While public discussion has been focused on the hostilities faced by our servicemen and women in Iraq, precious little attention has been extended to the quality of health care that will be provided to them when they return to the United States. Already, numerous veterans who served in Iraq are coming home with physical disabilities such as spinal cord injuries. In serving their country honorably, these veterans have made a personal sacrifice that will stay with them for the remainder of their lives. You might think that our government is keeping its commitment to provide these veterans with the best and most timely care possible. You could be wrong.Just look at the President’s proposed budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs for the next fiscal year. The proposed increase in the VA health-care budget — a mere 1.2 percent increase — fails miserably to keep up with year-to-year cost increases, necessary for existing patients, let alone the new veterans coming into the system. Currently, thousands of veterans are forced to wait six months or longer just to see a specialist for the first time because of delays in funding. An independent, recent nationwide survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International shows that three out of four Americans believe that veterans’ health should be a "top to high funding priority" in the federal budget. An identical number also believe that Congress and the President have a major responsibility to ensure that veterans receive their health care and other benefits following military service.Finally, a large majority of the Americans polled signaled that candidates for this fall’s congressional and presidential elections should discuss these issues in public forums. But elected officials should do more than talk about this support for veterans. They should act to see that veterans’ services are funded in full. Edwin J. DeutschLuvernePVA MemberNational Director- North Central Chapter
