Printer Friendly Page
OBAMA: "PENTAGON AND VA NEED TO COME
CLEAN...[AND]
START KEEPING HONEST FIGURES ON OUR TROOPS" --
Legislation will force DoD and VA to track
potential
future costs of war and healthcare.
This came to me via email...
Email below:
---------------
STATEMENT FROM SENATOR BARACK OBAMA
"The Pentagon and VA need to come clean on the true costs of the Iraq
war on our troops.
"It doesn't make a difference whether you were hit by enemy fire, or
injured because your vehicle crashed, or got sick because of serving in
a war zone. The effects on the soldiers and their families are the same.
And the impact in terms of the current fighting force and future demands
on the VA are also the same.
"I have introduced legislation along with Senator Snowe and others to
force VA and DOD to start keeping honest figures on our troops and the
potential future costs of the war. The sooner we start keeping track of
our soldiers, the better and more efficiently we will be able to care
for them when they get home.
"Taking care of our Iraq veterans is one thing we can get right about
this war."
The Lane Evans Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2007
(This bill is S.117)
"A country that can afford to send men and women into harm's way can
afford and must provide the resources to care for them on their return."
-- Congressman Lane Evans
According to the Department of Defense, more than 1.5 million American
troops have deployed overseas as part of the Global War on Terror (GWOT)
-- 630,000 of these servicemen are now veterans, and more than 205,000
have already received VA medical treatment.
Establishes Registry to Track GWOT Data: In 1998, the VA established the
Gulf War Veterans Information System to keep track of health and VA
usage by veterans who served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. This data
has been invaluable in health research, budgetary planning and improved
care. We need to collect aggregate data on GWOT service members and
veterans to monitor their health and their VA healthcare and benefit
use. This data will provide VA and Congress with robust information in
order to make responsive and responsible decisions about taxpayers'
money. It will also help VA with ongoing medical research into mental
health, traumatic brain injury, and other conditions that Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans face. It also will lead to better data to avoid
budget shortfalls like the one that occurred last year.
Extends VA Mental Health Care from Two Years to Five Years: In 1998,
Congress established a two-year window to allow new veterans to obtain
health care at the VA. Unfortunately, it can take many years for
symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental
health problems to manifest themselves. In addition, the VA Deputy Under
Secretary for Health recently admitted that existing lengthy "waiting
lists render [mental health] care virtually inaccessible." Providing a
five-year window for veterans to receive an assessment of mental health
medical needs by the VA will help assure that veterans do not fall
through the cracks.
Requires Face-to-Face Medical Exams: The Army' Mental Health Advisory
Team found that intense combat and repeated deployments are taking their
toll on our soldiers. 76 percent of surveyed soldiers knew someone who
was killed or severely injured, and 52 percent saw dead or severely
injured Americans. A May 2006 Government Accountability Office report
found that nearly 80 percent of service members returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan who were at risk for PTSD were not referred by military
clinicians for further help. DoD should conduct in-person physical and
mental health exams with every service member 30 to 90 days after
deployment to war zone. This will ensure that our fighting force is
ready for battle and that we can identify and care for those at risk for
PTSD. By making the exams mandatory, we can help eliminate the stigma
associated with mental health screening and treatment.
Requires Equal Transition Services for Guardsmen and Reservists: A 2005
GAO report found that because demobilization for guardsmen and
reservists is accelerated, reserve units get abbreviated and more
perfunctory transition assistance including very limited employment
training. VA should provide equal briefings and transition services
(such as VA's Benefits Delivery at Discharge) for all deployed service
members regarding VA healthcare, disability compensation, and other
benefits, regardless if they are regular Active Duty, activated
Reserves, and activated National Guard.
Facilitates Electronic Records: DoD should provide each separating
service member a full electronic copy of all military and medical
records at the time of discharge to help them apply for healthcare and
benefits.
---------------
Larry Scott
Don't forget to read all of today's VA
News Flashes (click here)
Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage
