Clarification

So it has come to my attention that my Video needs clarification. One key thing about my Video is showing awareness of the severe issues with the PHX VA. Please read that last line carefully. This is in correspondence with the PHX VA. Not all VA’s are bad and many people I talk to say they love their VA and their primary care doctor. I commend those VA Hospitals. The problem with that is, the VA is one organization and should work as such, but it doesn’t. The accountability of others should fall on the shoulders of all VA Hospitals, because as an organization if you fall, you all fall, if you succeed, you all succeed.

One of the main issues that I am starting to see is that many Veterans are happy with their health care. You say that’s an issue? Well the issue lies within the “me” category. I spoke with someone this weekend that praises the VA and says that their care is great, though they battled for years to get the care they receive today….but what happens now. Well, the issue is the same issue we are seeing across our country. Its not just with the VA, or Veterans, its with Americans. All the Veterans see what is happening and no one is saying anything. Sure you got the care you have now after your fight to get it, but what are you doing for your fellow Veterans who are having the same issues. You now have an insight that they don’t and your not sharing, your not helping others to achieve what you say is the best health care. Its the “me” issue. If it doesn’t affect “me” than its not a problem.

This is spreading like a wildfire in the United States. At first I thought it was just this new generation of adults, but I have quickly learned that it is affected even the oldest generation. No one truly cares for another person in this country. There are few and far between that we hear about, but as a mass, they are nowhere to be seen.

It shouldn’t take an organization to push for a reform of the VA health care. Veterans alone should be able to accomplish that, since we are in the millions in this country. We are the very backbone that keeps this country driving forward, but what are we doing to protect that life style. Absolutely nothing. I was asked over the weekend why I support an organization like the Concerned Veterans for America. I told them I support all of the organizations that support Veterans and will march with each of them if they can fix and bring back the pride that this country has lost to its Veteran. But I support and work with CVA because I believe in what they are fighting for and what their end game is going to be. Plus change has to start somewhere, and like I was always told growing up, if your not trying to fix the problem your part of the problem.

One of my main concerns with the PHX VA is the wait times. In my video I speak about how the main focus of the PHX VA should be to those Veterans with a service connected disability, a Combat wounded soldier, or a Veteran who has a disability that was worsened by service. This doesn’t imply that Veterans can’t use the VA, what this implies is that these Veterans should be given priority and that routine visits or basic medical needs could be outsourced to Doctors that Veterans would choose that could be closer to home and more manageable. This doesn’t mean I don’t want Veterans to use the VA, what this means is there is no priority in the VA. The severity of someone else’s issues aren’t seen as a severity. They are seen as the same as anyone else’s issues. I shouldn’t have waited 6 months to see a primary care provider as I have an 11 year history of Blood Clots and when leaving the military in 2009 I was not placed on any medications. For almost 5 years I dealt with the condition on my own until I couldn’t anymore. Then I have a primary care doctor that says they need to watch me for 2 years to see where my condition goes. I thought having the issue for 11 years was good enough. But when someone I know that has no service connected injuries and has not used the VA since he left the service in the 60’s can get a routine appointment the same day or gets a service connected disability for a condition that isn’t even a result of service at the PHX VA, this is a slap in the face. Not saying my issue is worse than anyone else’s, but there should be more importance placed on Veterans with severe issues.

But again, this isn’t the same for all VA’s, but you can’t fix the entire system by changing the VA across the country. You need to fix one at at time, but provide the same services for the area you live in. I am sure many VA Hospitals are doing it right. But many are not. I hope this clarifies my intentions and helps those with questions. I stand for what I am fighting for and will defend it just as I have defending this country. I will not rest nor quit until all of my fellow Veterans have good health care, feel like their service was meant for a reason, and make the rest of the country aware of what we as  Veterans deal with on a daily basis.