Going back to the founding of our nation, we have always borne the financial responsibility of taking care our disabled troops. We do it with gratitude and grace because our military members deserve that and more.
The White House has released a 5 year plan to increase the base funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs by $25 Billion. Sadly, I think that is not nearly enough to fund the programs that will become increasingly strained over the next several years.
The Chicago Tribune has written an interesting piece addressing the costs of treatment for PTSD. They based a lot of the numbers on claims filed with the VA. But if you look at the first man profiled in the story, Eric Johnson, it took him NINE YEARS to be diagnosed. For all the current claims in the system, how many men and women are struggling with PTSD without treatment because they either don’t recognize the symptoms, they don’t want to deal with the VA, they don’t want to acknowledge they have a problem, etc?
As budgets are done each year and as ridiculous, spurious, and wasteful entitlement spending sucks up greater portions of our tax dollars, we out here in the public have to be vigilant and aware and LOUD about making sure that our veterans are completely taken care of. They are not an “addendum” type thing. They are a solid funding requirement. Period.
I’ll try to do occasional updates on this topic as I have time, but I’m counting on all of you to help me when/if it comes time to call out politicians. I have little faith in the government at this point, but I have great faith in the citizens of the United States. We’ll make sure we uphold our obligations to those who fight and die for us.
