I have been nagging on an issue in my head lately. It involves the veterans in the armed services. They go off and fight, train, and do god knows what for the nation. Usually at the whim of a rich politician with a mediocrity complex. These men and women follow the orders and if they get discharged from active service due to medical reasons from combat or training they end up getting stuck going to VA clinics that are understaffed, underfunded, overextended, and disregarded by the Congressional Budget or the Pentagon. Many times veterans have to seek help from charitable organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project, Disabled Veteran’s Charities or one of the 75 listed on this website. https://vaclaimsinsider.com/best-charities-for-veterans/

It bothers me. It has bothered me for a long time, but it recently has took up more neurons as of late. Keep in mind, I don’t know all of the specifics of the VA or military protocol for the injured. I make a few presumptions. This may be full of errors. I am writing from the heart here based on the books I have read, and dramatizations I have viewed. I admit this blog comes from a place of bias… I dissent with any process that doesn’t take care of our Veteran’s completely.

I have never served our country. I admire those that do. It is a special level of sacrifice to volunteer or be drafted and fulfill one’s duties. To work for your country defending the principles of the Constitution is noble work. Why doesn’t our government treat our Veterans with nobility following their service? Why doesn’t the system of VA health care function correctly? I think the answer is a simple one. Capitalism. Everything boils down to capitalism. Neoliberal capitalism. Someone has to make a profit off of someone’s suffering. It isn’t good enough to break even and provide care equally amongst all. It is obscene how our veterans are treated. Why are their 75 nonprofit charities? Doesn’t that raise red flags?

Well it’s time this dysfunction ends. I will make this a very simple solution. It will cost a fortune, but when the US Military Budget is a trillion dollars I think it can afford it. Any soldier mentally or physically injured in the line of duty should be eligible for free medical care regarding said injury or injuries for life. Free medical care anywhere provided without a deductible by simply presenting their veteran’s card.

I think of this as the veterans version of workman’s compensation. If a soldier is diagnosed with PTSD following the trauma of battle. That soldier deserves to have free healthcare to treat the mental illness. The conditions that created this perfect storm of trauma need to be handled without cost to the soldier. The same is true for injuries that disable a soldier. Prosthetics should be free. Follow up surgeries years after the fact should be free. Complications created by the injury (diabetes, clotting issues, seizures, etc.) All of it needs be free. If you serve this country selflessly you earn the right for us the tax payer (tax the rich) to support your health care.

I also feel soldiers who have become disabled from their injuries and are unable to work or live a normal life should receive their salary for their rank and some sort of housing for life. If the soldier has a family then the military should provide insurance (Medicare for all essentially) for the family.

I strongly feel the spouse of soldier casualties should receive the salary of the deceased and insurance benefits for the for life. The children should receive free college tuition for any of the military colleges or tuition assistance for civilian college.

I feel strongly about this. If anyone enlists into the military we have a humanist oath to care for them completely. If we are investing thousands if not millions into training and education to create the best soldier. Then we can spend millions to make their lives livable in the event of injury or death. The only trauma the soldiers and their families should ever have to deal with is the injury or death. They should never have to deal with the trauma of financial loss. (Tax the rich)

I have no issue with the charities for our veterans, but my solution eliminates the need for them. Those donations could be taxes. (Tax the rich.) Those donations could be profits from retail and manufacturing companies (tax the rich.) Why does everyone have to fend for themselves? Healthcare is a right. You get injured on the job working for the USA you should be given workman’s comp for life. PERIOD.

Oh, but, there will be soldiers that scam the system. The statistics of that will be minimal, just as the scams by those receiving SNAP or Food Stamps, or whatever aide are minimal. Look at the rich companies scamming the system. United Health Care comes to mind. Greed by the wealthy is far more wasteful on our resources than greed by the poor. Look at private prisons. Look at private space contracts. Look at private schools raising their rates when vouchers are put into play. Greed… why should our soldiers be pawns of the greediest?

I think if we had a system like this in place it would shift the war making policy from one that supports capitalism to one that supports efforts for peace and collaboration. Care for our wounded warriors will eat up the pentagon budget. One less battleship. Oh no, one less experimental super sleek toy to blow up a residential neighborhood. Our foreign policy is based on capitalism. It will never change because greed is their favorite sin. Just look at our Republican leaders. They only want power gained from extreme wealth. We must tax the rich… It will only help our veterans and soldiers currently on contract.

It is time for governance to be a non-profit and serve the people instead of being a toy to make money off of using propaganda crises. Our servicemen and women regardless of gender, sexuality, religion, or marital status deserve to have the knowledge that the American people will care for them in the event of a catastrophe for them. They deserve it. Their families deserve it.

Thanks to all of the people that serve. Thanks for your sacrifice. If only the greedy bastards in charge understood what an ounce of that sacrifice meant. You deserve the best… so it goes…