Improve Veterans Benefits - Citizens Party2024-03-29T11:33:09Zhttp://www.votecitizens.org/forum/topics/improve-veterans-benefits?groupUrl=supportareamericanveterans&commentId=6348963%3AComment%3A25713&groupId=6348963%3AGroup%3A6149&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIt seems to me that proper is…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-10-19:6348963:Comment:257132011-10-19T14:53:21.397ZCarrie Wallacehttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/CarrieWallace
<p>It seems to me that proper issue to address would be making sure that benefits are provided across the board, as they should be. My family is comprised of many soldiers. Past and present. Combat and non combat. Medal winners and those who were willing to serve with no recognition. Wounded and not wounded. I am sorry that you have not recieved proper compenstation. I take care of my father. It entails usually 2 or more trips to the regional VA facility a month. Most of the Veterens…</p>
<p>It seems to me that proper issue to address would be making sure that benefits are provided across the board, as they should be. My family is comprised of many soldiers. Past and present. Combat and non combat. Medal winners and those who were willing to serve with no recognition. Wounded and not wounded. I am sorry that you have not recieved proper compenstation. I take care of my father. It entails usually 2 or more trips to the regional VA facility a month. Most of the Veterens I have met there feel that compensation is lacking. It would be better to join with the same Veterens that you want to reduce the benefits of and assure that all soldiers recieve all benefits. While your service and sacrifice was great, it is not fair to question the willingness to other to die because they were sent to do a different service than you. </p> I completely agree.tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-10-19:6348963:Comment:255322011-10-19T14:40:19.144ZCarrie Wallacehttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/CarrieWallace
<p>I completely agree.</p>
<p>I completely agree.</p> A veteran is a veteran, a sol…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-10-15:6348963:Comment:251712011-10-15T13:50:50.839ZKeith John Fergusonhttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/KeithJohnFerguson
<p>A veteran is a veteran, a soldier is a soldier, combat soldiers are support by non combat soldiers, non war time veterans supported America knowing that they called to war at any time, a veteran is a veteran, Support all veteran as veteran.<img src="http://www.bkserv.net/images/Smile.gif"/></p>
<p>A veteran is a veteran, a soldier is a soldier, combat soldiers are support by non combat soldiers, non war time veterans supported America knowing that they called to war at any time, a veteran is a veteran, Support all veteran as veteran.<img src="http://www.bkserv.net/images/Smile.gif"/></p> Distinguishing between combat…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-10-15:6348963:Comment:251692011-10-15T12:52:38.430ZWilliam Edsonhttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/WilliamFEdson
<p>Distinguishing between combat veterans and non-combat veterans would be very easy. It would just be a matter of determining identifiers based on location of service and type of duty served, for a designated certain amount of time served in the combat area. (This would prevent people form claiming combat benefits for only being there for a few hours in transit.) It would have to be based on mission orders, and not transit orders. Of course there could be room to contest the…</p>
<p>Distinguishing between combat veterans and non-combat veterans would be very easy. It would just be a matter of determining identifiers based on location of service and type of duty served, for a designated certain amount of time served in the combat area. (This would prevent people form claiming combat benefits for only being there for a few hours in transit.) It would have to be based on mission orders, and not transit orders. Of course there could be room to contest the determiniation for extenuating circumstances. It could be accomplished by using three designators such as 1. "Line of Duty - Combat" 2. "Line of Duty-Non Combat" 3. "Line of Duty- Non Deployed". Having tiered benefits is NOT punishing the soldiers, it is justly affording the proper benefits at the levels earned by those who served based on their service. It has nothing to do with their willingness to sacrifice but the realities of their duties. Death benefits while on active duty should be kept level. I am speaking of other VA benefits. For example, I served a total of 18 months in deployment with 13 months in Ramadi, Iraq during some of the worst combat of the war. I received the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Combat Medical Badge for my performance during combat. It was real combat. I served 100% of my time and was willing to die 100% on every mission. But, I only receive 70% on my GI Bill benefits and I have to pay a co-pay on some of my medical bills or since I am a civilain now, my wife's insurance is charged. Meanwhile, for istance, there would be a soldier serving 180 days of non combat duty in Kuwait at the same time, never engaging the enemy, never experiencing the threat of combat, and not even having to wear the 100 pounds of combat gear day after day that I had to. I came home broken in spirit and in body from my sacrifices and deserve fair compensation for that in the form of fair benefits. The soldier who comes home unscathed from non-combat duty gets the same exact benefits that I get when his type of duty was clearly and significantly less sacrificial. Does that soldier deserve benefits? Absolutely and without question. Justly, that soldier would deserve more benefits than the soldier who never deploys at all. It is a matter of fair distribution of benefits based on true sacrifice and service. </p> While I do agree that recogni…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-10-14:6348963:Comment:253362011-10-14T14:16:25.887ZCarrie Wallacehttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/CarrieWallace
<p>While I do agree that recognition of the difference between combat and non combat service is important, tiered benefits based on this distinction leaves me with a question. Let's suppose we have two soldiers, both willing to give their lives, do we punish one because no one started a war that year? Obviously they are services that combat veterens need more of; certain health care needs for instance. I do disagree with the difference in death benefits. I am sure there is a huge emotional…</p>
<p>While I do agree that recognition of the difference between combat and non combat service is important, tiered benefits based on this distinction leaves me with a question. Let's suppose we have two soldiers, both willing to give their lives, do we punish one because no one started a war that year? Obviously they are services that combat veterens need more of; certain health care needs for instance. I do disagree with the difference in death benefits. I am sure there is a huge emotional difference for the family. However, financially the provider still died serving his country. We still owe that obligation. I would be interested in more detail on your ideas. Let me also say Thank You for your service.</p> Scott... We can do better tha…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-08-12:6348963:Comment:187092011-08-12T16:28:22.978ZJ L Mealerhttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/JLMealer
Scott... We can do better than that. You're asking for the bare minimum, my friend.<br />
MEALER 2012
Scott... We can do better than that. You're asking for the bare minimum, my friend.<br />
MEALER 2012 Nice work. I would back that…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-08-12:6348963:Comment:186202011-08-12T16:26:47.834ZJ L Mealerhttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/JLMealer
Nice work. I would back that plan with the MEALER Plan's additions.
