FILE FOR PTSD. I GUESS LIVING IN “PEACE TIME” IN AMERICA IS HELL, TOO.

    1. YOU NEED TO REALIZE ONE BIG THING WITH PTSD, IT IS NOT LIMITED TO JUST VETERANS. I HAD A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS SHOT AND NOW HAS A PERMANENT DISABILITY. TO SAY “PTSD” ONLY EFFECTS VETERANS IS TO COMPARE JUST WHAT RICK PERRY STATED HIS “BELIEF, THAT THOSE WHO FIT THE LGBT IS LIKENED TO AN ALCOHOLIC.” SERIOUSLY? THIS IS IGNORANCE AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OR STUDIES, THAT IT IS NOT A DISEASE, THAT IS NOT IN THE DSM NOR IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DOESN’T CONSIDERED TO BE CLASSIFIED AS ANY TYPE OF “DISEASE” AND ALCOHOLISM IS A “DISEASE.” ( YES, PEACE TIME IS HELL TO, MYSELF HAVING WITNESSED A CHILD HIT BY A CAR, A MAN COMMITTING SUICIDE, AS I KEPT TELLING MY MOM IT WAS THE BRACES ON THE TEETH APPOINTMENT NOT A DENTIST APPOINTMENT. WHY IS IT SOME OF US HAVE THIS INATE ABILITY FOR EMPATHY. AND YES, I SAW MORE, EVEN TWO TRAINS THAT COLLIDED ON MY 12TH BIRTHDAY. I WOULD WALK TO SCHOOL EARLY AND PICK UP A GIRL MY AGE WHO HAD SEVERE LEARNING DISABILITIES, PROBABLY A LOWER IQ AND PROBABLY THAT LINE OF WHAT THEY ONCE CALLED MENTAL RETARDATION. I WOULD SIT IN A ROOM JUST US, PRACTICE HER READING BOOKS 3 GRADES LOWER AND HER WRITING. WHEN KIDS MADE FUN OF HER? I FELT IT. AND I TOO THOUGHT HOW COULD YOU? SHE WAS SUCH A JOY FRIENDLY AND LOVING. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO WOULD KICK BUTT FOR HER? MY BROTHER AND I.) YES, IN EVERY SCENARIO I HAD WITNESSED I HAD THE SAME THOUGHT, WHY DIDN’T ANYONE HELP? “EMPATHY, IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT SOME ARE BORN WITH IT, SOME LEARN IT, AND SOME DON’T HAVE IT AT ALL.” PLEASE EXCUSE MY CAPS, MY FIBRO HAS GIVEN ME A GIFT AS IT HAS MANY OTHERS, NEEDING MORE THAN ONE PAIR OF GLASSES BUT THREE OR FOUR, I HAVE TO GO GET NUMBER FOUR. WHY DO I KNOW ALL THIS? BECAUSE I HAVE STUDIED IT. EVEN WITH THIS NEW ONSET OF “FOG,” I HAD TO LEARN TRICKS AND TEACH MYSELF HOW TO RELEARN, WHAT WAS EASY BEFORE BECAME REALLY HARD, BUT AS STATED, “STUBBORN I AM.”

  8. Ben, I just want to take a moment to thank you publicly for all the great work you do to bring us disabled veterans the valuable information needed to help us obtain the benefits and compensation that we are legally entitled to.

    Thank you and keep up the good fight for us!

  9. It is interesting to me how upset veterans get when people talk about the disability system that VA has created. I think what veterans get upset about is having the system exposed for the abuse that occurs in it. The sense of entitlement is astonishing. And I find it offensive when a veteran is receiving a 100% rating and continues to file claims. People get so angry about the backlog and love blaming VA on it. Well, part of that is caused by veterans who file multiple claims. People assume that we’re talking about a veteran who had his/her leg blown off or other injuries sustained in combat. I’m talking about, “I had hemorrhoids in service, and I have them now.” If a woman chooses to undergo a hysterectomy in service, that will automatically allow her a 50% rating for the rest of her life. The compensation system is supposed to compensate veterans for the loss of income for a service-connected disability. NOT having a uterus has ZERO impact on one’s ability to work. Unfortunately, this is why the system won’t be changed. Veterans and service organizations will throw tantrums when anyone discusses not providing easy hand-outs to veterans, and politicians don’t want to be accused of being anti-veteran. I wish all Americans knew exactly what disabilities are being sought by veterans and how much abuse there is of the system because I think the American people would be appalled. Attack me all you want. I have witnessed the abuse of the system, and it’s incredibly disappointing. Stop abusing the system. Don’t you have any integrity?

