If this is true..It is appalling.......

[sarettah]

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash3.htm

Sick, wounded U.S. troops held in squalor
By MARK BENJAMIN, UPI Investigations Editor

FORT STEWART, Ga., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Hundreds of sick and wounded U.S. soldiers including many who served in the Iraq war are languishing in hot cement barracks here while they wait -- sometimes for months -- to see doctors.

The National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers' living conditions are so substandard, and the medical care so poor, that many of them believe the Army is trying push them out with reduced benefits for their ailments. One document shown to UPI states that no more doctor appointments are available from Oct. 14 through Nov. 11 -- Veterans Day.

"I have loved the Army. I have served the Army faithfully and I have done everything the Army has asked me to do," said Sgt. 1st Class Willie Buckels, a truck master with the 296th Transportation Company. Buckels served in the Army Reserves for 27 years, including Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first Gulf War. "Now my whole idea about the U.S. Army has changed. I am treated like a third-class citizen."

Since getting back from Iraq in May, Buckels, 52, has been trying to get doctors to find out why he has intense pain in the side of his abdomen since doubling over in pain there.

After waiting since May for a diagnosis, Buckels has accepted 20 percent of his benefits for bad knees and is going home to his family in Mississippi. "They have not found out what my side is doing yet, but they are still trying," Buckels said.

One month after President Bush greeted soldiers at Fort Stewart -- home of the famed Third Infantry Division -- as heroes on their return from Iraq, approximately 600 sick or injured members of the Army Reserves and National Guard are warehoused in rows of spare, steamy and dark cement barracks in a sandy field, waiting for doctors to treat their wounds or illnesses.

The Reserve and National Guard soldiers are on what the Army calls "medical hold," while the Army decides how sick or disabled they are and what benefits -- if any -- they should get as a result.

Some of the soldiers said they have waited six hours a day for an appointment without seeing a doctor. Others described waiting weeks or months without getting a diagnosis or proper treatment.

The soldiers said professional active duty personnel are getting better treatment while troops who serve in the National Guard or Army Reserve are left to wallow in medical hold.

"It is not an Army of One. It is the Army of two -- Army and Reserves," said one soldier who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, during which she developed a serious heart condition and strange skin ailment.

A half-dozen calls by UPI seeking comment from Fort Stewart public affairs officials and U.S. Forces Command in Atlanta were not returned.

[sextoyking]

If this story is true, which it seems to be, I am an ashamed american right now. nothing new though, how many years did it finally take the goverment to admit that agent orange was causing cancer and other problems in soldiers from vietnam??

[Zebra]

How about Desert Storm? I know many people that went there that came back not feeling too hot. I was over there for 6 months and came back with respiratory problems that I know I did not have before.
The day before we left for Saudi we were given 3 shots but when we got our shot records back a few weeks later they only showed 2 shots. One of the shots left a pea sized hard lump in my arm that every now and then drives me nuts with the feeling that someone is sticking a needle thru it. A bunch of us tried to find out what the third shot was and never could get a solid answer. There is a class-action suit that has been going on for close to 5 years and has only gone on so long because the military drags their heels and only gives up info when they absolutely must. I doubt those of us involved will ever get any real answers. Our military loves to keep secrets, even when it involves it's own members bodies.

[PornoDoggy]

I don't know whether to believe the story or not - Reservists these days do seem a little more prone to whining than even I remember - which is really saying a lot.

That being said - it is not unusual for them to be treated as 2nd class. It has never supposed to be that way; it's supposed to be even less true today, since the Army in particular can't do a friggin' thing without callups.

And I truly sympathize with Gulf Vets. If they hold true to form, the DOD and VA will acknowledge that there really is a series of illnesses related to the Gulf. Of course, true to the form of Vietnam/Agent Orange you will all be dead before they do so.

But hey ... the Reserists can always call on the Deserter in Chief up there in the White House...

[sextoyking]

Zebra,

I feel for you bro.

