Every year, we mark Veteran's Day with parades and, as a nation, we say thank you to veterans for the service they've given. We also remember those soldiers who have given their lives for their country. Restaurants give free meals and politicians remind us to keep the sacrifices of our military in mind. This year, I've watched several political debates where the issue of military action and veteran care has been discussed. It seems that veterans and the issues surrounding them are important and a focal point for our leaders and prospective leaders. This, of course, is a good thing.

But, are veterans really getting the help they need? Are we simply hearing a lot of talk, or are people actually ensuring that veterans are receiving the health care, both mental and physical, that they need? Sadly, the answer to that question is no. Unfortunately, veterans and their care appear to be talking points rather than action points.

Veteran care is a strange thing. For one thing, veterans are guaranteed care by the VA. The quality of care one receives at the VA is fine, but it certainly is not easy to get the care. I'm not trying to speak poorly of the VA, so please don't misunderstand me. But, it seems like the VA and the government failed to anticipate the large number of veterans that would come to them to receive the care promised to them. Certainly it's no surprise that the government did not anticipate the large number of mobilizations of National Guard and Reserve soldiers they would need to sustain two conflicts. Add those soldiers to the list of regular, full-time soldiers requiring care and you have a recipe for a backlog disaster.

So the question remains, are veterans getting the care they need. In a recent article in The Week, this topic is addressed. The article states: Are vets getting the help they need?
"Many are not. "No one was really prepared for the number of seriously wounded survivors," says Dr. Ronald Glasser, the author of a book on battlefield medicine. Wounded veterans have swamped the VA system, leading to a backlog of almost 900,000 disability claims. Vets complain of a burdensome bureaucracy, lost paperwork, redundant medical exams, and inconsistent diagnoses. "You fight for your country, then come home and have to fight against your own country for the benefits you were promised," said Clay Hunt, a Marine sniper who was shot in the wrist in Iraq, and had to wait 10 months for disability checks. Depressed, divorced, and haunted by the loss of several close friends in battle, Hunt killed himself last March."

The death of Clay Hunt is terrible and, one hopes, avoidable. Had he received the help he needed, perhaps he'd still be alive. What is most unfortunate about all of this is the implied message that the government would love to care for veterans, but they just don't have the resources. It reminds me of the quote of our former Secretary of Defense, "You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you want or wish you had at a later time." Apparently, veterans will receive the care they get, not the care they wish they got or could receive at a later time.

The article also discusses veteran care cost. The article states: What will their long-term care cost?
"Hundreds of billions of dollars. Studies show that the cost of health-care and disability payments for veterans of past wars did not peak until decades after the last bullet was fired. The peak year for paying out disability claims to World War I veterans was 1969, and care costs for Vietnam vets have not yet crested. Because of the high survival rates and the many cases of PTSD and brain injuries, it's been estimated that the medical and disability costs for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans over the next 40 years could reach $930 billion."

930 billion dollars. For Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. 930 billion dollars.

It seems like we may be waiting a long time. I think, perhaps, I may receive those Packer season tickets before veterans are getting what they were promised.

Here is a link to the article so you can read it yourself: http://theweek.com/article/index/223423/a-tough-homecoming-for-war-...