In article ,
"Michael A. Terrell" wrote:

What other choice do I have? If I could afford to use anyone else, I
would already be. No one gives a **** about Veterans needs, but they
love to tell lots of lies about what they'll do if we're stupid enough
to elect them. Even the nurse at the VA clinic tried to dismiss the
problem by telling me, "Just go to Walgreen's and buy some eye drops."

You all need to remember this with the promise of 'National Health
Care'. They can't even get it right for a couple percent of the US
population so you can well imagination just how FUBAR it will be when
applied to everyone.

So, this is where we are all headed with the coming national health care
system, rationed health care? The congress is already chomping at the
bit to change Medicare part D to the VA model and Formulary next year,
once Bush is out of office and no longer presents a veto threat.


Regards,

John Byrns

--
Surf my web pages at, http://fmamradios.com/

"John Byrns" wrote in message So, this is where we
are all headed with the coming national health care
system, rationed health care?


Yes it is where we are all headed and our Vets have taken it in the shorts
for ever. Have you ever been to VA hospital? Under funded ********s is what
they are. The way our Vets are treated is despicable. My uncle did two
combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in Nam. He's has
cancer from Agent Orange and our govs first and only offer of restitution
was a big check for $650. I hate those mother ****in pigs! Sorry guys about
the language but when people like Michael and my Uncle suffer after signing
their lives away to defend us and can't get the help they deserve, it really
makes me fighting mad. We should all put an end to this madness. It's gotten
way out of hand.


--
Regards
B.H.
Hill Amplification
http://hillamplification.com

Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/500.htm

"Brian Hill" wrote in message ...

"John Byrns" wrote in message So, this is where we
are all headed with the coming national health care
system, rationed health care?


Yes it is where we are all headed and our Vets have taken it in the shorts
for ever. Have you ever been to VA hospital? Under funded ********s is
what they are. The way our Vets are treated is despicable. My uncle did
two combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in Nam.
He's has cancer from Agent Orange and our govs first and only offer of
restitution was a big check for $650. I hate those mother ****in pigs!
Sorry guys about the language but when people like Michael and my Uncle
suffer after signing their lives away to defend us and can't get the help
they deserve, it really makes me fighting mad. We should all put an end to
this madness. It's gotten way out of hand.

And then McCain decides that he doesn't like the new GI bill because he's so
afraid that if it passed, and they were actually GIVEN anything for their
service, that they might leave after just three years. That's the lamest
reasoning I've ever heard in my life. The folks that are going to leave the
service after three years already have that idea going in, GI benefits or
not. The ones that plan to make it a career do so, benefits or not.

"Brenda Ann" wrote in message
...

"Brian Hill" wrote in message ...

"John Byrns" wrote in message So, this is where we
are all headed with the coming national health care
system, rationed health care?


Yes it is where we are all headed and our Vets have taken it in the
shorts for ever. Have you ever been to VA hospital? Under funded
********s is what they are. The way our Vets are treated is despicable.
My uncle did two combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and
then in Nam. He's has cancer from Agent Orange and our govs first and
only offer of restitution was a big check for $650. I hate those mother
****in pigs! Sorry guys about the language but when people like Michael
and my Uncle suffer after signing their lives away to defend us and can't
get the help they deserve, it really makes me fighting mad. We should all
put an end to this madness. It's gotten way out of hand.

And then McCain decides that he doesn't like the new GI bill because he's
so afraid that if it passed, and they were actually GIVEN anything for
their service, that they might leave after just three years. That's the
lamest reasoning I've ever heard in my life. The folks that are going to
leave the service after three years already have that idea going in, GI
benefits or not. The ones that plan to make it a career do so, benefits or
not.



Well the cats out of the bag now in regurds to how soldiers are treated so
I'd bet it'll be quite a bit harder in the future to enlist any decent
recruits. McCains a sellout that forgot where the **** he comes from. Does
money caviar and fame do that to some people? Answer-Yes!

BH

Brian Hill wrote:


Well the cats out of the bag now in regurds to how soldiers are treated so
I'd bet it'll be quite a bit harder in the future to enlist any decent
recruits.

I thought "decent recruits" were fading fast -- the military is now
accepting way lower test scores and those with criminal records. How can
they go any lower when they are already scraping the bottom of the barrel?

Carter wrote:

I thought "decent recruits" were fading fast -- the military is now
accepting way lower test scores and those with criminal records. How can
they go any lower when they are already scraping the bottom of the barrel?

Don't be so quick to judge.

Are you familiar with the ASVAB tests? This isn't the quick hosedown
for recruitment that was prevalent during Vietnam. Maybe they are
lowering standards on the testing scores but "scraping the bottom of the
barrel" is a stretch.

I can say that because I have a 21-y/o here at home who wants to join
but quite frankly wasn't the best student in our mediocre educational
system and the ASVAB is quite the challenge for him. He's studying the
test like we studied SATs to get into college.

If we don't fix the basic educational system, fat chance we have of
getting decent recruits. Its not cannon-fodder they are looking for
like it used to be as recently as VietNam.

It takes some digging to find sample ASVAB tests online. I found one
and ran thru it myself and scored very well. I can't imagine my kid
being able to even make a credible score unless he is a lot more savvy
than the local school board has revealed.

I wish they would bring up the national educational standard to this
level rather than vice-versa. I didn't see a single question about how
to place condoms on a banana or how faggots are normal people which
seems to be a big deal for public schools.

