I had NO idea

[old2soon]

    How Very IMPORTANT my sevice would become later on in life. I actually expected Nothing or not much at all. I'm reffering to my time in The Navy AKA Service in Uniform. I've had sme procedures that even with insurance of some sort I might have been on the hook fer mucho $$$$$$! And my Precription Drug copay which Is saving me mucho $$$$$$$! Or my CPAP or my O2 cocentrator or my O2 tanks and assorted O2 paraphernalia. Or being able to actually See my Dr. or my Nurses just by dropping in. My Dr. recently changed my annual checkup to semiannual. In other words The V A IS taking care of me because I took 4 years (4.9% at this time) outa my life to Serve AMERICA!  And were I able I'd do er all over again!  And as I statred up front-I did NOT expect any of this! GOD Bless AMERICA and I Say-Thank you AMERICA!  RIDE SAFE.

[f6john]

I hope all veterans are having similar results. I remember a time when the VA was not very effective or efficient at delivering quality timely care.

[da prez]

  i get excellent care from the VA. There are some who get no care. There are so many stories about their retirement pay is to high.  WHAT does it matter. You are in the Military to defend and if needed to die for the country , but you have to pay for your care ,even if service connected.
  What politician pays for their care and gets it after retirement. H O W many politicians were active military.
  I was never in a combat situation in the military. I could have been. I received training to be in combat.
  If you had the uniform on, YOU DESERVE the care and respect .

                                     da prez  1966-1969 Army SP/5 E-5

[scooperhsd]

I can honestly say that my VA medical care is catching up to what I was getting  prior.  I've heard comments from other vets in the waiting room that the care has been improving in the last couple years.

[Jess from VA]

I have no disease or injury related to service (not 'service connected' for anything).  I carried a reserve military ID for 17 years after separation, which got me on military installations, but that's long gone too.  

But I worked for USDVA after service separation (but retired from that for 15 years).

I seem to recall that VA health care and treatment was often related to the populations of both the VA Regional Offices and the VA hospitals and clinics.  You were always likely to do better in more rural America than big city areas.  More vets, longer waits, more mistakes.  

I certainly enjoyed my 9 years active duty considerably more than my 18 years a block behind the White House with USDVA.  You didn't have to be a veteran to work for VA at my job, but a good number were.  Unfortunately, leadership mostly were not. 

[Skinhead]

I have applied for and been denied VA coverage 5 times due to I guess income.  I agree with Ross, if you served, and we're honorably discharged, you should receive VA benefits.  Politicians do not deserve free healthcare, they should get what they voted for the rest of us.

[HayHauler]

I have applied for and been denied VA coverage 5 times due to I guess income.  I agree with Ross, if you served, and we're honorably discharged, you should receive VA benefits.  Politicians do not deserve free healthcare, they should get what they voted for the rest of us.

AMEN!!!

Hay 
Jimmyt

[old2soon]

     Back in 16? when I laid down Phatt Ghurl and broke my left ankle the V A took care of it by sending me to a Civilian hospital. V A had already given me crutches but I also wanted a knee walker. The civy hospital would be happy to git one just up the road from a medical supply house fer around $400.00!  Ah NO I'll check with the V A. Next day FedX kncked on my door please sign here and V A had sent me FREE of Charge a knee walker!  V A also reimburses 41.5 cents per mile with proper paperwork for personal vehicle use for V A related appointments. I could ask for that when I go to my clinic but I usualy only claim if over 50 miles 1 way. And Jess I guess I am more rural out here! And My Brother Ross is RIGHT yopu wear tyhe uniform you is Automatically eligble for any healt issues you may have from when you reire. Some of these Vets that got boogered up while in a War Zone should NEVER be Questioned about ANYTHING except self inflicted wounds. Seems like a Lot of Vets git back home and certain political types CHOOSE to fergit We VETERANS laid our Very LIFE on the line For AMERICA and AMERICANS!  RIDE SAFE.

[old2soon]

      We've had a few kudos here aboutthe V A BUT it wasn't always that good! Google sez we were done in Vietnam 29 March 1973 I believe. fed gubmint farted around til 1991 finally admitting in some cases agent orange might be the culprit. The V A DENIED most claims til sometime in the early 2000s. Far too many of My Brothers and Ssters in Ars DIED before their claims wer resolved.  agent orange the gift that keeps on giving!  Ross and I are Friends with a Doctor that served in the Army as a Dr. We asked him-can a man or woman who has been exposed to agent orange with pertners that have Not been exposed have children that Might be different because of one parents exposure to agent orange. He sais while there is NO public proof in his Medical opinion-YES offspring can have some abnormalities due to one parent being exposed to agent orange.
        Fast forward to our Sandbox Veterans and gulf War Syndrome. fed gubmint denied any problems for WHAT 30 years or so?  We Raise our hands Swear an Oath up to and including our lives then when we come back after doing AMERICAS bidding "they" cast us away like a used up toy or something? Don't git me wrong-I Still LOVE AMERICA but "they" need to do MUCH BETTER Concerning AMERICAN VETERANS!  RIDE SAFE.