A guy who has worked in our shipping dept. for years was in the reserves for 19 years, 11B, 11B20, etc. His unit was called up, went to Saudi for 6 months. He had never in his life had a single medical issue, except that he did wear glasses sometimes. Anyways, after he did his 6 months and came back, wierd shit started happening. Dizzyness all the time, mabey on a good nights sleep, 6 hours of sleep. Alot of diff. problems. The VA for the first few years said it wasn't War related or some shit, but they have him on like 15-20 pills a day for the last 10+ yrs or so. I keep telling him to get a good lawyer as he deserves some disability, but he doesn't know where to go and doesn't know all that kind of shit. I always feel bad for Larry, man such a good guy. He wasn't in battle, he was a Nco in charge of guarding some ship docks or something. Must have got some bad gas over there I guess.

Fucked thing was, he was at 19+ years when he came back, smoked some pot as it helped him sleep, then his # came up for a ua, since he was an e-5, he had to go, 1 year shy..

If you know any lawyers handling claims for Gulf war soldiers, please let me know.

thanks

todd



Last edited by sextoyking at Oct 19 2003, 02:04 AM

[Torone]

Originally posted by PornoDoggy@Oct 19 2003, 02:04 AM
I don't know whether to believe the story or not - Reservists these days do seem a little more prone to whining than even I remember - which is really saying a lot.

That being said - it is not unusual for them to be treated as 2nd class. It has never supposed to be that way; it's supposed to be even less true today, since the Army in particular can't do a friggin' thing without callups.

And I truly sympathize with Gulf Vets. If they hold true to form, the DOD and VA will acknowledge that there really is a series of illnesses related to the Gulf. Of course, true to the form of Vietnam/Agent Orange you will all be dead before they do so.

But hey ... the Reserists can always call on the Deserter in Chief up there in the White House...

I personally doubt the truth of it for one reason: If it WAS true, the media would be all over it like stink on shit.

Deserter? Pd, you're letting your hate take control. Never make charges you can't back up. The runner has left the White House...his name was Clinton. Remember? He was the one who left the country rather than serve, spending time in various places, including the Soviet Union. In fact, if a Republican President hadn't given him and the other cowards amnesty, he could never have even returned here, much less ever been President.

[XXXPhoto]

Originally posted by sextoyking@Oct 19 2003, 12:59 AM
Zebra,

I feel for you bro.

A guy who has worked in our shipping dept. for years was in the reserves for 19 years, 11B, 11B20, etc. His unit was called up, went to Saudi for 6 months. He had never in his life had a single medical issue, except that he did wear glasses sometimes. Anyways, after he did his 6 months and came back, wierd shit started happening. Dizzyness all the time, mabey on a good nights sleep, 6 hours of sleep. Alot of diff. problems. The VA for the first few years said it wasn't War related or some shit, but they have him on like 15-20 pills a day for the last 10+ yrs or so. I keep telling him to get a good lawyer as he deserves some disability, but he doesn't know where to go and doesn't know all that kind of shit. I always feel bad for Larry, man such a good guy. He wasn't in battle, he was a Nco in charge of guarding some ship docks or something. Must have got some bad gas over there I guess.

Fucked thing was, he was at 19+ years when he came back, smoked some pot as it helped him sleep, then his # came up for a ua, since he was an e-5, he had to go, 1 year shy..

If you know any lawyers handling claims for Gulf war soldiers, please let me know.

thanks

todd

Any veteran who wishes to have someone that will work for them for free
to get them benefits they EARNED should contact local chapter of DAV....

I've been member since 94 when I got out. They ensured I got my hearing
and also got me free college w/ salary (NOT GI Bill) after ETS..

Local offices can be found here...
http://www.dav.org/help/contact_dav.html

I interviewed to be an NSO with them while in college, these are definately
the 'good guys' to have in your corner...

DAV

[Rox]

I believe it. One of my coworkers is a Navy reservist and he's had to fight tooth and nail just to get a small portion of the pay they owe him.

It's when I hear this kind of shit that I get pissed off about all the billions of dollars that're supposedly being used for defense. Here's an idea for those monkeys holding the purse strings: Lease one less plane and take care of our fucking troops who're putting their lives on the line!

[PornoDoggy]

Originally posted by Torone+Oct 19 2003, 07:08 AM-->