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A LITTLE STORY THAT'S GOING TO GET BIGGER: VETERAN'S

HEALTHCARE RESOURCES STRETCHED THIN -- Vietnam

vets tell of long waits as number of returning troops using

VA grows. Older vets being pushed to the "end of the line."

 

 

This "little story" is growing all across the country.

The vets in the story below get their VA healthcare at the Austin VA.

But, this is happening in your town...at your VA, too.

As returning troops use more VA resources, older vets are being pushed to the "end of the line."

Congress saw this coming and his been slow to act.

The VA needs more funding NOW!

No veteran should have to wait due to lack of resources.

Underfunding leads to understaffing leads to delays in VA healthcare!

Be sure to watch the video at the link below...you may just see "yourself" in the two veterans featured in the piece.

Story here... http://www.news8austin.
com/content/your_news/d
efault.asp?ArID=187872

Story below:

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Veteran's healthcare resources stretched thin

By: Kendra Mendez

Robert Kinney and his friend John Farnell share a lot in common.

Both served in the Army, are Vietnam veterans and struggle with their health.

"We're having a very difficult time getting things that typically would be easy for anyone in civilian life to get accomplished," Kinney said.

It's just another thing they have in common: a frustration with Austin's Veteran's Affairs Healthcare system.

"My teeth, it took about a year to get them," Farnell said. "It's just impossible for them to be able to handle the massive amounts of veterans that are coming back from Iraq."

Since March of 2003, the Veterans Affairs Administration's Central Texas healthcare sytem gained more than 7,300 patients who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Last year the V.A. served 70,000 veterans in Central Texas alone.

"There are days about two or three days a week that you can't even find a parking spot," Farnell said.

But the V.A. says they have funds coming in from Congress to meet the need.

"I think that we're pressed right now, but I think that we're doing a good job. I think our people in the V.A. are working as hard as they can and are doing our best to serve everyone who has needs," Dr. Abraham Delgado of Veterans Affairs said.

As it is, veterans can get care two years after leaving the military whether or not they were injured at war.

Congress is trying to increase that to five years.

But these vets worry services aren't expanding at the rate that will protect them and future heroes.

"Care needs to be given to all the troops the ones who have served, the ones who are serving and the ones that will be serving," Kinney said.

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Larry Scott  --