Topic : 12/19 Beyond the Front Lines

Dr Phil This porblem is nothing new.  I am retired army officer who take care of my of my older brother who is  1oo per cent disabled military vet. After years of dealing with several veterans hospital in Alabama my brother was scheduled for a hip replacement in Birmingham veterans hospital  THE DAY THE OPERARION WAS TO BE PERFORMED MY BROTHER LAYED ON BED READY TO BE WHELLED INTO SURGERY.  AT 12;30 PM HE WAS WHELLED INTO SURGERY ROOM ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT HIS HIP REPLACEMENT WAS CANCELLED.  SINCE I HAVE LEGAL POWER OF ATTORNY I ASKED THE DR WHY THE SURGERY WAS CANCELLED SHE TOLD ME SHE COULD DO THE SURGERY BUT THERE WAS NO ONE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM AFTER THE SURGERY.  I ASK HER TO  REPEAT TO MAKE SURE WHAT I HEARD AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING.  SHE SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO BE RESCHULED SO I SAID HOW ABOUT TOMMORROW.  SHE SAID NEXT MONTH.  SO WHAT YOU SHOW 

IS ABOUT IS NOTHING NEW.  ONCE YOU ARE RETIRED OR DISABLE AS MY BROTHER YOU HAVE TO DEFEND FOR YOURSELF.  I MY CASE I HAVE TO DEFEND FOR MYSELF AND MY BROTHERS     MAJOR RETIRED HARRY C LINSENBIGLER JR AND WILLIAM G LINSENBIGLER            

Long story short:  My husband was exposed to plutonium and uranium from fallout from hydrogen bombs that had been cracked open from an air crash over Los Palomares, Spain on Jan. 17, 1966.  My husband was a first responder with a helicopter unit to rescue people or bodies.  He and the crew were there for over ten days being exposed to the radiation.  They were not wearing any hazmat suits whatsoever nor were they ever told or tested.  My husband has cancer now that is believed to have come from that exposure, but the VA refuses to grant him military connected disability and refuses to compensate him as they should.  However, they have compensated hundreds of Spaniards where this happened.  Our congressman's office in Asheville, NC, has been working on the claim for us, but we have been denied again.  I agree with the colonel on your show today that what our VA is not doing for these men is criminal.  We need help.  You can look up the crash over Spain by googling the name and date above.  It should tell you all.  If anyone knows what else we can do for help, please let us know.  My husband can no longer work, and I quit working to take care of him.

Caregiving wife

A year ago I sent hundreds of letters to Senators and Congressmen on behalf of WWII and Korean Vets who where having benefits taken away because they worked hard all their lives and saved and now because they had some money in the bank the VA was kicking them out the system.  No one cared what their income was when they enlisted and went to war, but now when they need help, the system is turning them away.  Dr. Phil, I work for a VA Medical Center (Geriatric Clinic) and the VA requires a yearly "means test" income verification unless they are service connected, also the men and women that are returning now only get 2 years unless they actually find something wrong and then there are so many hoops and obstacles most give up (I did) and I work there.  Senator Claire McCaskill was the only one that responded

and recently sent an update of changes that have been made.  I fully agree with what you said about the 700billion bailout, and the VA system needs a major overhaul, most recently brought about by the deplorable conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center.

my husband is a vet of desert storm where he was injured. he had to have surgery in 2002 in which the va hospital further injured him  leaving his left foot paralyzed.  we have been fighting the va ever since. we even looked into an attorney who looked at his file in chicago IL and said his has blantently forged papers and several sections of his medical records at the va have been blacked out.  chicago has claimed to have lost his file four times now. we were told we are finially one denial away from his case leaving the state level and going to the federal level. my husband has since too suffured futher injuring that were cause  by the service injury and it just keeps going...he feels as though he is a walking medical time bomb no one wants to acknowledge.

we have written our congress and senators and i can tell you that they have told us the only thing they can do is what the case and support us...but in no way can speed the process,  you should be able to request a copy of his medical records from ft campbell through a local va rep in your area....that is how we got my husbands from california. i would highly suggest you keep your own copies of any medical record as they happen along with any xrays...that has saved us on many occasions.  good luck

To all of the victims of the military and it's dismissive treatment of you...My prayerful support goes out to each and every one of you. I know from personal experience, your mind CAN be renewed. Please know that you are loved and God wants you healed more than even you want to be healed. He really does.

Even though I was only the wife of an enlisted man during Viet Nam (we were stationed overseas) I experienced ptsd and of course it was never diagnosed. But with a lot of counseling and God's love, I have finally come to a good place. Just remember, never, never, never, never, never, NEVER give up. Your soldiering has not ended, you are just in a new battle- for your heart and mind! And you CAN be victorious.