    1. Ok Allen, I have a few questions; are you or anyone close to you a disabled veteran? Have you read any of the rules and guidelines that the VA uses to determine what disabilities a vet may have? Have you been under the care of the VA? Have you been through the process of filing a claim?

      You see, us vets and our families have all experienced the process of filing a claim. We have experienced the injuries and problems we developed due to our service to ensure people like you can have and share your opinion. But that’s is all you have expressed, very similar to the two VA mouths that this threat is about.

      So let me enlighten you a little. You mentioned two examples of what you view as bogus claims. First, you insinuated that hemorrhoids are not an issue. Have you had to drive hundreds of miles a day sitting on a seat that is a canvas covered piece of wood? You make the trek from point a to point b, lay out on your vehicle for 3 or 4 hours, then get back in and do it all over again to another location. If you are lucky your convoy, or you vehicle for that matter, doesn’t get hit by an IED. Let me tell you, hemorrhoids hurt. But that’s not the end f the story. You see Allen, you make it home where your profession was being a truck driver before being deployed to Iraq for 14 months to 2 years. Now you can’t do that job any longer because sitting behind the wheel of a big truck bouncing up and down for 10 hours a day hurts your ass so bad that it makes you sick to your stomach.

      Now let’s imagine you are a young woman 20 years old. You are sent to Vietnam and exposed to agent Orange, or sent to the first Gulf War and sprayed with sarin gas, or Iraq/Afghanistan where the tempo is such that you don’t have a period for 6 or 7 months. Then in a year, or 2, 10 years down the road the Dr. tells you the reason you can’t have a baby or why you hurt so bad down there is because your uterus is all messed up and needs to come out. All the situations I mentioned before have been proven by the medical field to cause issues with women that result in surgical removal of reproductive parts. But, you are correct, that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with a woman’s ability to be employed. BUT, IT DOES HAVE TO DO WITH HER EVER HAVING A CHILD ON HER OWN.

      You see Allen, vets can’t sued the government for their injuries like civilians can an employer. That’s why you will see hemorrhoids and hysterectomy listed in the VASRD as commendable disabilities.

      Allen, I am one of those vets that you are complaining about. I have filed many claims. And I am pursuing the ones that the VA has either turned down, or just hung onto for years even after being scheduled at 100% p&t. (Oh, by the way, there is not a single false claim that I have filed.) For your information, it takes 200% of scheduled disability to equal a 100% commendable disability. So the system you admire so much tries to make it near impossible to get compensated for what you gave up to ensure people like you and the 2 VA quacks can voice your opinion.

      Now don’t take this the wrong way, I support your amendment rights 110%. But, don’t forget, vets have those rights also. I dont have any ill feelings toward you. I just think you are ignorant about what you base your opinion on. If that’s not the case and you are educated in how the system really works then it is my opinion that you and the VA quacks are somehow envious if us vets because we had the courage to stand up and defend this once great nation that so many are trying to tear down. If you fall in that categories then you are my enemy. You, I took an oath with my fellow brothers and sisters at arms to defend this nation and it’s constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic. DID YOU.
      Until you walk a mile in a vets shoes, you should not judge.

