VA's had more than 20 years to get their hand's off of their 3rd point of contact and do something positive for a change about this Nation
Draft Gulf War Task Force Report, dated 21 October, 2011
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Paul Lyons commented
I wrote this earlier comment above in ager, which is not always a good idea or a way to express yours or anyone's else's judgment; therefore, I can only ask for those of whom I may offended: to please try to be as patient as the Gulf War Veterans community has been, while trying to have their medical claims adjudicated in a fair and impartial way.
As an example, I was actually told by a VA regional officer in the Indianapolis regional office verbally over my phone, that he would personally see to it that my House bound status would taken away, when I was only persuaded by another Veteran employee to have another medical diagnoses added to my disabilities. This wasn't for more monetary benefits, but for proper medical treatment. If you read my current C-file, the you will see that this has in fact happened, although I can hardly walk, even though I'm on pain medications among over a dozen others and must use a cane and wheel chair at times, as I cannot stand without pain and discomfort for over five or ten minutes, but I had the sense to record phone records on him when he called my house, threatening me. I will be addressing this and other matters in a Congressional investigation, in the near future if VA's outreach will not help me. Was this fair I ask? Now this example may help you realize, as to just why so many Veterans are fed up so to speak, with the current system.
Also, you may have some feeling now, as to just what BS tactics that have been pulled on a lot of the sick and disabled Gulf War Veterans in the past, that I'm sure are feeling abused by the system that we really want to trust...this point is not to mention their family concerns regarding health problems with their own wife's and children's health.
I have testified before many Federal Government panels, in the past decade such as the President Clintons Presidential Panel that he created as well as many other times at Dr. Rostkers' Gulf War hearings. I have, however, managed to get through to some of them, that VA and for that matter, that our Federal Government as a whole - really needs to start addressing the real and somber facts regarding number one - that many of us have in fact, been chemically and biologically exposed, thru no fault of our own.
After we cross this painful hurdle, then we can begin to build trust, once gain in our VA medical system, as it should be. Honest outreach can go a long way.
Another cold hard fact that DoD needs to look at is that we just didn't have the proper NBC gear and equipment needed to protect us from these many acute exposure's as well as other Veterans who were also exposed to low-level exposures. For the sooner that all parties involved, come "clean" with these facts, then the sooner that we can move on...and build the trust once again in the VA, as it should be...
Please also remember, that with proper,fair adjudication and world class medical treatment to go with it, which I know that the VA can handle, then the VA can go a long way in helping to provide extended outreach and once again build good trust to our sick and disabled Veteran's, who deserve no less...
V/R
Paul D. Lyons