No one can understand the plight of the massive US Veteran community, better than the Veteran Warriors. Beginning Tuesday, November 12, 2013, a small group of disabled veterans representing all branches of our military is schedule to meet with 12 legislators and 2 subcommittees in Washington, D.C. I hope these legislators are ready. From what I understand, these Veteran Warriors are determined to win the fight for a total overhaul of a failing Veterans Administration.
Two weeks ago, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs held hearings on Veterans Administration case backlogs. I watched and listened to these hearings. With the exception of a few Congressmen—those that actually served—much of what I heard was an exercise in false self-righteous indignation, shifting the blame, shameless finger pointing and deception. “Thank you for your service to our nation,” has become a platitude in American political circles.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, administered by Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Retired U.S. Army General Eric Shinseki— a member of President Obama’s “the buck stops here” executive cabinet —is under fire for a confirmed culture of corruption, fraud and incompetence plaguing an unprepared and poorly managed Veterans Administration (VA).
I recently spoke with Lauren Price of Veteran Warriors about the ongoing mess at the VA. Lauren is amazing. Price is retired Navy, a disabled Veteran, the wife of a disabled Navy veteran, mother of a disabled Army veteran, a grandmother and the Public Affairs Representative for the Veteran Warriors.
She is also terminally ill. She suffers from a disease she acquired will serving in Iraq known as Constrictive Bronchitus.
For the past 5 years, Lauren Price—a former paralegal in civilian life—and a small group of military veterans, investigated, documented, catalogued and summarized the core issues and problems plaguing the VA. The Veteran Warriors have also—on their own time and dime—developed a simple plan to restructure and overhaul the second largest department in our government. They are now taking their case and there plan to Congress. They need America’s support.
The Veteran Warriors proposal to overhaul the VA can be found here.
Fed up with band-aid approaches and failures of poorly thought out and wasteful legislation like the 2008 Benefits Delivery at Discharge Program, this group of former military members, is determined to improve a long neglected, cost inefficient and unproductive VA; not only for their fellow service members and veterans, but for the taxpayer.
To Lauren Price—who also suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) —this is a fight worth fighting. To quote her, “I have nothing to lose. I am dying. Might as well make the best of the time I have left.”
Unlike me, this is not political for disabled veteran Lauren Price and the “Veteran Warriors.” This is about improving our government for the taxpayer. I wish I could be so considerate. She is a brave women, a true Patriot and a better human being than the majority of us.
Like so many other real national priorities (budgets, deficits, national debt and entitlement reform) that our Congress—and an arrogant and irresponsible President—has failed to address, the real problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs are overdue for overhaul, not meaningless reforms. In fairness, since World War II, our government has an abysmal record of accomplishment in Veterans Affairs. However, this is not an excuse to delay much needed overhaul so that our veterans receive the timely care and benefit’s they earned fighting our wars.
Moreover, yes, Mr. President, whether you like it or not, these are your wars too. However, I digress.
With Lauren Price’s permission, I will continue to follow the progress of the “Veteran Warrior” Group and introductions to their team. Once again America, they are going down range for us. I suspect they could use your support.
For those that wish to help, shoot the editor, Tim Brown, an email by clicking the contact button at the top of the screen. He will put you in touch with the right people.
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Veteran Warriors to Descend on Washington Demanding Overdue Veterans Administration Overhaul
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