U.S. screws over its soldiers

[Bitsy]

I'm sorry for the title of this, but I wasn't able to think of a less offensive synonym that worked as well at doing justice to the content of the thread.

I finally found an online piece of journalism about this issue that I have been wanting to post here ever since the other threads about soldiers were posted on here. It was very difficult to find these references, although it would be big-time news, if news were ever to exist in the United States. This is a pdf file and there is a link in it that mysteriously has been taken down:

http://veteransinfo.tripod.com/more_on_pd.pdf


Has anyone anywhere seen this on mainstream news? Anyone? Anywhere?? Isn't it news that the American government has discharged over 22,000 soldiers for mental illness claiming that it was a pre-existing condition so that the gov't doesn't have to pay for the soldiers' treatment?

Oh, look, here's another story-this time it was the guy's deafness, memory failure and depression that were not caused by the rocket that struck just above his head when he was in Iraq-yup, those symptoms were caused by a personality disorder and so he got kicked out and wouldn't receive disability or medical benefits:

How Specialist Town Lost His Benefits

[WanderingOak]

I think it is disgusting how the current administration is treating it's veterans. There is absolutely no excuse for the way these young men and women are treated. Sure, the administration was "shocked, shocked" by the conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center, but we keep on seeing more of the same type of abuses continue. I don't think anything will actually be done until Dubya is out of office. If we somehow wind up with McCain next year, I would not be the least bit surprised if the same treatment of veterans is continued. The cost of this misguided misadventure is going to continue long after we send our boys home...

[SomeRandomGuy]

What enrages me is that those of us where were against the war in Iraq from the beginning were being painted by many as unpatriotic and accused of not supporting the troops. Now we are seeing the truth of the matter. I supported the troops 100%, by not wanting them risking their lives in a war I felt was unnecessary for a government who was going to turn its back on them. As the OP suggested, if we had real news agencies in this country this would be front page news. It is imperative that people understand what is going on. I wonder how many of our young me and women would not have chosen to enlist in the military had they been aware of these things. I know there are some very good (and some very honest) men and women in the military. I know that the majority of recruiters are doing what they think is best. It is very possible that even the recruiters aren't aware of how some of the soldiers are being treated. However, I find it very difficult to trust a government that asks its citizens to risk their lives for a questionable purpose, then treats them so poorly, then turns around and tries to recruit even more of our best and brightest take the place of those they had cast aside apparently because they were no longer of use to the government. Calling these actions disgusting is being extremely generous.

[Still Growing]

If you had every recruiter take a lie detector test and asked them the question "Have you ever lied to a recruit?" I would bet that 50% would fail.

The lies include job availability, chances of going to Iraq, etc.

Secondly, military people don't live by the same laws you and I live under. They have their own strict laws where you are guilty until proven innocent. Even the soldier's lawyers work more for the court and the ranking members than they due the soldiers. You can't have your laywer kissing the prosecutors butt and saying yes sir and expect a fair trial.

ON ANOTHER SUBJECT:

From my experience liberals do have less respect for the military (typically). They can deny it all they want but I hear liberals on this site saying "All military people are murderers. " That is an outrage and in my view is hate speech.

I'm no fan of war but I constantly hear liberals talk about how stupid, uneducated and lower class military people are. Then you have the conservatives who act like you can't even question the military or its movements.

What a crazy dichotemy we have in the US.

[Barcs]

Pretty typical actually. The government has been screwing over the soldiers for a while now. It happened to a good friend of mine as well. He went to Afghanistan for a year and came back to find that his school benefits were gone, and other "benefits" that were promised to him. Then they were going to send him to Iraq for another year at least, ONE MONTH before his tour was over. It's like once you head over seas, you are expendable and don't matter. It's pretty sad actually, since they are the ones that risk their neck to fight in these conflicts.

[Doku]

Or a friend of mine who has been in the military over ten years, developed a brain tumor, and are calling it a preexisting condition.

[infinitethoughts]

No comment.

I've known this from day one.