    2. MY HYSTERECTOMY WAS NOT A MILITARY CONDITION. NO, I BLAME THAT ON MY SOA. LET ME SAY THIS, HE BROKE THE CRIB AND LEFT A PLAYPEN. YES, I DO JOKE ABOUT IT. BUT I DO HAVE A FRIEND WHO DID TWO TOURS IN IRAQ, A FEMALE MILITARY OFFICER. TO SEE HER, KNOW HER, HER JOB WAS ONE OTHERS WOULD NEVER GUESS WHAT SHE DID, BUT SEEING HER IN ACTION AT MY FIRST ER VISIT AS DIRECTED, LET ME SAY THIS; “WE ALL HAVE A SPACE OF WHAT COMFORT LEVEL WHO MAY INVADE OUR PERSONAL SPACE.” THIS ISN’T A THEORY IT IS A FACT. TRY IT YOURSELF, YOU KNOW YOUR LEVEL OF DISCOMFORT. TRUST ME, SHE KNEW HOW TO USE THAT IN “OUR FAVOR.’
      SHE IS HAVING MEDICAL ISSUES, I HOPE SHE HAS A CHILD WITH HER HUSBAND SHE WORKED WITH BUT WAS A NON-COM. HE RETIRED, FOUND HER, FOUND LOVE.
      MY PARTNER HAS BEEN, AS STATED, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN FIRES MOST DO NOT HAVE THAT IN THE KNOW EXISTS AT ALL. HE IS ENTITLED TO THREE AREAS HE WAS IN FOR DISABILITY. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND, MY SO CALLED ANGER? I AM NOT ANGRY, AS STATED PISSED OFF. DO YOU THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF MYSELF THAT I AM PISSED? NOT IN THE LEAST. IT IS THAT 18 YEAR OLD MIND THAT FEMALES USUALLY DEVELOP BEFORE MALES AND EXPERIENCE EVENTS THAT IS A GREAT ASSAULT ON THE MIND. SOME MAY BURY IT, SOME MAY NOT. YEAH, BROCHURES I HAVE, USELESS FOR SOME. BUT WHAT I WISH TO ADVOCATE FOR WOULD BE MADE A MANDATORY LAW FOR EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE SERVICE. NO MORE GAMES PENTAGON OR OUR ELECTED PUBLIC SERVANTS. I READ WHAT WAS WRITTEN, AND PLEASE, SAVE YOUR “RHETORIC” OF MULTIPLE CLAIMS FOR SOME ONE ELSE! BECAUSE “MULTIPLE ISSUES” FORCE A VETERAN NO CHOICE BUT TO FILE THAT WAY.
      THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX PLEASE. AND JUST FYI HE NEVER WENT ASKING TO KNOW HE COULD FILE, NO, THEY SENT A LETTER TO HIM. HE HAS YET TO FILE ANYTHING AND THAT LETTER WAS SENT A COUPLE YEARS BACK. I AM TIRED OF PEOPLE THINKING EVERY SINGLE VETERAN USES THE SYSTEM . 9/11. THAT EVENT MANY PEOPLE LOST JOBS, HE LOST HIS. IMAGINE, I STATED, GET THAT 401K OUT NOW. HE LISTENED. WE DIDN’T LOOSE AS MUCH AS OTHERS, BUT WE DID TAKE A BIG HIT ON LOSS OF INCOME, A LOSS OF A HOME WHICH WE OWED JUST TEN MORE YEARS.
      I GAVE MY STORY AS AN “EXAMPLE.” IT IS ONE OF SO MANY WHO WORK HARD, BUT WORK HARDER TO HIDE THAT PAST. a WHEN I STATED MISSING RECORDS? I AM SURE IT HAPPENED WAY BEFORE THAT ALL TOOK PLACE. WHEN YOU HAVE PROFESSORS WHO WILL BACK YOU AND HELP YOU BECAUSE THEY SEE YOU ARE A FIGHTER FOR OTHERS, AND ARE WILLING TO SET YOU UP STARTING SMALL THEN GO FOR THAT IDEA AND PLAN? DO YOU THINK THEY “GET IT?” THEY KNOW MY STORY, I CARRY NO SHAME, BUT A LIFE TO STRUGGLE THROUGH AGAIN WITH MY DAMN BACK! I SHOULD HAVE FILED THEN. LIVE AND LEARN. WHEN I SAY I “KNOW THINGS?” TRUST ME, I DO.
      BLESSINGS TO EACH VETERAN WHO HAS DISABILITIES AS BEN HAS GIVEN US A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION HOW TO FIGHT BACK. “ME? I THINK IT SPEAKS OF JOB SECURITY FOR THOSE WHO DENY CLAIMS BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE A JOB TO KEEP THEIR GAME GOING TOO.”
      AGAIN, CAPS ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE TO DEAL WITH MY EYESIGHT CHANGING AND PLAYING THE DARN WHICH PAIR GAME.
      I WANTED BEN TO RESPOND KNOWING THAT HERE IS A PERSON THAT DIDN’T RUN FOR THE MONEY DISABILITY, BUT KNOWS SO MUCH MORE THAN THE VA THINK IS EVEN POSSIBLE AND THE CREDENTIALS TO BACK IT, THAT IS WHY I FIND IT A HORROR FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW.
      “MAY TRULY BE HARMED OR MAMED OR DIE BECAUSE OF THE QUALI TY OF CARE IS BAD. YET, DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE THOSE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD WHO WISH TO BE OF SERVICE TO VETERANS CANNOT GET HIRED?
      “THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.”

  10. Anybody following the illegal alien invasion happening right now on our southern borders?

    Obama has recently opened the borders to illegal aliens who come here on the promise of welfare and free healthcare.

    In fact, Obama is warehousing these thousands of new illegal aliens all around the country as we speak, mainly on empty military bases near you.

    While Obama is running the VA into the ground, he is handing out OUR VA MONEY to pay for these criminal invaders.

    And Obama’s pressitutes are trying to change public opinion in favor of this.

    Right now the Boston Globe is running articles advocating for these illegal aliens to be accepted as new citizens entitled to welfare.

