State senators hear vets' complaints, question VA officials
Thursday, July 7, 2005
Printable FormatABC 7 WLS
By Rob Johnson
July 6, 2005 - Veterans Affairs officials tried to explain Wednesday why Illinois veterans receive the lowest benefit payments in the nation. Senators Barak Obama and Dick Durbin questioned VA officials about the problems facing vets returning home.
Many veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are coming back home to Chicago wounded, either physically or mentally. Some have expressed frustration that when they try to receive disability benefits from the Veterans Affairs department it is taking far too long to get their benefits that some say are the most paltry in the nation. Wednesday at the federal building, US Senator Barack Obama conducted a hearing of the Veterans Affairs Committee to try to come up with ways to correct the problem.
While happy homecomings of returning troops are the images that inspire awe, there will be 100,000 homecomings from Iraq and Afghanistan this year that will not be seen by the masses. Injured soldiers will return home to places like Chicago hoping their country takes care of their mounting medical needs. But some have complained about low benefits slow to come in, an outrage not just to our more recent veterans but those like Stephen Herres, who has arthritis in his hands and knees.
"We've been there. We've done that and for that we have served our country honorably and we deserve and demand your respect," said Stephen Herres, Illinois veteran.
That is why senators Barack Obama and Dick Durbin listened Wednesday to the complaints and the realities surrounding them, hoping to make sure wounded veterans don't add insult to significant injury.
"There seems to be a habit on the part of the VA of underestimating the amount of resources that are needed and a failure to plan to make sure we are providing the best care for our veterans," said Senator Barack Obama, (D)-Illinois.
"We don't want to see one group of veterans from one war pass their disadvantages on to other veterans," said Senator Dick Durbin, (D)-Illinois.
With Illinois at the bottom of disability pay in the nation, much of the criticism focused on Veterans affairs ratings specialists, who determine who gets benefits and how much. With the VA $1 billion in the red, these specialists workloads have increased dramatically, but so too have complaints against them.
"When I see the same ratings specialists doing the same job year after year that says to me nothing is being done to foster change in attitude and a change in the way they rate," said Al Lynch, Vietnam Veterans of America.
"This is a rare exception as opposed to the rule now, and of course, we would strive for no exceptions as our goal," said Jack Hetrick, Director Hines V.A. Hospital.
With many of the returning veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the senators hope to keep the pressure on the VA and to make sure it is properly funded.
In the past month, five more ratings specialists have been added to the Chicago area.