As for vets and VA facilities....I'm not a vet but many of my cronies
are. They have the normal complaints about efficiency and service but
there are few horror stories coming out of San Juan. For clients here
in Vieques (an offshore island) they even pay RT airfare for attending
the appointments and often pay the airfare for the person accompanying
the patient if it is justified.

Just as a civilian observation, I think a lot of the 'care' issues are
related to health maintenance. My cronies here are over at the VA once
every few weeks dealing with some matter or other...that stuff becomes a
way of life from your fifties onward, veteran or not. Its all
scheduled, no refusals, no waiting 6 weeks. Guy in charge of 'your'
case is accessible by cellfone 24 hrs a day. Maybe, for once,
facilities in Puerto Rico are better than the mainland? We have a
National Health Card scheme that makes many people wish they were
veterans entitled to the VA services !

I know Michael has a threatening medical emergency about once every few
months and he is the same age as me but not as lucky in health. I think
a regular regimen of sitting in the VA Hospital lobby to do health
maintenance might work out better in the long run for Mike.

Good luck to ya, Michael A.


** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

Carter wrote:

I thought "decent recruits" were fading fast -- the military is now
accepting way lower test scores and those with criminal records. How
can they go any lower when they are already scraping the bottom of the
barrel?

exray wrote:

Don't be so quick to judge.

Are you familiar with the ASVAB tests? This isn't the quick hosedown
for recruitment that was prevalent during Vietnam. Maybe they are
lowering standards on the testing scores but "scraping the bottom of the
barrel" is a stretch.

I can say that because I have a 21-y/o here at home who wants to join
but quite frankly wasn't the best student in our mediocre educational
system and the ASVAB is quite the challenge for him. He's studying the
test like we studied SATs to get into college.

If we don't fix the basic educational system, fat chance we have of
getting decent recruits. Its not cannon-fodder they are looking for
like it used to be as recently as VietNam.

First, no disrespect to your son. I am 110% positive many great kids are
joining.

However, -broadly speaking-, the standards HAVE been lowered. Also, you
overlooked (ignored?) my comment about the crime issue. They ARE now
accepting people with NASTY criminal records. So, yes, at least
philosophically speaking (and with individual exceptions), I believe
they -are- scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Finally, and as a whole different issue, you and I are in complete
agreement: The educational system in this country is absolutely
horrible, a disgrace, one that may even lead to the downfall of this
country.

Just as a civilian observation, [snip]... Maybe, for once,
facilities in Puerto Rico are better than the mainland?

That could well be. However, and again -generally- speaking, Michael's
circumstances seem to be more the norm. First we promise our kids the
best treatment and care as inducement to get them to join up.
Unfortunately, the -general- reality is that the promises our kids
received are not met and our broken promises to them is a national disgrace.

Good luck to ya, Michael A.

I'll second that!

In article , "Brian Hill" wrote:

"John Byrns" wrote in message
So, this is where we
are all headed with the coming national health care
system, rationed health care?

Yes it is where we are all headed and our Vets have taken it in the shorts
for ever. Have you ever been to VA hospital? Under funded ********s is what
they are. The way our Vets are treated is despicable. My uncle did two
combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in Nam.

I was never very good in history, but having lived through the period in
question I have to conclude that you have fabricated this story about
your uncle out of whole cloth. Unless my memory fails me, which is
possible, there was a considerable interval of years between the time
combat ceased in Korea, and the time combat started in "Nam", how do you
get "two combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in
Nam" out of that?


Regards,

John Byrns

--
Surf my web pages at, http://fmamradios.com/

"John Byrns" wrote in message
...
In article , "Brian Hill" wrote:

"John Byrns" wrote in message
So, this is where we
are all headed with the coming national health care
system, rationed health care?

Yes it is where we are all headed and our Vets have taken it in the
shorts
for ever. Have you ever been to VA hospital? Under funded ********s is
what
they are. The way our Vets are treated is despicable. My uncle did two
combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in Nam.

I was never very good in history, but having lived through the period in
question I have to conclude that you have fabricated this story about
your uncle out of whole cloth. Unless my memory fails me, which is
possible, there was a considerable interval of years between the time
combat ceased in Korea, and the time combat started in "Nam", how do you
get "two combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in
Nam" out of that?


Regards,

John Byrns

--
Surf my web pages at, http://fmamradios.com/

Yes there was a big interval between those two wars but he was stationed
there after the war during the 60s. He even helped in setting up some
orphanages there after the war as well as other things. My point was he
served our military from Korea to Vietnam. I didn't mean he was continually
in combat.

BH

"John Byrns" wrote in message
...
In article , "Brian Hill" wrote:

"John Byrns" wrote in message
So, this is where we
are all headed with the coming national health care
system, rationed health care?

Yes it is where we are all headed and our Vets have taken it in the
shorts
for ever. Have you ever been to VA hospital? Under funded ********s is
what
they are. The way our Vets are treated is despicable. My uncle did two
combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in Nam.

I was never very good in history, but having lived through the period in
question I have to conclude that you have fabricated this story about
your uncle out of whole cloth. Unless my memory fails me, which is
possible, there was a considerable interval of years between the time
combat ceased in Korea, and the time combat started in "Nam", how do you
get "two combat tours of duty back to back, first in Korea and then in
Nam" out of that?


Regards,

John Byrns

I am sure 'back to back' was used figuratively. My uncle served in combat in
WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. Not 'back to back' but close enough.