    Contrast that with the Boston Globe running articles advocating for veterans to be denied benefits and compensation.

    You do the math.

    For every dollar that is taken away from a disabled veteran, a dollar is given to an illegal alien who is being wined and dined by Obama.

    Amnesty will kill the VA system.

    I daresay that in the near future Obama will use our VA medical facilities to give free healthcare to these illegal aliens, while veterans are forced into subpar government contracted clinics.

    Think it can’t happen?

    WHILE OBAMA IS HONORING CRIMINAL INVADERS, HE IS IGNORING VETERANS! STAND UP FOR YOUR VETERAN’S PRIVILEGE!

  11. Michael H. McLendon, the co-author of this veteran hit-piece, is a disgraced former VA official who resigned in 2006 because of the theft of 26.5 million veterans’ health records that contained their personal health information.

    More in line with Ben’s blog here about VA vocational rehabilitation issues, McLendon also unashamedly signed his name on a 2004 report titled “VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Task Force”.

    On page 177 (numbered page 168), the report questions why some veterans are even eligible for voc rehab: “Should VR&E accept all disabled veterans regardless of age? Is age a criterion for prioritization of expected services? How should VR&E balance its resources vis-à-vis age of applicant and number of times services have been requested?”

    On page 178 (number page 169), the report has the temerity to state: “The designation of Individually Unemployable” entitles the veteran to a 100 percent rating with commensurate compensation. Yet the adjudication process never includes the views of avocational rehabilitation counselor as to whether or not the beneficiary could participate in the labor force or whether a strong vocational rehabilitation or counseling program would be effective in assisting the veteran achieve employment, perhaps using assistive technology or other types of supports. The questions that are raised are: Without input into the IU determination process from a trained rehabilitation expert, should IU veterans or those applying for IU status be served by the VR&E program? How can an individual be officially designated “unemployable” (a label that should be an anathema) and allowed to participate in an employment program at the expense of another veteran who wants and needs a job?”

    Even worse…

    “It is recognized that over the years, the Congress and the courts have expanded the scope and complexity of veterans’ disability benefits. It is hoped that the Commission will conduct a thorough review of the benefits schedule and challenge the status quo. They might begin by asking how a tender scar, migraine, or mild asthma can be the sole “disability” for which a veteran receives compensation according to a rating schedule and is thereby automatically eligible for VR&E services, in the same manner as a severely-disabled veteran.”

    Basically, the verbiage in the report is a scheme to deny service-connected veterans their hard-earned VA benefits and compensation by throwing them back into the civilian workforce to fend for themselves.

    The report shows that our political elites think that veterans MUST LOSE their VA benefits and compensation because of some kind of undeserved status quo.

    What is interesting is that the report does not investigate the VRE for its role in screwing veterans enrolled in voc rehab.

    Nope, McLendon and his Beltway cronies seem to blame supposedly self-serving and greedy disabled veterans for having the audacity to use their hard-earned VA benefits.

    Heck, today is 10 years after McLendon’s report was published, and the current VA scandal shows that the waste, fraud, and abuse have been systemic throughout the VA system for decades.

    This means that the VA’s VRE is as tainted, corrupted, and anti-veteran as the VA medical facilities used by veterans for their healthcare needs.

    Any failures of the VRE are the VA’s fault, not veterans.

    Also, this McLendon dude seems to like to pick on the little guy, the U.S. veteran.

    Disgusting, really.

    Oh yeah, McLendon is a Lt. Colonel.

    In my opinion, a Shinseki wannabe…

    No wonder he wrote what he did in 2004 and 2014.

    The link to the report is below.

    STILL CONSIDERING SURRENDING YOUR VETERAN’S PRIVILEGE TO THE RULING ELITES?

  12. When a Veteran is injured….Their whole family is injured. As a caregiver, I gave up a career job so I could work part – time with flexible hours – A net loss in family income of a $60,000 annually, as well as loss in benefits including paid time off, health, dental, and life insurance, retirement contributions, etc. My husband is unable to perform the duties of his civilian job and his disability will be very difficult to reasonably accommodate in the civilian world. He needs daily ongoing assistance. We are both out of substantial employment, but too young to retire and receive any benefits from other sources for another 17 years. He is fighting for ssdi…who knows how that will pan out. Since he is tdrl for the next five years, many of the real world benefits deny him until he is on the permanent list…so we spend the days we have left together writing appeals with our attorneys. Not the quality of life we were preparing for all of our lives…and not the life I am sure the Boston Globe editors envision for themselves someday. My 401k was cashed out to cover the loss in income as we downsized our lives. The VA disability pay is so appreciated and necessary, even though it will never cover the REAL loss of current and future earnings, advancement opportunities, loss of companionship, lifestyle downsizing, loss of friendships, etc that impacted our family. The Boston Globe people are welcome to exchange lives if the need a more up close look at the impact. Our family would trade every VA benefit we earned for the normal life we had before. I worked in HR and filed workers comp claims and long term disability claims for a city government. Those folks came out way better on that system, actually, for far less serious injuries. Boston Globe is irresponsible and slanderous in suggesting our injured veterans are over comoensated. Go get ‘Em Ben. I would sign a petition or class action against their irresponsible allegations any day.

