THANKING SOLDIERS FOR THEIR GIFT OF FREEDOM AND SECURITY
The most pleasant warmth of the holidays is that generated by gathering with family and friends. During these respites, we have a chance to reflect on and appreciate all that we work for and all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. When you are making the finishing touches on that perfect pie, listening to holiday music or sitting back to watch a football game, take a moment to remember all our veterans who have labored and sacrificed to make our prosperity and freedom possible. Also remember those who are overseas right now, in harm’s way, so that we can gather in freedom and safety. By aiding the people of Iraq and Afghanistan in establishing new, successful democracies, they are securing a safer future for us.
Our soldiers deserve the very best from us. In the Senate, I have devoted a substantial portion of my work to ensuring that we fulfill our pledge to take care of our fighting men and women. I serve as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. I make a special point of examining areas in which the proper care of our veterans may have been overlooked and seeing to it that those issues are addressed.
After the first Gulf War, thousands of our soldiers began to show symptoms that did not fit the diagnosis for a traditional illness. A federal panel claimed that most of the veterans were suffering from stress. This conclusion did not sit right with me or many of our veterans, so I spearheaded an effort to change the manner in which the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) was handling the issue, including having them devote substantial resources to investigating the matter in more detail. Further research suggested that some veterans’ illnesses actually may have been caused by exposure to sarin nerve gas or other toxic substances. I sponsored a provision that mandates the VA spend a minimum of $15 million a year for the next five years on Gulf War Illness research. We also consolidated this research at UT Southwestern in Dallas, where Dr. Robert Haley published the first breakthrough study suggesting a link between exposure to nerve gas and Gulf War Illness. Work like this is an important part of our duty to our veterans.
Caring for soldiers’ mental health is a vital part of ensuring that they enjoy the freedom for which they fought. I learned that the VA was not using its resources in this area efficiently. The doctors who research and treat soldiers’ mental illnesses are dispersed throughout the country, with little structure to focus their efforts.
We need to establish Centers of Excellence that develop experts on particular issues. Other facilities need to reach out to these Centers of Excellence to benefit from their research. And, when a patient has a particularly complex issue, the other facilities need to be able to refer that patient directly to the Center of Excellence whose experts are most adept at understanding new problems. I recently persuaded the Congress to pass a bill requiring just that, developing Centers of Excellence in mental health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, prosthetics and diabetes care. This bill specifically designates the Waco health facility as a “Mental Center of Excellence” and directs the VA secretary to support it and other centers with appropriate resources.
Our veterans are spread throughout the country, and, like many other Americans, they move from place to place, on vacation and to relocate. When veterans see new doctors, those doctors need to know patients’ previous medical histories and have access to other records like CAT-SCANs, x-rays and blood tests. When they need urgent care, doctors must know their medical history in an instant; and patients may not be in a condition to communicate that information to doctors themselves.
With this in mind, we had started to set up a digital recordkeeping system that can be accessed by VA doctors anywhere in the country. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf during the early stages of this new digital system, forcing thousands of veterans to leave their homes around New Orleans and travel hundreds of miles. When these displaced veterans found themselves away from home, doctors in other VA facilities were able to access many of their patients’ old tests and other records via a computer netwok set up in Houston. Based on its initial success, my subcommittee has decided to move forward with a full-scale project, allocating $50 million to develop this initiative. Before long, doctors will no longer need to perform duplicative tests, such as CAT-SCANs that were already performed elsewhere, and they will not need to pester veterans to repeatedly fill out the same information about their medical history. In the long run, this new system will provide better care while saving veterans frustration and taxpayers money.
These are just a few of the ways that we are working on your behalf to fulfill our duty to those who have been so devoted to our country. Still, there are important ways we need to thank our soldiers beyond this work.
There are a multitude of ways to show your appreciation. When you see men and women in uniform at the airport or out shopping, you can make a special point to of saying, “Thank you for your service.” When you see a soldier behind you in a line, you can ask him or her to please go ahead of you.
But, do not forget that taking 10 minutes to express your thanks in writing is often the most meaningful way to let our soldiers know that you are truly grateful for the sacrifice they make. So consider taking a few moments to send a direct thank you to our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan or to their families. It is especially important to remember the families of fallen soldiers. Describe to them some of the good things in your life which you know ultimately are secured by their sacrifice. I work hard for all of us to make sure the Senate does right by our soldiers, but to thank them properly takes personal action by all of us.
Here are a few links to get you started:
November 25, 2005