Nice work. I would back that plan with the MEALER Plan's additions. I want to go to Trade Schools…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-07-31:6348963:Comment:163332011-07-31T21:40:02.482ZScott D Thompsonhttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/ScottDThompson
<p>I want to go to Trade Schools, they don't operate like other Colleges. I wish that they did.</p>
<p><br></br><br></br><cite>William Edson said:</cite></p>
<blockquote><div><p>I too am retired (Army) and am using my GI Bill currently with great success. I have made arrangements with the university to waive the upfront requirement knowing that the benefit is guaranteed through the VA and that we (the veteran student) do not have control of the payment schedule. Each time the university and college…</p>
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<p>I want to go to Trade Schools, they don't operate like other Colleges. I wish that they did.</p>
<p><br/><br/><cite>William Edson said:</cite></p>
<blockquote><div><p>I too am retired (Army) and am using my GI Bill currently with great success. I have made arrangements with the university to waive the upfront requirement knowing that the benefit is guaranteed through the VA and that we (the veteran student) do not have control of the payment schedule. Each time the university and college that I have attended were willing to work with me and make exception to their policy. I urge you to speak directly with someone in the finance office and not to take no for an answer...you have earned this entitlement and you should stand firm or give the business to another school...<br/><br/><cite>Scott D Thompson said:</cite></p>
<blockquote><div>I'm a vet, served 20 yrs. I can't afford to even use my G.I. Bill to go to school, they all want payment first, thn I get my allowance from the VA. I paid into the program over 20yrs ago, it's not fair. We become second class citizens when I have to go to a military Medical center, have to wait all day, miss work, it's not fair. I fully support making military retirement totally tax exempt.</div>
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</blockquote> I too am retired (Army) and a…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-07-29:6348963:Comment:159532011-07-29T01:21:45.008ZWilliam Edsonhttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/WilliamFEdson
<p>I too am retired (Army) and am using my GI Bill currently with great success. I have made arrangements with the university to waive the upfront requirement knowing that the benefit is guaranteed through the VA and that we (the veteran student) do not have control of the payment schedule. Each time the university and college that I have attended were willing to work with me and make exception to their policy. I urge you to speak directly with someone in the finance office and not to take…</p>
<p>I too am retired (Army) and am using my GI Bill currently with great success. I have made arrangements with the university to waive the upfront requirement knowing that the benefit is guaranteed through the VA and that we (the veteran student) do not have control of the payment schedule. Each time the university and college that I have attended were willing to work with me and make exception to their policy. I urge you to speak directly with someone in the finance office and not to take no for an answer...you have earned this entitlement and you should stand firm or give the business to another school...<br/><br/><cite>Scott D Thompson said:</cite></p>
<blockquote><div>I'm a vet, served 20 yrs. I can't afford to even use my G.I. Bill to go to school, they all want payment first, thn I get my allowance from the VA. I paid into the program over 20yrs ago, it's not fair. We become second class citizens when I have to go to a military Medical center, have to wait all day, miss work, it's not fair. I fully support making military retirement totally tax exempt.</div>
</blockquote> This platform statement is gr…tag:www.votecitizens.org,2011-07-29:6348963:Comment:161182011-07-29T01:15:07.205ZWilliam Edsonhttp://www.votecitizens.org/profile/WilliamFEdson
<p>This platform statement is great in intention but needs to be a little more defined and qualitative with its description. It is far too broad and inclusive. As a combat veteran, there is a distinct difference for entitlements deserved by those who have served in combat and those who only served on "active duty". Also there is a huge difference for those who have died while on active duty compared to a line of duty death. The benefits offered have to reflect the difference to be fair. I…</p>
<p>This platform statement is great in intention but needs to be a little more defined and qualitative with its description. It is far too broad and inclusive. As a combat veteran, there is a distinct difference for entitlements deserved by those who have served in combat and those who only served on "active duty". Also there is a huge difference for those who have died while on active duty compared to a line of duty death. The benefits offered have to reflect the difference to be fair. I think there can be a tiered solution that is fair for both healthcare, education, and death benefits with descriptors based on qualitative and quantitative service eligibilty requirements. The current system is not perfect but there are some reasonable elements to it. The problem is implementing the policy and not so much the policy content itself, although it could be more comprehensive and less complex. I would be willing to write a proposed revision of this platform policy. Just give me the go ahead... </p>