  13. As you all know, we were broken before we entered the service. Our body parts were just hanging on and the IED that blew you out of your Humvee didn’t cause you to lose your body part it was that way before your entered. The bullet was already in your body before you were shot at and the shot was a miss and now you are trying to claim a disability for something you must have entered into the service with? What is wrong with us? Nothing is wrong with us Boston Globe, we entered into the service as healthy eager individuals ready to serve and some unfortunately served to the greatest, to defend this country so you can give us your worthless opinion of something I am sure you investigated deeply. We, through various situations were injured on the job and as a result we are entitled to these benefits. And as they worsen, we are or should get a higher rating and a higher amount to help us with our disability. If they think we are scamming the system then I will gladly switch places with any of them for a week and let them see what we have to go through just to survive. Or better yet, shadow some of us and see how are lives are. They will be so thankful that they have their lives with no problems and that they don’t have to go to the Dr. once a week for eight weeks at 170 miles round trip part of which goes through Seattle traffic. The will we that I have to leave three hours early just to make sure I get to my appointment because it may take a while for me to get another one. We actually have to do so much work on our own time for various things (disability comp, getting ready for appointments, talking to people to try and find info for certain things, ETC…) that we are actually not getting much return for the investment we made. Have them spend some time with someone whom has a TBI and see how they leave. It is a humbling thing to help someone in that situation but we will do it because they are our brothers and sisters. God bless all of you, my fellow vets.

  14. This diatribe/narrative or propaganda is nothing new, Ben. The Boston Globe is known to produce articles that relates to the elimination of the military, and its related organizations; the Dept. of the VA and its services. And lets not forget that the Globe and its writer`s get their marching orders from the Council on Foreign Relations . https://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/02/13/crude_reality/?page=full

    And this You- tube clip should be an eye-opener. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FPAQlbmlSc

    We “Veterans” need to wake up to the reality of what those with power really think of us… “EXPENDABLES”

  15. Ben, it is just as you say: shameless VA propaganda aimed at disabled veterans who languish in poverty until they prove to the VA they are disabled — even in spite of clear medical records showing service-connected injuries that strips them of any quality of life that they once knew before serving our country.

    They view veterans as mere high-school grads and suckers for enlisting voluntarily to defend our country — and as such we are expendable and disposable once they get the benefit of our service. We can see that even when they leave the VA, these former executives will do all they can to distract from the evils and crimes committed while they themselves were there at VA.

    You kind of have to wonder if the same authors of this yellow-bellied journalism might come under criminal investigation for things they were directly responsible for when they worked at VA. That would be good motive for trying to brand most veterans as con-artists trying to scam their massive fraud operation. Don’t they call that “reverse psychology” and/or “Psy-Ops” to sway public opinion or try to legitimize certain issues as being an essential part of the reform effort. “For any lie to be eventually accepted by the general populace, all the government has to do is repeat it often enough and fiction will become fact and believed as true.” I think it was Hitler’s henchman,Joseph Goebbels, who made that quote. This is just another modern version of the same fascism that Hitler espoused.

    1. Excellent points, Lawrence. And your last sentence is what sums it up for the current & future state of America. As a veterans who lived in Europe and great-grand father & grand uncle experienced WW1 & 2 and my father was a teenager during WW2 and always stated to me that “fascism” is alive and kicking in America and will only get worse in the near future.

