[SuperScout]

Eggzackery!

On two seperate occasions, I had a call from some alleged former member of one of my commands, stating that he had served with me, and asked if I would write a letter for him to help him qualify for VA bennies. I guess that they figured out that a letter coming from me, with my record, would smooth the way for him to slide through the approval process, and he could laugh all the way to the bank.

Now, given that I don't remember all the names of all of my soldiers, being somewhat chronologically-challenged and all, I started asking a series of questions that might help my debilitated memory to fire back up. Seems as if he couldn't answer even the most basic things. For example, on tour #1, I ultimately led a mech Scout Platoon; all 10 tracks carried 5 guys, all tracks had a nickname painted on them, and all tracks were configured with a .50 cal and 2 M-60's with gun shields. He could not remember anything, not even the name of any of the other 4 guys that he allegedly served with. Since we were like family - hell - I can even my brothers and sister's names - I figured he could remember at least one name, but nope.

About that time, I told him that I thought he was a phony, and that I was going to have the FBI track himdown and send him to prison for attempted fraud. Next thingk I hear is a loud "click" as the phone became disconnected.

And you are spot on about the reticience of legitimate veterans trying to deal with a very dysfunctional VA system. The entire issue of health care for vets could be solved so easily, and I'll wager, much cheaper than the current sacred cow that need to be led off to the slaughter house: for those vets that qualify, simply give them a MasterCard, or Visa Card, and tell them that anytime they need medical care or meds to just use that card, and the VA will pay the bill. I've known vets that had to be driven 100 miles or more just to see some VA quack, and was no better off after the day-long ordeal of dealing with The System.

Just what the IG at the VA or the Social Security system or MediCare or anyother agency does is not very impressive to my way of thinking. If they were doing the job for which they are being overpaid, we would read of daily stories of fraud being uncovered, monies being recovered, and convictions being rendered, but no, nary a peep out of the hard-working dead-beats called federal employees.