Washington Post: Veterans Suckers and Losers
No, it isn’t a new quote from President Trump. If you are fortunate enough to not have a Washington Post subscription, I will spare you the bottom line up front, and let you know what the Washington Post really thinks about Veterans. The only thing scary this Halloween season isn’t my black cat, Rosie, but how the Washington Post truly feels about Veterans. I have always been a believer that the proof is in the pudding. Just give someone enough rope and—well, you know the rest.
The Hit Piece
They say in life, timing is everything. It is no surprise that the Washington Post decided to begin its assault on Veterans during the midst of the government shutdown. It is a move well played, I give them that. Create pressure at a time when people are buzzing about fiscal responsibility. Well played, indeed. To play their hand even further, they have made this into a multi part series, with more articles set to be published. The arrogance makes my teeth hurt. Almost as if their owner has never did 180 days in the sand box while taking incoming fire, while your buddy next to you bleeds out. Hmm.
Anyhow, you are probably wondering by now what the hell they said? Let me pick some highlights for you:
“About 556,000 veterans receive disability benefits for eczema, 332,000 for hemorrhoids, 110,000 for benign skin growths, 81,000 for acne and 74,000 for varicose veins, the most recently available figures from VA show. Individual payouts for such mundane conditions vary, but collectively they cost billions of dollars a year.”
"Veterans’ advocates, for-profit companies and VA itself encourage vets to file as many claims as possible to milk the system."
"Veterans whose claims are initially denied can seek more favorable rulings from regional VA offices, the Board for Veterans’ Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Most veterans who appeal receive free representation from VA-certified attorneys."
“Veterans can — and increasingly do — file claims for multiple ailments. Last year, each disabled veteran received, on average, benefits for a combination of about seven injuries and illnesses, up from 2.5 per person in 2001. The Post found that it has become common for veterans to submit claims for 20 or more disabilities each.”
“During the Biden administration, VA went to new lengths to make it as easy as possible for veterans to obtain disability compensation and other benefits.”
“Joshua Jacobs, who served as VA undersecretary for benefits for two years under President Joe Biden, told The Post it was important for the agency to bend over backward to help veterans given its past failings.”
Did You Hear That?
The VA is bending over backwards to help Veterans! More like bending you over backwards. And Uncle Joe made it easier than ever to get benefits! Just pick up the phone and say help, just say uncle. Yeah, right. The rest of the article goes on like that. I will stop before you get too nauseous. You can tell whoever wrote this has never walked into a VA facility a day in their damn life. Also, news flash, Washington Post: we have been at war the past…what 30 years? What do you expect?
The article seems to take issue at the pure number of conditions Veterans are filing for. Can one person really have that many medical conditions? Well, let’s consider your average Veteran from recent time. He bathed in the Kuwait oil field fires for 6 months. Don’t worry though, the smoke was only so bad it could be seen from outer space. He had ear plugs though to protect his hearing! One less claim. Let’s say this Veteran was an old salty dog. Older than the teenagers he was leading into battle. Hell, he had two sons that were the age of the men he was leading. Needless to say, he has a little bit of PTSD after one of those boys was blown to bits beside him. There goes condition number one, PTSD. Then there are those pesky oil fumes that he was breathing in for months on end. Can’t be good for the lungs. Asthma. Interstitial lung disease. We are up to three now. Years later comes the diabetes. You see, those fumes can be hell on your endocrine system. Four. But, the diabetes comes with complications. Lots of them. Left and right upper and lower neuropathy. Eight. Diabetic kidney disease. Nine. Then finally the testicular cancer kicks in. Ten. When the cancer is finally over, the doctor compassionately calls it a “voiding dysfunction.” Eleven. Oh, and the migraines from the radiation. Twelve. Before you get to lucky thirteen, your wife only has one claim to file. Suicide. One.
Easy as Pie
Didn’t you know? It is easier than ever to file a claim and get approved! To make matters even easier, Veterans can “seek more favorable rulings from regional VA offices, the Board for Veterans’ Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.” But, with how easily the VA is handing out money, do we even need appeals anymore? The VA just gives money out, no verification required, and they never get it wrong.
Here is a question the Washington Post should investigate. Year over year, the Veterans Court has received record numbers of appeals. As of October, with the year not even over, the Veteran’s Court has received a record number of appeals in a calendar year. But how can that be? The VA is making it easier than ever and bending over backwards to help Veterans. With it being so easy to get money out of the VA, why is the Veterans Court receiving more appeals than ever? It is almost as if whoever authored this has no actual clue how the VA works. What is even more apparent, is they never contacted an actual disabled Veteran before publishing this hit piece.
Suckers and Losers
Then there are the “mundane” conditions Veterans are filing for. What’s up with that? Eczema and hemorrhoids. I wonder if the tinnitus is secondary to the hemorrhoids somehow? That’s a joke, by the way. Anyhow, this too demonstrates a total misunderstanding of the VA, Veterans, and our obligation to Veterans. Agent Orange, burn pits, jet fuel, and oil fields due a hell of a number on someone’s body.
If you are filing for those sort of conditions, Washington Post sees you as a sucker and a loser. But, they fail to understand that a 0% eczema opens up healthcare eligibility, what may be all you’re looking for from the VA. All in all, mama always said, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. Dear Lord I think that especially applies to Veterans.
Whoever wrote this thing has never served a single day in uniform. That much is clear. Nor have they ever lived somewhere besides their ivory tower. I would tell you to cancel your Washington Post subscription, but I doubt very seriously any of you are buying into this drivel anyhow.
I have represented hundreds of Veterans. The best this Country has to offer. Not a single one has been a sucker nor a loser.
Godspeed.