    2. LAWERENCE, “BINGO!” YOU “GET IT.” I FORGOT TO STATE THAT THEY ACTUALLY SENT ME A RAPE KIT TYPE FORM USED FOR EXAMINATION. WELL GEE, SINCE IT “WAS 33 YEARS AGO, HYSTRECTOMY IN 1990, MY THOUGHT WAS ARE THEY REALLY THAT STUPID? BUT, WHAT I HAVE NOT STATED, THEY DID SEND ME FORMS FOR EMPLOYERS TO COMPLETE, ONE I AM SURE THEY WILL COMPLETE IT, EVEN THOUGH THAT PART OF THE COMPANY NO LONGER EXIST. THE SECOND EMPLOYER IS OUT OF BUSINESS AS WELL, I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE THEY ARE, BUT FOR MUCH HARRASSMENT OF POLITICAL VIEWPOINTS, AND THE YOUNG ASSISTANT MANANGER HAD SEVERAL HANG OVER DAYS, KICKED OUT OF COLLEGE, KICK OUT OF THE MARINE CORPS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO RUN WITH OUT IT AFFECTING HIS LEGS, “SIDE NOTE,” HE STATED HE WAS A LONG DISTANCE RUNNER IN HIGH SCHOOL, GEE I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. HE WOULD WEAR A NOVELTY SHIRT FOR THE USMC PROBABLY TO LEAD OTHERS TO BELIEVE HE SERVED. ( MY SOA SAID TO TELL HIM THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY DAD, MY PARTNER STATED, “A LONG DISTANCER RUNNER BUT COULDN’T HANDLE THE RUNNING? HECK I HATE TO RUN, BUT I PASSED THAT ONE!” ) NOW THIS PLACE WAS A DAMN REPUBLICAN NIGHTMARE HOUSE. FIRST, “POLITICS NOR RELIGION ARE SUBJECTS YOU SHOULD BRING UP.” BUT ON ANY GIVEN DAY IT WAS. NOW HERE IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT A REPUBLICAN WHO STATES “CONSERVATIVE MINDSET,” FAUX PAS VIEWS THERE SOURCE, BUT GEE, A HOME HEALTH AGENCY THAT IS A GROWING FIELD AND THE NURSE PRACTIONER WAS DAMN NUTS, EACH DAY THE RULES CHANGED. BUT ONE DAY, I GOT TIRED OF “HANG OVER LITTLE BOY SYNDROME, SO I HAD TO SAY THIS; “IF YOU WISH TO PARTY LIKE AN OWL AT NIGHT, THEN BE READY TO FLY LIKE AN EAGLE IN THE MORNING. BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT MILITARY AS WE SERVED KNEW WAS A LESSON YOU LEARN REAL QUICK.” WHEN I WAS FIRED, IMAGINE THIS-OFTEN THE NURSE PRACTIONERS WOULD CALL ME ON THE WEEKENDS, OR AFTER HOURS TO LOOK FOR A REPORT OR RESULTS, I WAS NOT DO. YET THE I CANT MAKE UP MY MIND, WHICH I DID FOLLOW HER RULES, CONTACTS ME ON A MONDAY AND WANTS RESULTS AFTER HOURS. AN OXYMORON-RULE, BUT NOT A RULE. BUT YOU SEE, AS STATED, CREDENTLED I HAD SEVERAL, AND I “BROUGHT UP NUMEROUS TIMES TO THIS MORON, AS WELL AS THE SPELLING OF A DOCUMENT CALLED “HIPAA,” HE STATED “WE ARE WAITING TO DO IT WITH A SIGNATURE PAD. PROBLEM, YOU CANNOT TREAT A PATIENT WITHOUT DOCUMENTS THAT NEED A SIGNATURE BECAUSE IT IS ELECTRONIC AND YOU ARE PLACING ALL KINDS OF ORDERS IT CHANGES THE GAME. AND IN THIS HOUSE OF HORRORS, THIS OFFICER WHO WAS IN A LOCATION THE TWO PEOPLE HE KEPT CLOSE TO HIM, AND ANYONE CAN LOOK UP MEMBERS OF SPECIAL FORCES OR THE SEALS. ( HE MUST BE A WANNA BE-MY PARTNER WAS THERE BEFORE HIM, AS IN WAY WAY BEFORE HIM, BUT I LET WANNA BE RAMBLE ON. ONE DAY WHO KNOWS WHY THE GENEVA CONVENTION CAME UP, I AM A NON-COMBANTANT, LIKE THE CLERGY, WHICH IF I HAD THAT JOB I WOULD DRIVE THEM NUTS, I STATED, YES I STILL HAVE MY GENEVA CARD, HE STATED SO DID HE. A RESERVE CARD, NO THIS ONE AS I SHOWED HIM, FOR BEING A “ZERO” AND COULDN’T BE A HERO HAD TO PEOPLE WITH HIM AND NEVER SAW THAT CARD? I WAS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB AND FOR A REASON. “YOU WANT TO SEE WHO IS ALL TO READY TO DO IT? THESE NEO-CONSERVATIVES! NOW