My friend is a vet from Vietman needs mental aide and must travel 47 miles to receive it as this is the closest vet hospital.He receives no pay and has applied six times.Although married with one child he is still unable to hold a job and has our senator working on disability. It has been very painful for the family all these years.Using private hospitals and doctors would make it muich easier for those who need aide to receive it and I am sure they could work out some pay schedule if necessary. The vets really do not deserve the poor treatment they receive.

A standing military is a good deterent especially when Korea,China and Russia have multi millions at arms.You cannot train a military force over night thus we must have one trained at all times. Now that does not mean we need to go out and try to nation build. We have tried four times and failed on each time. I support a strong military but not $100 hammers and $150 toilet seats. This is where controled spending is necessary and it would help if the cost of a plane,tank,ship could be reduced as others seem able to do.if we do go to war the vets need to be taken care of correctly.

@marine

Took me awhile. I believe that veterans should be provided with adequate tools and training for defense. I absolutely, do not support sending military troops to overthrow existing governments or attack civilians. However, if they're going to do it, we can't just worship dead soldiers. We need to take care of the ones who return. For all the talk of "supporting our troops", services are cut every time a vote comes up with an increase in payments to defense contractors.

PhoebeCat I strongly oppose the nation building we have attempted to do in the last three wars we have engaged in. If the people cannot over throw their own government we have no business trying to do it for them. We can send them supplies and bring them here for training but our troops should not be there unless a nato nation or one in which we have had treaties like Korea and Japan as we would expect them to come to our aide. For the cost of a couple planes,tanks or ships we could provide better care for our vets. It just is not fair to ask them to give their lives for their country and then not attend to their needs. The problem is many of our politicians who send the men and women into harms way have not hadto send their children that way and many have never served themselves. It is easy to be removed from the scene when you do not have to deal with the consequences.

I am a vet who had a disability in the service. In the fifty years since I served I have not used any vet service first because the facility if filthy and not staffed very well. I have visited there and the smell of urine is terrible. The next closest facility is 60 miles away. The vets in this area deserve better.

@Marine I have no doubt you are telling the truth. I retired in Germany and came down to DC with plenty of opportunities there in good facilities with my sister also retired a couple miles away from ft meade but I never did. Then I moved to Jacksonville FL were there was a bad reputation and long waiting periods. I was forced really by my also veteran son to go to VA in Vegas. I know stories of those living far from facilities that are not even adequate to handle a veteran. There are many veterans that never receive any benefits. Sometimes logistics are the issue and does not matter where you live, you deserve better and thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Right on

Military is a better choice of words as there is the Navy,Air Force Army Coast Guard and the MARINES.

All very important points but more importantly, who you visiting? C'mon tell us, we won't tell anyone. ????

Sorry even my best buds on the site don't know. Confidential. and private

@sassygirl3869
I know. Just pulling your leg. Hope it works out great for you.

This is so right. It is just ashame we treat them so bad after they have given so much!!!

Sorry but there are many of us who are trying to help.

That’s ok. I understand. I’m ok. I got out with a retirement and an education. Many didn’t. Many of them are just forgotten. @Marine

You would think with all the money spent on military that the would budget better to care for our veterans.

Many prior military believe that some type of mental training should be required in advanced training before combat in order to reduce battle fatigue. It has been falling on deaf ears even thought we can show the need for this training. Some expense in this area would reduce the number of battle fatigue. This would be appreciated more than big guns the military does not want!

@Marine THANK YOU for validating and substantiating the point I was trying to make! Its good to know I'm not out in left field with this. How hard could it be to get soldiers in a room with a psychologist to learn coping mechanisms before they can't sleep through the night?? smh

What is this program?

@Leutrelle It was recently created by Congress to help reduce the VA backlog. If you are some distance from a VA center, you can use non VA services and the VA will pay for them. The catch here of course is you have complete enrollment and needs determination first, and that has a large backlog. If you can locate a nearby AMVETS office, they should be able to help you with the VA stuff as well as helping you hook up with qualified services.

@Dwight Thanks good to know

Something is worng because it isn't working. The mental health program is needed before combat not after.