Randy's Blog

RSS Feed
Veterans Discussion Forum
Posted by Randy | July 27, 2010

I have put together a "Vision for our Veterans,” a six-point plan to ensure veterans receive uncompromised care, excellence in hospital care, timely processing for disability claims, and full concurrent receipt. You can read the full plan online at forbes.house.gov/visionforvets. 

I want your feedback on veterans issues. What do you think are the most important issues impacting veterans? What ideas do you have to ensure our veterans receive their care they have been promised? Join the conversation by leaving your comments below. Keep in mind: while we may not all agree, we should all be civil in our discourse.
Comments
The opinions expressed below are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent those of this office.
  • Michelle McCorkle commented on 7/30/2010
    My dad's a veteran that's seen some pretty hairy combat and I used to work for an organization that's called To Write Love On Her Arms, an organization that raises awareness for mental health issues (http://www.twloha.com/), although I currently work in marketing for office supplies and bank supplies for a company called Optimum System Products (http://www.optimumsystem.com/). In my experience, depression and suicide are two of the biggest issues affecting veterans. By age 24, the average soldier has experienced life stressors equivalent to those the average civilian has experienced by age 80. I think training in stress management and resiliency are key as are programs that break down the stigma surrounding mental health issues and better counseling support. Additionally, I think that there's a communication problem; soldiers tend to have a high level of masculinity and often mental health language is communicated in a very feminine manner. When my dad went in for counseling after Vietnam and was diagnosed with PTSD, he said the whole thing seemed like a bunch of nonsense (although he used a different word). So, I think that we need to find a way to support our soldiers the way that they need and I think that people they respect and who understand what they've been through need to be the ones supporting them. Just my two cents. :-)
  • Charli Cohen commented on 8/2/2010
    My grandfather is a veteran, and I agree with Michelle that methods of communication should be looked at in terms of relating more to the pride and masculinity of the veterans. Although I work in a rather different sector, communication is my business (http://mobilemonopolyonline.com) and whatever the case, you always need to speak the language of who you're trying to help. Perhaps they should be getting fellow soldiers to provide the help and advice- it seems that they'd better relate to the individuals that require it.
Post a Comment
We encourage you to analyze and comment on the posts featured on this blog, but please understand that comments including inappropriate language or personal attacks will be removed from the site. Please note that there may be a brief delay in the publication of your comment. Users are solely responsible for the opinions they post here and their comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Congressman Forbes.



Services

Other Services

Issues

More Issues