Veterans optimistic about progress on VA ills

[unhappycamper]

Veterans optimistic about progress on VA ills
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 25, 2009 17:52:27 EST

After several standing ovations from at least 300 Disabled American Veterans in pin-emblazoned garrison caps, one could almost assume everyone was reading from the same page at a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs’ committees Feb. 24.

And, at least rhetorically, they were — specifically the page that says cut the bureaucracy to get veterans immediate access to their benefits; ensure female vets receive the same benefits as men; eliminate the backlog of 400,000 benefits claims; screen all returning service members for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries; fund research to treat those issues; and get the Veterans Affairs Department budget done on time.

“The only question is whether our government has the will to live up to our nation’s veterans,” said Raymond Dempsey, national commander of Disabled American Veterans.

He said getting the budget out on time could be the first step in solving many other problems.

In 19 of the past 22 years, the VA budget has been approved well beyond the start of the fiscal year Oct. 1, Dempsey said, and several times, Congress has had to step in with supplemental funding when the administration asked for a budget that fell far short of VA’s needs.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_DAV_VA_022509w/%2e