GEE, WHY WASN’T I SURPRISED WHEN THEY HAD DECIDED TO NOT CHARGE A COPAY, HAD RECORDS WITH NO NOTES BUT GAVE OUT PILLS ( HIGHLY ILLEGAL) I HAD ALREADY MADE THE WHISTLE BLOW. I CANNOT HAVE THEM COMPLETE ANYTHING BECAUSE I MET THOSE DRESSED IN BLACK, I GAVE THEM ALL I KNEW. THE DAY THEY I ASKED FOR FOUR DAYS OFF, CONSIDERING NO VACATION, IT WAS TO PUSH FOR A NEW JOB, I DON’T CARE FOR THOSE WHO CAN MAKE THEIR OWN RULES “FOR THE PATIENTS SAKE,” AND FINALLY I GOT THEM TO LISTEN THAT WHEN THEY STARTED THIS BUSINESS THERE WAS NO MISTAKE WITH THAT LAW, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE THEY SAW PATIENTS.” INTERESTING TO NOTE, THEY WERE LETTING “ME GO” BECAUSE THE EVER CHANGING HER RULES, STATED I CONTINUED TO WORK. I STILL HAVE THAT MESSAGE SAVED. IT WAS A TUESDAY, AFTER LUNCH THEY SAID THIS, BUT, IT WASN’T BECAUSE I EXCELLED AT MY JOB, FINALLY GOT THEM TO CORRECT HIPAA NOT HIPPA, ( YES, OCD, IT SEEMS TO BE A GENETIC CONDITION AS WE JOKE ABOUT MY GRANDDAUGHTER WHO IS LIKE US BOTH) THEY ACTUALLY WANTED ME TO STAY TILL THE END OF THE WEEK. NO THANK YOU! AND FROM THAT WANNA WISH I WAS A MARINE, TO STATE BECAUSE MY GRANDFATHER FOUGHT IN WWI, WAS HERE AS A TEEN, GAINED HIS CITIZEN SHIP, WENT BACK TO MARRY A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN HER ITALIAN VILLAGE-ONLY IF WE GO TO AMERICA. WELL THEY DID. EACH MALE CHILD HAD AN A NAME-FOR AMERICA, AND YES THEY ARE A PART OF HISTORY ON ELLIS ISLAND. MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS GERMAN, HERE WAY BEFORE A WAR, THIS LITTLE TWIT STATED WE WERE NAZI SUPPORTERS. WELL WELL, CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY, “SOMETHINGS YOU’VE BEEN A PART OF WILL LAND YOU IN JAIL BECAUSE YOU KNEW-SO CAN’T CONTACT THEM. MY LAST EMPLOYER, SHE HIRED ME BECAUSE I WAS MILITARY AND SHE HAD HOPED I WOULD GET A PERSON FIRED OR I CARRIED AROUND AN OLD M-16. UM NOPE. a THAT WAS A BAD YEAR, AND WHEN THEY LET ME GO? CAN I SAY THANK ALL OR ANY SUPREME BEING REAL OR NOT? BECAUSE I HAVE THE PAPERWORK TO HAVE COMPLETED FOR EXACTLY THAT, -100% UNEMPLOYABILITY. I DO NOT CHERISH OR FEEL JOY OF ANY KIND. BECAUSE MY LAST JOB THE STRESSORS AND TENSION OF UTTER RUDENESS AND MY BOSS CALLING ME LATE AT NIGHT, WANTED TO PLOT HER PLAN. I WAS MIFFED ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE WAS MOURNING MY NIECE. SHE WAS KILLED THE WEEKEND BEFORE THAT JOB. I DON’T THINK THEY LIKED THE FACT THAT I GAVE MONEY FOR THE U TEACH PROGRAM FOR MATH AND SCIENCE MAJORS BECAUSE WE TRULY LACK AND LAG BEHIND THE REST, WAS HONORED FOR IT, AND AS STATED, NOT MY WAY. I TOLD THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT MY IDEA, HE WAS IMPRESSED AND WANTED ME ON A TEAM WHO CAN FURTHER ALONG STUDIES AT A UNIVERSITY. NOW WHY SHOULD ANYONE BE UPSET OVER THAT? ( I AM GOOD AT GETTING MONEY, IT IS ALL IN HOW YOU PRESENT IT)
      I HAD STATED A FRIEND WHO KNOWS THE DALI LAMA, SO MAYBE IT IS A “CLUE” HOW I VIEW THE WORLD TODAY, BUT THESE WORDS HE SPOKE TO A JAPANESE WRITER BECAUSE OF THE IDEOLOGY REGARDING BUDDHISM AND THE DUAL NATURE THAT IS OUT THERE AND IN JAPAN.
