Copy of e mail to Morning Joe@ MSNBC.com

I know David Schuster cares maybe he would be interested in talking about this:

A Wife's Battle - washingtonpost.com Anne Hull and Dana Priest's article about a disabled Army soldier and his wife's battle to get him disability benefits

and in a related story from NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/2007/10/14/2007-10-14_time_to_give_a_damn_about_vets_mental_he.html

WASHINGTON - They were an unlikely bunch of soldiers to be making the case for the "talking cure" before Congress last week. They once dismissed it as a copout for shirkers and wimps.

"Absolutely, we've gone through a transition" over the years, said retired Marine Maj. Gen. James Livingston, who wears the Medal of Honor from Vietnam.

"Now I'm a believer in early intervention" by therapists in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, the diagnosis for what was called battle fatigue or shell shock in wars gone by, Livingston said.

He was with 12 other decorated heroes appointed to the special Veterans Disability Benefits Commission as they presented the findings of their two-year study to the House Veterans Committee.

The commission had 113 recommendations for reforming how the military and Veterans Administration cope with disabled troops. They called for hikes of up to 25% in disability payments, and increased funding and programs for PTSD treatment.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. James Terry Scott, chairman of the commission, said the current system "is so complicated that it's a wonder anyone can get a claim processed."

Another problem the commission uncovered, Scott said, was that "the VA really didn't know as much as they needed to know about PTSD."

The VA system is overloaded. Waiting periods for appointments at VA regional centers now average 177 days. At Veterans Benefits Administration offices, which assign disability ratings, the waits stretch to more than two years.

But they were told that money was tight for what they proposed. "We must deal with funding issues," insisted Rep. Stephen Buyer (R-Ind.).

Livingston said the money must be found, the PTSD programs must be funded, or the nation will risk decimating the all-volunteer force.

"People have to know they're going to be taken care of," Livingston said, or "moms and pops are not going to allow their kids to join the military."

"Well, you remember what it was like" for Vietnam veterans, Livingston said to this reporter, who served with him in the 2nd Battalion, Fourth Marines, before the battle of Dai Do on May 2, 1968, where he earned the Medal of Honor.

Leading Echo Company, then-Capt. Livingston attacked the fortified village with 180 Marines. He was wounded three times and there were 35 Marines standing after Echo took the village and fought off a ferocious counterattack.

"I always thought after Dai Do it would've been good if we could've sat down and talked about it," Livingston said.

"But in those days it was all macho," he said. "You didn't want to admit anything. If you did, you were a battlefield wimp. Well, been there, done that.

"I'd like to think we're a lot more mature in our thinking. Bottom line, somebody's got to give a damn."

rsisk@nydailynews.com

My own blog about veterans and politics

http://vets4politics.blogspot.com/ title: Military & Veterans: Politics for the deserving



Hat tip for putting David Schuster on this morning Mike Bailey a disabled vet 100% P&T Army Nam and Gulf War One

I feel we have to attempt to get these morning talk shows to help us get the attention these issues deserve, I miss Imus he was all over everyone, Democratic and Republican for the Walter Reed fiasco and the VA SNAFU over compensation claims and long wait times for appointments, hopefully when and if he comes back on the radio, we veterans will get a national radio show to press our points of views, to the public and politicians....Imus is one of our greatest assets, he talks and people listen.

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