The Attack on VA Services

The VA Must Survive to Treat the Long-term Health Needs of Our Returning Veterans

  1. The Situation
    • Of the millions of post 9/11 veterans, tens of thousands returned home with wounds seen and unseen. In order to repair their lives and integrate back into civilian life, these American heroes need the support of the VA.
    • The signature injuries of the two post-9/11 conflicts, PTSD and TBI, are resulting in staggering numbers of active duty and veterans' suicides.
    • In 2008, 131,000 veterans were homeless at some point. This is a rate of 58 homeless veterans for every 10,000 veterans, more than double the rate of homelessness among the general population. (Vital Mission Ending Homelessness among Veterans. National Alliance to End Homelessness)
    • As of October 2009, 193,000 post-9/11 veterans were listed as unemployed. This is a rate of 11.6 percent, up from 8 percent in October 2008. (Current Monthly Data. Bureau of Labor and Statistics)
    • Most recent veterans (left military in the last 3 years) have an unemployment rate of 18 percent. (McClatchy News Service)
    • One in every eight (12.2 percent) of the 47 million Americans without health insurance is a veteran or member of a veteran's household, according to a study by Harvard Medical School researchers based at the Cambridge Health Alliance. (Harvard Science 2007)
    • As general unemployment continues to rise, things may not get better anytime soon. Without a job and without private health insurance, these American heroes rely on the VA for their most basic health needs.
  2. The Greatness of the VA -
    • For nearly 80 years the VA has provided medical care and survivor benefits for America's service members. Honoring veterans by giving them an opportunity to seek help from those that understand them best. But unless, we act to protect the VA, it could be a distant memory.
    • Despite attacks on its reputation, the VA is widely recognized in the research community as a top notch health care system. The Institute of Medicine, US News and World Report, the NY Times and Washington Monthly have all called the VA the "The Best Care Anywhere".
    • The VA is the only health care system with the experience, expertise, and capability to care for our veterans.
  3. The Attacks -
    • Working in the shadows, political ideologues are handing over veterans' health care to the private sector, wholesale dismantling the VA health care system. They are shutting down entire hospitals and eliminating whole units at others. In Perry Point, Md. they have closed the doors of the emergency room, telling veterans to STOP outside its gates and turn around.
    • The VA is staffed by frontline workers, who have dedicated their careers to serving veterans. These men and women, many of whom are veterans themselves, take special pride in honoring America's promise to provide for those who have sacrificed in service to their nation.
    • These employees are entitled to the same workplace rights as their counterparts throughout the federal government; however, through a legislative loophole they are being denied full collective bargaining rights. By denying employees a voice at the workplace, the VA is attempting to silence those who know the system the best.