Problems with VA medical benefits are nothing new.
President Ronald Reagan was in office when a veteran made national news. The veteran was injured in Vietnam years before and received the Medal of Honor, but the VA cut off his benefits. They were restored after media coverage.
Then, in 2001, another veteran filed for benefits, and the VA said it could not locate his civilian medical records. He later was approved for benefits in 2007, and soon after that, he received notice the VA had received his civilian medical records at some point in the past. Since the 2001 claim was rejected and he did not know he had to refile a claim after each rejection, any money for the period before 2007 was not paid.
The VA has had many years to change the system.
If the cost is the problem, the United States could save money by starting a draft. The recent small wars have cost trillions of dollars. If a draft is implemented, wealthy political donors would have their kids drafted, which would mean politicians would receive fewer donations. As a result, politicians would pressure generals to end small wars quickly. World War II took three years, while the Vietnam and Iraq wars took about a decade each.
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Dan Peters
Rochester
