Progressive Agenda for War Veterans

In response to a PJRC request, Paul Sullivan of Veterans for Common Sense is suggesting the following platform for addressing the needs of veterans from the era of the Gulf war, and Iraq and Afghanistan wars:

• Extending the five years of free VA healthcare for to free healthcare for life. 

• Expanding the geographic location for the Gulf War to include Afghanistan so there is no excuse by VA to delay or deny coverage.

• Create a Trust Fund, advocated by Linda Bilmes, so that when a war starts, money must be set aside for healthcare and benefits for veterans.

• Transforming Veterans Day as a day to listen to veterans' stories about war. If we are to prevent war, we must listen to our veterans.  That's the original reason for "Armistice Day."

• An accountability project, or truth commission, to set the historical record straight.  Even if Obama won't prosecute, our history books must show the Bush administrations lied to start a 21-year war for oil and hegemony in the Middle East.

• Public education about PTSD and TBI so the public understands and does not discriminate against veterans and so veterans will want to seek VA care.  For example, what is PTSD?  What is TBI?  Where can veterans get help?  How many have sought help?

• Exposing the vicious anti-veteran positions of extremist neoconservative / Tea Party / Republicans.  For example, Huntsman’s plan to tax service members combat pay in war zones, Huntsman’s plan to tax veterans' disability benefits, Bachmann's plans to cut billions in VA healthcare, and worse.

Paul Sullivan is on the Board of Directors at Veterans for Common Sense and is the Executive Director of National Organization of Veterans' Advocates. Contact him at paul@veteransforcommonsense.org.

Comments

[galwayspaniard]

Good points. No one ever mentions the Zionist connections and the push to immoral war in 2003. I served in USMC late 60s. Few understand how sad it is to see so many decent young men die. Most Marines I know were not the idiots portrayed in modern films.
It was the lower class or lower middle class who got snuffed out in Vietnam.
President Obama takes his marching orders from Israelis and corporatists.