VA officials answer criticisms in Congress

VA officials answer criticisms in Congress
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Friday, June 06, 2008



WASHINGTON — For the second time in a month, Department of Veterans Affairs leaders testified before Congress about an embarrassing e-mail which implied a cover-up of serious health problems among servicemembers.

This time, Democratic senators and veterans advocates called for an independent investigation of the department, saying they believe leaders have created a toxic culture for veterans seeking care.

"There is a sense, whether it’s perception or reality, that [VA officials] make decisions based on money and not on whether veterans are getting the best health care they need," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "It’s disconcerting when we see things like this."

Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org, said a VA bonus program to reward clinics that process the most cases has only exacerbated the problem, unintentionally encouraging managers to cut corners and opt for less-costly treatments.

But VA officials denied those charges. Dr. Michael Kussman, undersecretary for health at the department, said recent controversy surrounding the department is the result of poor publicity from a few missteps, but not a lack of effort by employees treating veterans.
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http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55337

Public opinion on Iraq:Call in

Media Advisory for Friday, March 28, 2008 @ 1PM, EDT***

Call-in#: 888-325-3989, Passcode: 546571



Iraq Experts Hold Press Conference Call to Respond to Upsurge in Violence, Out of Touch Bush, McCain Assessments on Iraq



As U.S. Forces Are Pulled into Fighting in Baghdad, and as Green Zone Comes Under Attack, Iraq Veteran, National Security Expert, Expert on Public Attitudes Towards Iraq Asses the





WHO: Jon Soltz, Iraq War Veteran and Chairman and Co-Founder of VoteVets.org, Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Action Fund, Jim Gerstein, Democracy Corps



WHAT: Press Conference Call Regarding Upsurge in Violence in Iraq, Evolving Public Opinion on Iraq



WHEN: Friday, March 28, 2008, 1:00 P.M.



Call-in#: 888-325-3989

Passcode: 546571

Bad news on Army Mental Health. Is McCain Listening?

Latest Army Mental Health Survey Brings More Bad News -- Is McCain Listening?
Posted March 6, 2008 12:46 PM (EST)

Today's release of the Army's latest mental health survey provides very little to be happy about. In the past, I've talked repeatedly about mental injuries in war, so I won't rehash all of that again. But here are the highlights from today's report:

Despite all the talk about how wonderful things are in Iraq, the overwhelming majority of troops in Iraq continue to say that morale in their units and their own morale is low. Just 11 percent reported that their unit's morale was "high or very high." Only 20 percent said their own morale was "high or very high."

Afghanistan, which is quickly becoming the 'forgotten war' for Bush/McCain, is finding a worsening of the mental health among our troops there. Preliminary reports are that there has been a rise in the amount of troops in Afghanistan reporting depression. In Iraq, troops report the same level of depression as last year.

Combined, the findings are highly troubling. What it tells me, and any person with an elementary school education, is that for all the talk of success in Iraq, the troops aren't feeling that, at all. At the same time, we're crushing our troops in Afghanistan, who have done heroic work there with little help, but now are feeling increasingly overwhelmed.
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Support the troops? Then listen to them and take care of them

I would really like to know who the "pro-war" people are really being active for? It certainly isn't the majority of the troops in Iraq. I even doubt it is for the troops in Afghanistan considering they probably wouldn't be there either had Iraq not been invaded. I have never once read anything they had to say about what is happening to the troops and to the wounded, the way the DOD treats them, the way the VA tortures them until their claim is approved. If they really supported the troops, they would be fighting for them, spending the time they take to reinforce their ideology to help them.

This stopped being about Republican or Democrat a long time ago. This is about continuing to do the wrong thing or beginning to do the right thing. This is about them, what they need, what they earned and what they deserve from us. We fail them when they serve and we fail them after. Can't this country get one thing right for their sake? The least we can do is hear them. We can't even do that right.

VoteVets.orgNov 29 2007
Contact: Moira Mack, moira@hildebrandtewes.com
Troops Blast Rep. Duncan Hunter for Debate Remarks

***Watch It***

In last night's Republican presidential debate U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter outlandishly claimed that most U.S. soldiers are conservatives.

Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org, an organization representing thousands of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, lashed out at the congressman for making false claims about the troops just to support his own political views.

"I was appalled by Rep. Hunter's attempt to score cheap political points by falsely labeling the views of the brave men and women in uniform. It is beyond disrespectful to me and smacks of desperation on the congressman's part," said Soltz. "The reality is that the troops and their families reflect the nation as a whole – and the majority of this country and our troops oppose Hunter and Bush's defeatist policies, and their obsession with keeping our troops in Iraq’s civil war. Last night Rep. Hunter proved himself to be out of touch with the military, and with the country."

ZOGBY POLL OF TROOPS - Nearly three in four troops (73%) say they are personally comfortable in the presence of gays and lesbians.

NEW YORK TIMES / CBS POLL OF TROOPS – Two-thirds of troops and their families think things are going badly in Iraq. This represents a dramatic increase from just a year prior.

MILITARY TIMES POLL OF TROOPS – Only a third of troops approve of the President's handling of the war in Iraq, which represents crumbling support from past polls. Nearly 75 percent say the military has been stretched too thin by President Bush. Those troops who think there can be a military success in Iraq has plunged by 30 percent.

ZOGBY POLL OF TROOPS – A Zogby International Poll found that 72 percent of troops on the ground in Iraq thought the US should get out within a year, in 2006.

VoteVets.org is a pro-military organization committed to the destruction of terror networks around the world, with force when necessary. It represents the Voice of America's 21 Century Patriots - those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. It primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf of troops, veterans and their families.
Paid for by VoteVets Action Fund, http://www.democracyinaction.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.votevets.org%2F

Can you hear them now?

VOTE VETS VOW TO HOLD CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Vow Accountability for Failure to Override Bush Veto on Veterans Spending
By VoteVets.org Press Release
PUBLISHED: November 16, 2007

IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS VOW ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FAILURE TO OVERRIDE BUSH VETO ON VETERANS SPENDING

WASHINGTON - The largest political group of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans today reacted angrily to news that the House of Representatives failed to get the 2/3 vote needed to override President Bush's veto of spending for military veterans.

"It is unconscionable, with estimates of problems veterans face getting worse every day that so many in Congress would fail to stand up to this President on behalf of our nation's veterans," said Jon Soltz, Iraq War veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org.
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