      BUT THIS STUCK OUT; “ANGER IS GOOD, IF YOU TAKE THAT ANGER AND REDIRECT IT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF A CONDITION OR A CORRECTION THAN ANGER BECOMES GOOD.” I STATED PISSED OFF, (WHICH WATCH OUT I AM WAY BEYOND ANGER, AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS,) I WILL STATE IT LIKE THIS. “I AM A TIGER WHO BLENDS IN WITH THE TALL GRASS THAT HIDES ME. I WATCH MY PREY, THEY DON’T SEE ME, BUT I AM PATIENT, AND I CAN GATHER WHAT I NEED, THEN GO AFTER MY PREY.”
      MY BELIEFS, VALUES, ETHICS, AND ABILITY TO THINK OUT SIDE THE BOX? TRUST ME, MY FAMILY RUNS AND HIDES. “THE LESSON THOSE AT THE TOP NEED TO REALIZE AND SIMPLY PUT DO ONE THING, AS I TAUGHT MY OWN THREE ADULTS-“YOU MAKE A MISTAKE OR BREAK A LAW, CAR ACCIDENT SPEEDING, “YOU OWN IT.”
      AGREED, THE SYSTEM IS CORUPT AND FILLED WITH THE MINIONS WHO CARRY OUT THEIR ORDERS TO DO AS THEY PLEASE. SURE, NOW THAT THE NATION KNOWS IT? I SURE HOPE THEY CLEAN IT UP. “BUT SOME TRASH IS HARD TO DISPOSE OF, SO THEY LEAVE IT, AND FIND A PERSON WITH LESSOR KNOWLEDGE TO DISPLAY AS “GUILTY.”
      MY SOA KNOWS HOW MANY DIFFERENT RELIGIONS I’VE STUDIED, YOU CAN’T MISS IT HECK MY ROOM IS FILLED WITH IT. AS JEFFERSON DID THE CUT AND PASTE, AND HE WAS THE ONE TO ARGUE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, I HAD FOUND A BIBLE WHICH I HAVE NUMEROUS BUT THIS FOR ITS COVER, I TOLD HIM AS I HAPPENED TO OPEN A PAGE, “HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A SOLDIER WHO BEG JESUS ( NOT HIS NAME, AND HE WAS JEWISH) TO HEAL HIS DYING SON, GIVEN THE TYPICAL RESPONSE, THE SOLDIER ON HIS WAY HOME MET HIS SLAVE WHO STATED HE WAS ALIVE, “WHAT TIME DID THIS HAPPEN?” AMAZING, 1pm., SO MY QUESTION DID HE WEAR AN IRONMAN WATCH? NO DESCRIPTION OF A CLOUDY DAY, OR RAINY DAY, BUT AN EXACT TIME? “AGAIN, THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, “GET REAL.” WORDS MY SOA STATED, “SEE, THAT IS THE THING BEHIND RELIGIONS THAT PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE HOW CHOPPED UP SOMETHING IS BUT CLAIM IT AS A TRUTH! BUT YOU ALREADY KNOW MY BELIEFS ( NO FRIENDS IN HIS HEAD, BUT THAT NEW POPE IS TELLING IT LIKE IT IS KICKING BUTT AND TAKING NAMES, I AM DAMNED IMPRESSED.”
      I NEVER FORCED A CHOICE ONTO MY CHILDREN, TO ME I WANTED THEM TO DO EXACTLY AS I HAVE STATED. “THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX,” BECAUSE WHEN YOU OBSERVE YOU WILL DO SO WITH EYES WIDE OPEN! ME? DEBATING ON THE DALI LAMA IN DALLAS, TX. I REALLY DON’T WANT FUNDALMENTALISTS TELLING OTHERS “HOW THIS WRONG” BECAUSE IF WE WISH TO SAY WHO IS WRONG? IT WOULD BE THOSE WHO IN PUBLIC SCHOOL GET THE BIBLE HOUR.
      SURE HOPE I WON’T HAVE TO WEAR IT ON MY PERSON-BUT ALREADY DO AND TAKE NO ISSUE WHAT SO EVER OTHERS MAY WISH TO THINK OR SAY TO ME.
      AND YES THIS VERY MUCH SO SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS THAT A DISTINCTION WAS MADE AND I STATED, “BINGO!”

  16. Ha! Those two don’t realize just how out of touch they are when it comes to veterans disability payments. Didn’t the authors understand before they wrote this op-ed that the VBA is probably more against pay outs to veterans than they are?! Do they not know that it takes a veteran years to get a justifiable disability rating? It took twenty years in my case! These two idiots don’t realize how the VBA constantly low-balls veterans on disability compensation. After you return from fighting in a war, you keep getting confronted with these anti-veteran attitudes from people like these two.

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