From a Vet on Veterans Day

Tweet Waiting to be seen in a VA Hospital:
"They wear helmets or other protective headgear, but, it is obvious that the level of trauma that they took was far more heavy than I took. More often than not, when my name is called, I defer to one of these poor Brothers... or Sisters first. Who the fuck am I to hold up their obviously more urgent care. I often set a precedent for others in the waiting room. We KNOW who needs care more than us. Thus the Band of Brothers and Sisters.

"Regularly, we discuss the War, the Policies, the Funding, and to a man, lately... the past year, we were all in agreement... The Bush Administration has been fucking US Disabled Veterans as quickly as they are making them. They have reduced VA Department budgets by over $300 Million dollars in the past six years. We all know this and feel it in our care, service and treatment. I used to see the doctors once a month... Now it's every six months... out of budget necessities, and with their sincere apologies. I can't blame the VA. But, I CAN blame the Goddamned Bush Motherfuckers though.

"How FUCKING DARE THEY make thousands of Disabled Veterans every month, while they CUT the VA budget? Heartless motherfuckers. I'm not thinking about myself... I thinking about these poor kids in the Neurology Lab waiting room, hoping for... fuck... something... I cannot describe what I see in that lobby.

"Consider this: Picture a beautiful 19 or 20 year old young man or woman, with half a head, simply concave, OK? Half a brain, Half a head... GONE... No hair... just scar tissue... The people themselves are, well... functional. They breathe, their hearts beat, but, obviously, from talking with the family members, there is little left of the person they knew for so many years. They are usually missing arms or legs, along with parts of their head.

"Looking at the beautiful faces of my ruined Brothers and Sisters, simply wrecks me.

The article ends:

"In the past ten days of November, he's killed 23 soldiers for nothing.

"Something has to give... Whether it is massive Political pressure, or mobs with Pitchforks and Torches storming the White House... SOMETHING has GOT to give.

"This status quo of troops dying for no Goddamned reason must end.

"It simply must.

"I don't know how to bring it about, or what extreme is necessary, but, I will certainly participate in it's coming about... The death must stop NOW, George.

"For the sake of my Brothers and Sisters in Arms, and their Families, who have endured far too much.

"This war MUST end, NOW.

Found on WTF Is It Now