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An Old Marine Speaks His Piece
By E. W. Richardson
Last edited: Friday, November 16, 2007
Posted: Friday, November 16, 2007
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The following work is an essay written as an opinion piece.
An Old Marine Speaks His Piece
(an essay)
I am a former Marine and a Vietnam veteran, but I rarely speak of the war, or of things political.
However, after reading the story, in the link below, I felt I had to.
True, I have written poetry that deals with the experiences and horrors of war. But this story demanded more than verse.
The article below, clearly illustrates why I detest the VA, why I will always support our troops, but never will support a war and why I feel our government needs an enema.
Sadly, I predicted when this mess started in the Middle East, that stories like this would happen. It was a fear of mine that, unfortunately, became reality.
The similarities of the Vietnam conflict and our present situation are horribly evident. If you don’t believe that, I suggest a few hours be spent on research.
Historically speaking, this grand country of ours has a shoddy way of dealing with those who give their all to protect it.
I saw it way too often in the Vietnam era…young men and women going into a conflict, laying all their dreams and lives on the line, only to be forgotten, their sacrifices questioned and or ignored.
And now, our boys and girls, fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq are being forgotten as well.
To make matters even more disgusting, every day in the media, there are stories of how much this or that candidate for office has in his or her “war chest”.
Consider that for a moment.
If so much can be raised to satisfy the personal agenda of a politician, why cannot like funds be available for those who have given their all?
Why is there not a lobby for war veterans? We have them for everything else under the sun, don’t we? Millions of dollars are spent each year by special interest groups and yet, veterans are returning home every day, maimed, wounded in body and spirit. Who is speaking for them?
Apparently, no one, not even those veterans who hold political office.
Who is to blame? Where is the accountability?
Well, the “republicans” blame the “democrats” and visa versa…
“ It’s all Clinton’s fault!”
“ It’s all Bush’s doing!”
No it is not.
It is yours and mine.
We, the American people have not demanded accountability.
It is time we do so.
Read the article in the link below.
Then, spend a bit of time to find out the contact information for your senators and representatives. Thanks to computers and the Internet, this is an easy task. If you don’t have access to a computer, ask a friend who does to do it for you.
Send emails, write letters, make phone calls.
Put down the damned political banners; take off the blinders and demand answers and accountability.
Never, for a moment, doubt that your actions will not make a difference. Individuals, who came together for a common good, founded our country. Elected officials work for us. Let’s make them earn their keep.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/11/15/wounded.marine/index.html
-end-
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Reader Reviews for
"An Old Marine Speaks His Piece"
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| Reviewed by Tami Ryan |
3/5/2008 |
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I'm pissed. Oops, can I say that here? Tough. I just did. Ok, ok, I'm enraged. Sound better? Ah, it means the same damn thing.
I have trouble understanding how a soldier like Ty Ziegel can have life-altering burns on his face and the VA says he's "80% disfigured"?!? What the bleep? Somehow, I suspect if their son/husband/wife/whatever were to be disfigured the way Ty is, they'd feel differently. And how in the hell can the VA (read: the government) give 60% for an amputation of a limb? For God's sake, it doesn't matter whether the soldier lost part of his/her limb or all of his limb, the limb is not the same! JC!
("Ziegel finally received a letter from the VA that rated his injuries: 80 percent for facial disfigurement, 60 percent for left arm amputation, a mere 10 percent for head trauma and nothing for his left lobe brain injury, right eye blindness and jaw fracture.")
("Within 48 hours of telling his story to CNN this summer, the Office of then-VA Secretary Jim Nicholson acted on Ziegel's case. The VA changed his head trauma injury, once rated at 10 percent, to traumatic brain injury rated at 100 percent, substantially increasing his monthly disability check.")
And how can Garrett Anderson's injuries (loss of a limb) NOT be service connected when his truck was hit by a roadside bomb? WTF? (Oops. Can ya tell I'm pissed? Good. Now let's get a few [thousand/hundred thousand] more people pissed off.
How sad it is that our soldiers have to fight the government when they get home from fighting elsewhere. Yeah, the squeaky wheel gets the grease (above), but they shouldn't have to beg for services. Omg, I could go on for days...
This isn't news to me, as I've been following this and many other stories like it, (my boyfriend is a retired Major from the Army so I tend to pay a bit more attention to military stuff than some, I suppose) but I get wound up every time I read yet another story like these.
Keep shouting, Erny. I will too.
Best,
Tami |
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| Reviewed by Tinka Boukes |
11/17/2007 |
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Powerful offering Erny...one that I cannot realy say much about...not knowing what you guys truly have/had to deal with!!
Thanks for the insight!!
Love Tinky |
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| Reviewed by Georg Mateos |
11/17/2007 |
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The politicians involved us in Nam giving preconditions on how to fight the war to the military.
Soldiers with a hand tied on their backs can't be effective.
Then, they done AGAIN, this time with selective targeting, to avoid collateral damage and have the people around to love us for doing it.
When civilians of any denomination are going to learn that you don't declare war and go around pussyfooting?
Iraq almost 4000 US body bags are telling them why.
Semper Fi
Georg |
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| Reviewed by Myrna Badgerow |
11/16/2007 |
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I watched a news report last night actually about a study done concerning military personel and what shocked me more than the figures revealed was the statement by the head of VA affairs. I was not impressed and was left with a very sour taste in my mouth. Your article speaks volumes and I know there will be some that do not agree with your view of this 'war' we are in. That to me is of less importance than the truth of how our troops are treated when they return. Well written, my friend.
Always,
M |
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| Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner |
11/16/2007 |
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Erny,
You pen a powerful argument for change: we owe our Veterans nothing less than to keep the promises made. As Karen said below, I've been fighting the system for 24 years: the VA makes me sick. :( Well done. I am saving this one and will be passing it on to others.
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.
Thank you again for YOUR service: welcome home, soldier, welcome home. Semper FI! |
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| Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado |
11/16/2007 |
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Powerful read; it's a travesty how the US is treating its veterans! Animals get better treatment than our brave men and women who gave their all (some with their very lives) to defend our country. Sad! The veterans deserve nothing but the BEST from our government!! Instead, they are given shoddy care or are treated like second-class citizens! My twin sister has been fighting with the VA for 24 years, trying to get the relief from the constant pain she's in. All they give her is Tylenol or Motrin; that's all she's been given for 24 years. She wants something stronger; they tell her go see the psychiarist because all they think she's after is drugs. Or they tell her she has an anger problem. Yeah, she's angry: the VA keeps pissing her off! Sad!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Lady RedBird. :( >tears! <
This needs to be shouted from the rooftops: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! NO MORE!!!! |
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