US GOV BULLSHIT

My son Jeremy, many of you met, has been diagnosed with PTSD! He is really screwed up, thanks to the US GOV. He served 1 tour in Bosnia and 4 tours in Iraq! Yesterday, another of his ground war buddies committed suicide......3rd one! The worst part of it, The VA in Phoenix, tells him they can see him with 90 days notice!

WTF?

The emergency room at th VA hospital is available 24/7 if he or any veteran needs it before their scheduled appointment.

gpbasap wrote:The emergency room at th VA hospital is available 24/7 if he or any veteran needs it before their scheduled appointment.

You are misinformed......

Jim, i am so sorry for your son and for the fear you are obviously living with. Have you looked into other support groups, hotline etc where your son lives? maybe even a support group for you too? I doubt there is much available Lakeside for this sort of thing but maybe contact Al Anon to see if they can help or point you towards help?

Meantime, feel free to talk away if you need to unload. No promises what you may end up getting what with the characters on this board of course, but I'd like to think we can be more sensitive than the last poster.

Semalu wrote:Jim, i am so sorry for your son and for the fear you are obviously living with.  Have you looked into other support groups, hotline etc where your son lives?  maybe even a support group for you too? I doubt there is much available Lakeside for this sort of thing but maybe contact Al Anon to see if they can help or point you towards help?

Meantime, feel free to talk away if you need to unload. No promises what you may end up getting what with the characters on this board of course, but I'd like to think we can be more sensitive than the last poster.

Thank You Semalu.....yes we have a support group, but that isn't getting the job done.

If he has a diagnosis then he has been seen. I really doubt that if he was having an emergency episode that he was told 90 days.

I am a vet and use the VA system for some of my needs.

sumofabit wrote:If he has a diagnosis then he has been seen. I really doubt that if he was having an emergency episode that he was told 90 days.

I am a vet and use the VA system for some of my needs.

Good for you.....it is not happening here! What world are you living in? My son has been diagnosed with PTSD! He can't get into the Phoenix VA till Oct. and he is on the suicide watch!

Jim,

There's something wrong here. I've used the VA for a decade now, in Colorado Springs, Denver and Albuquerque. They've always gone out of their way to accommodate my special needs of living in Mex and needing care at the VA in the States. I don't understand how Jeremy could be told they wouldn't see him for 3 months. I wish I could advise a silver bullet. Can't imagine the anguish.

I am so sorry you are having to go through this. Thank the folks who keep slashing the VA budget so they no longer have the staff to take care of our Veterans. You might try contacting your Congressperson or Senator. Some times they have some pull with the right folks.

If you keep up with the news, the Phoenix VA is even worse than it was. I'd contact my Senator post haste. McCain would be a good bet.

Different states have different levels of VA service and disfunction's. Kentucky is even worse. Anyone who is shocked at the lack of support Jim describes is totally out of touch with reality. Read some news reports! The VA is a disgrace to servicemen and women. And cuts in funding are making it worse. War profits rich businessmen and is killing your soldiers during and after. Disgraceful immoral bullshit.

gpbasap wrote:The emergency room at th VA hospital is available 24/7 if he or any veteran needs it before their scheduled appointment.

Surely you do not believe that! When is the last time you attempted emergency treatment and which VA? I have good friends who deal with their nightmare crap almost daily.

Mccain is a war criminal who should be jailed for his profiting at the expense of American lives. Appealing to him for help is like chickens begging KFC for help.

I have excellent service from the v a in California couldn't ask for better, sorry for your sons problems. I called from Mexico last week and have 3 appointments this week

Dallas VA is excellent. Emergency service 24/7. I know this because I've used it. Easy to make appointments from Mexico.

Jim, I am very sorry to hear about your son and his situation. Does he have any other insurance or is he limited to the VA? If he's limited to the VA then I'd suggest getting local press and politicians involved ASAP. Maybe someone on this board has some connections or clout.

I hope your son is also on the Affordable Care site, checking out his other options.

Grizzy wrote:

gpbasap wrote:The emergency room at th VA hospital is available 24/7 if he or any veteran needs it before their scheduled appointment.

Surely you do not believe that! When is the last time you attempted emergency treatment and which VA?

18 March, 2011. Cincinnati VA. Pancreatic cancer.

Jim check out Tucson VA.. They used to be very good.. it closer to you.

I am now living in Tucson and use the VA here with good results for my needs. So far, so good.

Jim, we are so sorry to hear about your son. I would take Gamina's advice and contact John McCain.

Jim, my son is a psychologist with the VA in Tucson. Yes, he is overworked and the system needs help. But I would be glad to put your son in contact with my son, who is a very well trained brilliant and compassionate guy and has extensive experience with vets with PTSD, and I know my son would be happy to help within or without the VA, that is how I raised him. And he may have knowledge of how to "beat the system" so to speak. So just let me know and I will email/call him and give him your phone/email. Not sure this forum has PM's but we can figure this out. I am in west Ajijic, so at worst we could meet somewhere and exchange info. Your son needs help ASAP and I understand this.

Thanx, JayBear. Best post yet. Hope this or something works.

I was not fully aware of this problem but when I saw the movie "In the Valley of Elah" I cried and cried, it just broke my heart! This is an issue that, I feel has been swept under the rug and must be addressed.
Google this title and take time to view it and then PLEASE share it.
Jim, I don't know you or your family but this has been on my mind a lot since I read your first post. Hopefully your son can get some resolution before it is too late.
Having said all that, the Phoenix VA saved my husband's life but that was about 10 yrs ago, before the "troubles".

This is nothing new folks. My best friend during high school went to Viet Nam and was a tunnel rat as he was very small. He came back and our friendship continued. Yes he was different from the experience and I did notice not as many friends came back to him but at that age we guys don't have the feelings and understanding that develops with age and frankly I didn't think about it. I decided to move to west coast and said goodbye to him and left. He was dead a week later with a note for me explaining that I was the only person who treated him the same after the war. I am still haunted by his death needless to say. Sorry to be so blunt but we don't treat our vets right. We sing the songs and it looks like we as the people do the right thing but we don't. Too many deaths. Not enough support to make the government DO THE RIGHT THING.

Jim please contact Jay Bear if you can't find something better to do.

Zed

Jim, in addition to taking JayBear up on her generous offer and contacting your local, state and federal representatives, please send emails to your local television and print outlets. Also, if you have not already, contact Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America -- http://iava.org. They are excellent advocates and have resources to help.