Thread by @Stonekettle

Let me explain why this comment is so utterly dickheaded:

Veterans go through a long, complex process to obtain their VA benefits. That process is based on LENGTHY examination of medical records from their service which includes assessment by experts of ...

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... the long term effects of injuries, illnesses, medications, etc that occurred during our service. Some of these things are NOT areas that apply to civilians.

For example, during the Gulf War some of us were given experimental drugs to counter possible chemical agents.

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Those drugs are not given to civilians except in certain rare medical cases. We took those pills, KNOWING there might be eventual, long consequences, because those drugs might give us few critical extra seconds of performance if we were exposed to nerve agents.

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In war, some of us were exposed to things that might take DECADES to become apparent. Agent Orange. Gulf War Syndrome. Chemical agents used in places like Chechnya or Syria, or left over from the previous Soviet war and soaked into the ground in Afghanistan.

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It's not just war, some of us deploy to countries in Asia, Africa, and South America were there are unusual diseases, we are given certain immunizations not normally given to American civilians outside of the Peace Corps or the World Health Organization doctors.

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Hundreds of thousands of Navy Sailors and Marines were exposed to asbestos onboard ships. Soldiers were exposed to toxic CARC paint on their vehicles. Airmen daily deal with are variety of toxic hydraulic fluids, lubricants, exotic materials on aircraft.

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Coast Guardsmen are the first on the scene to toxic spills at sea and on inland waterways, along with diseases, biological agents, chemicals, smoke, radioactive materials, gases, during rescue operations. Then there are counter narcotic operations, which are worse.

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Some of us suffer injuries that don't have consequences for many years. Make a hard landing in a helo you get neck and spinal injuries. Joints are damaged by months of wearing heavy combat gear. Hearing loss is so prevalent in the military they have special programs for it.

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Sometimes mental issues can take YEARS to manifest, triggered by some unexpected thing. Lead exposure from weapons fire. Toxins from materials we used but no one knew were dangerous. Cancers from things we were exposed to DECADES before.

This normal for veterans.

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Our medical records, our shot and immunization records, our deployment records, our professions and specialties, are all examined by experts who know what to look for. We are given an exhaustive medical exam and tests. It takes MONTHS to get our disability ratings.

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Sometimes they get it wrong and we have to appeal, go in for MORE tests, more evaluation.

We degrade, age, start to fall apart, all those old injuries start to calcify, cancers show up. We have to go in again, get our disability rating reevaluated.

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Some veterans are haunted by their experience. They can't shake it. It's burned into their minds. They drink, take drugs, break down, it happens to often. These things can affect OTHER physical health issues that were directly caused by their service.

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And you note that I haven't yet mentioned those of us that were directly damaged by war. Blinded. Deafened. Lost limbs. Burned. Brain damaged. Maimed in a thousand ways by war and conflict and bad equipment and shitty situations and rat bastard defense contractors.

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And so this guy comes along, right?

And he "knows a lot of veterans that get disability comp that don't need it."

NEED has not one goddamned thing to do with it. That disability compensation is OURS. We earned every miserable penny of it.

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I'd gladly trade my compensation for the health I had before I joined the military. I'd gladly give this ass the paltry few dollars I get each month in return for not being in constant pain, for having my hearing back. He can have the limp too. And my smashed hands.

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Veterans don't abuse the system.

If some old raggedy vet spends all day down at the VA, drinking the complimentary coffee and swapping war stories with the only people equipped to understand his/her experience and that makes you mad, fuck you. That's not for you to judge

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Our compensation isn't about what we "need."

We're OWED it. Every last miserable penny of it. That was part of the deal. THAT's the contract America signed with us.

If you think it's too much, If you can't afford it, then you can't afford the war.

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Addendum:

I'm angry about this. Livid. Why? Because this shit started with Fox News, pushed by some Ivy League Officer.

And you know what that means? Do you? Next it'll be Diamond and Silk pushing this bullshit. And Tucker Carlson.

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And it'll become the Fox News narrative. And you know where it goes from there. It'll become the conservative narrative, then the Trump narrative. Veterans -- not all -- but "a lot" are moochers who are abusing the system.

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We gotta do something. Build a wall. Privatize. Start screening out the moochers and abusers and parasites, so only the "right" veterans -- who are so great, just wonderful people etc etc -- get helped.

You know how this goes. Same shit, every day with these assholes.

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