Article

2007-04-06 Iraq

Depriving combat veterans of disability & pension benefits

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Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2007-04-06 19:58|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 JP: It is the kind of rumor the anti-war people would make up. It is also a very dangerous rumor, particularly if it is discovered that it was [true]. I still don't know, but this is the kind of story that caused great trouble in [ancient] Gaul and Africa among the [Roman] Legions. Threatening pensions and benefits of those with what amounts to a monopoly on the means of violence is never an intelligent thing to so.

This is silly. The US military is neither monolithic nor a praetorian guard. It is bound to protect the constitution, not its pensions and benefits. MacArthur, a Medal of Honor winner, broke up the Bonus Army right after WWI. This is after a war that killed 100,000 US personnel.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2007-04-06 20:57|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2007-04-06 20:57|| Front Page Top

#2 Unfortunately, it has taken a while for the medical profession to understand the long term impact of even simple but severe concussion, let alone that of overt brain injury, on cognitive function and what turns out to be resultant emotional state. However, now that it has, there are several important research hospital complexes working flat out to discover the extent of the impacts and figure out the best methods to diagnose and treat -- or at least ameliorate -- these previously unrecognized injuries.

While it is shameful that these veterans had not been properly treated until recently, in fairness troops are surviving injuries that not so long ago would have been an immediate death sentence. And, again, it is only as the result of the unrelenting advocacy of the family/friends/comrades of some of those injured since the 2003 invasion of Iraq that the neuropsychiatrists even started doing the kind of testing that revealed that the problems are real, and are clearly caused by trauma. The public advocacy of that reporter who was injured as a result of the vehicle he was in being hit by a roadside IED helped to drive the issue as well, but he's only been at it for less than a year (I saw him on one of the late night talk shows -- with Jon Stewart or Jay Leno, I suppose -- a few months ago, talking about the book he'd written about his experience including the impact on his own cognitive ability).

Posted by trailing wife 2007-04-06 22:16|| 2007-04-06 22:16|| Front Page Top

#3 Zhang Fei -

"On March 10, 1783, an anonymous letter, written by Major John Armstrong, was circulated among the officers at Newburg; the letter condemned Congress for failure to honor its promises to the army and incited the veterans to defy Congress if the accounts were not promptly and equitably settled. Major John Armstrong circulated a second anonymous letter two days later which implied that Washington supported his efforts. A revolt began to percolate which threatened destroy a very new and fragile democracy.

On March 15, 1783, Washington personally addressed a regular meeting of the officers at Newburgh. He stood before them, a commander-in-chief whose strength of personality had held together a rag tag army for eight years; a commander who, when the revolution seemed lost, had led them to improbable victories at Trenton and Princeton, rallied them at Monmouth, shared their misery at Valley Forge, and finally had led them to victory at Yorktown, and then independence. Washington advised moderation, patience, and promised expeditious congressional action on the salary and pension demands of the soldiers. He asked them to abandon their talk of rebellion, but their distresses were severe, dissatisfaction ran deep, and Washington's first words had no effect. Finally, Washington fumbled for his glasses to read a crumpled note from a Congressman which he said would show Congress's good faith to pay its soldiers. He then spoke a few powerful words: "Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in the service of my country." Further words choked in his throat and he turned and left. This humble statement by their commander-in-chief, who had done so much, brought shame to their souls and tears to their Eyes. The threat to democracy at Newburgh evaporated."

I don't think we have another individual of Washington's stature available today. Don't poke the 800 lb gorilla.

Posted by Procopius2k 2007-04-06 23:26|| 2007-04-06 23:26|| Front Page Top

23:56 Mac
23:39 Throger Thains8048
23:36 twobyfour
23:35 WTF
23:32 Jackal
23:27 Jackal
23:26 Procopius2k
23:19 Procopius2k
23:18 Frank G
23:14 3dc
23:08 trailing wife
23:05 trailing wife
23:04 WTF
22:59 Barbara Skolaut
22:53 Barbara Skolaut
22:53 C-Low
22:51 Barbara Skolaut
22:49 USN, ret.
22:49 Frank G
22:42 newc
22:42 trailing wife
22:41 Frank G
22:35 trailing wife
22:26 newc