Confession - I haven't championed Veteran's Issue too much but

[SargeUNN]

right now I can't help but do so. Don't get me wrong, I have always done some on them and been aware but until recently I have never felt the need to speak out so loud on them. Why do I feel it is so important now compared to before? I think it is because of my disappointment how Obama really opened a door to make it a topic to be focused on yet, we ignored it for the most part. Another part I guess and more selfish is my current situation and how I am fighting to just keep from fading into the veteran that is trying to just live without overwhelming pain, to not have to give up and find some place where someone else has to keep me like a pet dog.

I got hurt in the Air Force after I got a shipment to Vietnam and in POW training I tore up my knee. I had surgery and by the time I healed the shipments to Nam was cancelled because we were getting out. I finished my enlistment on the bicentennial of our nation and went to college. I started to have health issues and ultimately had to have surgery again. I didn't do well from this surgery so ultimately I went in the Navy, but it was too late, I was starting to suffer from Degenerative Joint Disease in my knee. Finally I was medically discharged supposedly at 50% how ever Reagan was in office so my rating turned into 0% service connected and repeals never got me one penny of a pension. When Bush came in about the 3rd year I got a 10% rating and a small amount and I went back to college and was able to get my degree. I did very well and was rated as a sure bet to become a highly sought after coach. However, I got sick and went to the VA. The nightmare was worse than I could have ever expected. 18 months later, lost of my coaching career, my savings, my marriage and family, a VA doctor stopped ordering the same old test over and over and found the problem. A minor surgery resolved that problem and 2 weeks later I was able to go to work. The problem at that time was not my service connected problem but was a side effect of it. Now I will skip to the present.

I lost most use of my right arm and lived in some of the worse pain I ever had. I finally gave in and went to the VA just over a month ago. They gave me an appointment for Sept. 27th and told me to come into the emergency room for pain management which I did. I was given Tramadol which eased the pain to a bearable level but still the problem that also had my neck hurting was not to be addressed until Sept. 27th. I ran out of the medicine and now living on ibuprofen while waiting to get some more attention from the VA. The VA here in Phoenix is very good, and they do amazing work but like all they have to work with the ridiculous budget Bush the dumber left them and the Republicans and like minded Democrats won't get the guts to fund properly.

I could go on but hopefully you got enough to anger you and start realizing if you don't speak out and dedicate your energies to stop this madness you are just as guilty as Bush or those who don't fund this important area. Please folks, I am getting tired and in too much pain with 9X below the poverty level income to continue fighting. We veterans need you to help and make big noise about this before more of us have to just fade away into the fog of indifference.

[elleng]

1. In touch with these guys, Sarge?

http://www.vietvet.org/

http://www.vietnamvets.com/

http://www.vvaw.org/