Page 75 - A Soldiers Exposition

RETURNING HOME AND RE-ENTRY

Re-entry and the truly enormous challenges

For those returning Veterans who have not been “physically injured” and are frequently deemed “not
disabled” by the military service, or the Veterans Administration (VA), life can be a lonely island.

We often think of these fellow Veterans as:

The Dismissed or The Discounted or The Forgotten

As mentioned elsewhere in this exposition, many Americans find it all too easy to forget or fail to value the
commitment of those who served and are currently serving our nation.

Thousands of Veterans do not apply for disability for a myriad number of reasons.

Those who do apply can expect wait times in years, not months. And, from my own experience, a large
percentage of those who do apply are initially denied and must endure an appeals process that also can
take years to mitigate.

What happens to the Veteran in need while the application is “in process” for months on end? Think
about this. If the Veteran is fortunate to have family members to provide for his well-care - Whoa, stop
the presses. Why is the government allowed to shift the responsibility to the Veteran and his family?
Who sent that person into harm’s way? Who is the “actual” responsible party? There must be a better
way for our government to answer the call and accept responsibility the moment a soldier is injured.

So, what is the reality?

Thousands of Veterans choose to live their lives and never seek help for their disabilities.

My opinion: Many, if not most, do not seek help because they cannot understand the process, the forms,
or the terminology.

The process needs to be streamlined. The Veterans Administration is quick to tell the world about their
automation of medical records and how they lead the nation in this field. Note: I am not referring to the
VA medical facility – I am speaking of the VA Administration in Washington, D.C.

Recommendation: Stand up and provide leadership; stand tall for the soldiers who protected you!

The Veterans Administration (VA) should reduce the hard-copy (paper) documentation required of the
Veteran by retrieving all the service and medical files without the Veteran having to provide hard-copy.

Isn’t this the age of electronics?

The VA could reduce disability claims processing time with one simple change.

My opinion: Delay equals money; need I explain?