Peake's answer to disabled veterans is to wait and pray

Mikolajcik urged Peake to grant all veterans with the disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a service-connected disability. Currently only Gulf War veterans are covered, Mikolajcik said. "My comrades in arms don't get the same benefits, and it's not fair," he said.

For unknown reasons, veterans have a 60 percent higher chance of developing ALS.

The retired general described the meeting as "very personable." "Now we just wait and pray," he said.

Apr. 30: New Outrage, as VA Secretary Peake Tells Veteran Sick with ALS to Wait and Pray

Jill Coley


The Post and Courier (Charleston, South Carolina)

Apr 30, 2008
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/9974

As I read this I had to read it twice. I thought maybe I took nap time early at my desk instead of on my bed. There are times when I read way too much and my eyes grow tired to the point where I'll skip a work here and there totally changing the meaning of what I'm reading. My brain could not tolerate what I read the first time. I thought perhaps I misread this and it said Peake is praying veterans don't have to wait anymore leading into a report that he is pressing congress and the Bush to make sure every veteran of this nation is treated with the utmost respect and the honor they all deserve for having served this nation. Alas, no. Then I thought a man in his position could not be so callous, so removed from the suffering of the veterans, so inept to deal with the crisis Nicholson left behind that he would actually answer all of this with "wait and pray" instead of solutions. The wait will be resolved in the next election provided it is not McCain taking over Bush's seat and appointing yet another pal of the faithful instead of the most competent person they could find. We all know what McCain's attitude and track record on veterans issue is and it's equal to if not worse than Bush's performance. Maybe what Peake is suggesting they pray about is that they survived the greatest threat to their lives at a time when we lose more when they come home from combat than we do during it.