Concurrent Receipt at what price?

[BLUEHAWK]

Neil & HC -

I've been a repub most of my adult life, so I'm not real sad to see things shift around a little here now... mind you, I do not come close to Scout's armor on the deal, but still, even though he often doubts me, we're on a similar team. I go with the founding GOP tenet having to do with individual responsibility and small government is all. Hell, even if I were a dem I'd still not be radical...
never saw the point of that. I was SOOOOOOO glad for presidential term limits last time 'round!

I sure am hoping much the same as you for repubs this time Neil, surely am...hate to see them give over too much of their innate instincts to Think Tank groupies though. I believe that'll pass pretty soon, please God!

And HC, every time I see one of the candidates with an e-mail address I am moved to write them a brief about us 24,000,000+ vets out here waiting to vote a bloc for the right guy... and I always include www.patriotfiles.com as the back up, just in case they would like to see what is ACTUALLY going on.

[SuperScout]

What I thoroughly and honestly intended to add to my last post was a sincere thank you to Gimpy, Gimpster or whatever nom d'guerre he chooses to use these days. I am truly grateful for whatever progress he has brought to bear on the sad state of veteran neglect. I'm not so much interested in "just getting alone" as in "getting things done." My patented subtleties as a ground commander and tanker have moderated over the years, morphing into this loveable fuzz-ball of gentility, wit, charm, and modesty.

My efforts between now and post electon 2004, in addition to having a real job, 3 very active grandchildren, a daughter's wedding to pay for, and three golf lessons, will be to support candidates who place veterans' issue high up the priority list, who embrace a positive paradigm about solving problems, and who conduct themselves with integrity, decency and common sense. They will know that their actions or lack thereof will be monitored, and an enormous amount of pressure can and will be brought to bear should they stray from stated positions.

Working within the system, priority #1 will be to expand the CRSC process, using the previous months of experience as a valid test-bed to make needed improvements. My own pending claim will be a laboratory "work-in-progress" to see if/how/when the system works, with periodic reports back to this site to keep you informed.

[billr]

Concurrent receipt at what price?

I have been telling people for some time now that CRSC is the first step in a complete re-vamping of the VA disability system. As someone who has been dealing with the VA disability compensation program on a daily basis for the last 18 years, I'll be the first one to admit that there is plenty of room for improvement in the VA disability system. I just don't believe that this draconian proposal is the way to go about it.

The purpose of my posting this wasn't to try and point fingers or lay blame on any particular political party. It was to try and alert people to the fact that in the mad rush to get full concurrent receipt, we may be sacrificing future veterans' ability to claim the same disability benefits that are now available to current veterans.

I'm not talking about the veteran with tobacco related disabilities or disabilities related to alcohol/drug abuse. I am talking about the service member who suffers a massive stroke while watching television with their kids. Under the current guidelines being proposed, that person would not be able to file a claim with VA because it is not related to their military duties.

I posted this article in the hope that all of those people who recognize the injustice in VA comp/military retired pay offset, would also recognize the injustice in denying future veterans the same VA benefits that current vets receive.

I would hope that all those people who have devoted so much time and energy towards getting concurrent receipt passed, would put forth an even greater effort to insure that future veterans retain their entitlement to all of the benefits current and past veterans have enjoyed. I certainly intend to.

[phuloi]

Bill:Point observed and well taken.I`m with you.OK,what do I do?I`m serious.

[HARDCORE]

billr -

Well stated and sorely needed!!

VERITAS

[billr]

The best way to fight this onerous proposal is to "nip it it the bud". Just as the public outcry halted the proposal to cut combat pay for the military serving in Iraq & Afghanistan, if sufficient numbers of veterans and veterans groups express their outrage at this proposal perhaps it will suffer the same fate.
The DAV has already responded to this proposal by issuing a Press Release denouncing the proposal. I expect the other Service Organizations will follow suit.
Individually, we should all contact our members of Congress and let them know in no uncertain terms that this proposal is unacceptable. We can contact the members of the Armed Services Committees and the Veterans Affairs Committees.
I will be meeting with staff from the 2 members of the House of Representative that represent my area on the 23rd of this month to let them know how the veterans in my county feel about this.
I think we just need to let anyone who will listen know that veterans find this proposal totally unacceptable.

I think that my "signature" is more appropriate than ever in light of this issue.

[HARDCORE]

billr-

I love your echo of Teddy Roosevelt's statement in your close! "Have things really changed all that much?"

VERITAS

[Gimptster]

The "mail" is already on the way! To my Senators, my Congressman, the Senate & House Armed Service and Senate & House Veterans Affairs Commitees. As well as local and national news media sources.

Plus---I would like to offer a sincere token of appreciation to SuperScout for his previous statement. Hell I know I can be a full-fledged, armour-plated asshole when it comes to issues such as this, for that I can honestly say my "intent" is NOT to cause harm to any one individual around here or anywhere else for that matter. My "technics" to acheive the goals mentioned by billr are at times occasionally "brutal" to say the least. If I have offended anyone, it was unintentiomal (well, some of it anyway---I'm TRYIN to be honest here fellas!) BUT, what billr said is absolutely correct----WE MUST BE VIGILANT and STAND TOGETHER in our CONDEMNATION of WHOEVER ATTEMPTS TO OFFER LEGISLATION SUCH AS THIS!

[MORTARDUDE]

billr : Thanks for your great follow-up post !! I have emailed all the usual suspects, plus a few other political nitwits.

Gimpy : I apologize if I was out of line as well. We are all friends here. There is no reason to yell and scream. Just tell us what needs to be done and we will do it. biilr seems to have the inside track on all this so we sure need his input from now on.

Superscout : thanks for sharing.


We can do this. Most of us have already been to HELL and back >> ALIVE... shit, this is a walk in the park !!

Larry

[SEATJERKER]

...is that you I hear sayin' You got an armour plated asshole",...

...Just kiddin', nice to see you all coming to a determination of working together instead of barbing with nothing accomplished,...

...working together, and communicating between parties will sort out the differenvces, and close the gaps, keep working on it, one, and all,...

...