When they come home.

[Champane Flight]

I am taking this time to start something moving. All this flag waving and saber rattiling is fine,but let us not forget the boys when they come home. We need to build new VA hospitals and health centers. Our vetrans are forgotten shortly after the war is over. The VA hospital in our area has been closed(and made into a old age home for state prisoners). The VA system is full of indigents,freeloaders,and non-vets. It has to be cleaned up... .



Maybe if we all take the time to write to our congressmen,we can change this system. I have seen it over and over. We all wave the flag and welcome the boys home(I didn't see it that,but thats another story),but forget them shortly after. We have a powerful force at our fingertips,lets use it for something worthwhile.....

 

[ChillyDog]

I agree 100%! If it was not for these people we would not have this great country of ours!!! They should be taken care of!

 

[swamp rat]

Hear!! Hear!! IN total agreement.



BTW Champane, I presume by the Screamin' Eagle emblem you were at one time at Ft. Campbell. I live right down the road from there toward Gnashville. I drove a FedEx truck to&from Memphis every night pprior to and during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Ft. Campbell had us hopping with airfreight but I was proud and happy to do whatever I could making sure we got the supplies delivered on time. It meant little or no sleep between trips for quite awhile, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it all over again and again if the chance arose.

 

[Champane Flight]

Need.

No Swamp Rat, I was transfered to the 101st "In country" so never saw Campbell. I am going to use a different insigna everytime I post. Maybe it will remind us of the men and women in harms way.

 

[HDH]

I Agree 100%, We need to take care of them when they come home.



I wish someone in Congress Would Propose a Bill that would Help the Reserves while they are called up, To Help their familys in some way with the House payments or whatever. A lot of them are Familys where the Reservist is the only Bread winner. And this call up could wreck the Family's financial stability.

That is something the Reservist dont need to be worrying about.



Maybe some kind of House Payment Deferment.

Doug.

 

[Power Wagon]

I have an even better idea

How about we pay these guys that put thier life on the line enough so that thier families can live???



There just aren't that many men and women in the military. We CAN afford to pay them good wages. There's plenty of other things we could forget paying for, like marsh insect lifestyle studies and similar nonsense. Our government wastes enough on absolute stupidity that if we just found and dumped a little of it, we could pay our men in uniform such that thier families need never worry - at least not about that.

 

[Crash_AF]

I agree 110% with you CF, you think the VA hospitals are bad, you should see the Military medical system. My wife is pregnant and the Navy Hospital here in Charleston can't take her because of staffing cuts. We have to go to a civilian doctor downtown and hope that Tricare (our HMO) will pay for it. Yes folks, the military is now treated by an HMO.



Heck, our base clinic doesn't have decent ambulance service for god's sake, 99% of the time they call downtown for an off-base ambulance to transport to an off-base hospital where (again) you have to deal with Tricare to pay for it. Our shop has a policy where if one of us gets hurt, we will take one of our trucks and transport the injured to a hopital ourselves because it will be quicker... BTW in case you didn't know, the average ambulance ride costs $800.



On the reserve subject, you are correct, some families got seriously hurt during the Gulf War because of the call-ups. Since the call-ups were long-term, people lost their jobs (which isn't supposed to happen) or were financially ruined because they make more on the outside than while called up and ended up with MASSIVE debt/repossessions because of it. If this lasts more than a few months, the same thing will happen, but we won't see it because it isn't 'news' enough for the mainstream media.



If you want to see these changes happen... WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN!!! Please send them an e-mail if nothing else... it's free and you can let him/her hear your voice.



Thanks for the support,

Joe Hinson, SSgt

USAF



BTW CF, I love the unit patches. I worked with 1ID and 1AD when I was in Bosnia with the AF FACs and I have friends who are in the 101st and 82nd.

 

[Champane Flight]

Real Bull.

Everytime a budget has to be cut in peacetime the military takes the brunt of the axe. I have also seen more and more hirering of civil service personel to take over what used to be military responsibilitys. No one can tell me that the use of non-military to perform functions such as vehicle service,PX,maintenance,and other services are more cost effective. This is just some bueraucrats way to get his worthless cousin a job.



When I went in the service they gave you clothing,food,housing,and medical care. Now you go in the service and the same items either cost or are below par. I have a feeling that we are going to have to enact the draft before this is over just to get enough personel in the military. My letters are being mailed,both snail and E-mail. We need to tell these jokers in charge that a change has to be made. The blame goes to both partys.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Yeah, It's going to be interesting. I've been called up, initially for 30 days and now with amended orders for 365 days and could go two years. I hear all the "Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act" but reality is this. I may go back to a job with the same pay but it doesn't have to be the same job. I take a significant pay cut and here remarks that "you guys have been at the trough long enough. It's time you earned that reserve money. " Guess what. In twelve years in the Reserves, I've been activated 5 times. I've never missed a weekend or two weeks and I'm in a fully integrated unit that's part of an active command. I'll do my time, but don't want any bull over it. I was called immediately after the attacks on Sept 11. I'm in it for however long I'm needed. We are busy and without us the active command would not be able to meet operational commitments. Believe me, I'd rather be home working around my farm, getting off at a reasonable time than I would standing port and starboard watches. But I'm here. And I'm here for the long haul. I don't like what happened and if my contribution is at all useful, then I've done my job. For any that are injured, I'm with the above posts. Take care of them. Take care of them good. There's not a whole lot of people that will go out and risk/give their lives for strangers. Americans better learn to appreciate that quality.

 

[nps]

Thanks Alan,



Glad there's folks like you still willing to serve their country.



I've got a daughter and son in uniform and while they are concerned (as I was one time long ago) they are ready to go anywhere and do anything that is asked of them or needed from them.



Love to buy you a few beers some day.



Semper Fi



Neil

 

[Bill Lins]

Alan- our prayers are with you and yours. Good luck and good hunting.



Semper Fi

 

[Champane Flight]

Good luck

Good Luck Alan,wish you the best. You are part of what makes this country great.

 

[jandtjil]

Wow that was fast! check this out!!!

Someone must have been thinkin along (read post below)

similar lines Champagne Flight!

you know what they say

Great minds think alike!



Like you mentioned CF, there is an array of services that have dwindled, with the emphasis this nation places on the military, to effect our policies. It is paramount that we patch the cracks or lay a new foundation of support for those who no doubt will need the services of a greatful nation, when they return!

JJ





http://news.excite.com/news/r/010924/14/attack-military-mortgages

 

[Champane Flight]

Good deal

Well that is better than a poke in the rear with a sharp stick. Now if we can get them to take a look at our pathetic VA system and military pay and benefits in general. It is a shame when our boys have to fight a war on two fronts. Worrying about their familys at home(whether they have food and a roof)and the enemy.