A deceased serviceman’s father said on CNN that the reason his son re-enlisted into the US army after 11 years was to provide medical benefits for his family, because he had lost his job in civilian life. With a public health insurance option will the military still be able to recruit people who need to earn medical benefits?
A full transcript of this CNN story is also included in the diary.
We can all honor the ultimate sacrifice that Army SPC Greg Missman made for his country. We can respect Greg Missman’s father saying that the reason his son joined the Army was to earn medical benefits for his family, but could we ask should Greg Missman’s story also be a part of the health care public option reform debate? Obviously his father thinks so. Why else would he be telling the media that his son joined the Army so that he could provide health insurance for his family. For this reason, we should honor this gold star father’s brave request and discuss why it is that his son in America joined the US Army in order to earn medical benefits for his family when most of other first-world countries around the world have universal health care plans for everyone, not just the military.
[This diary provides one more reason why we have to support President Obama's public insurance option to make health care insurance available to everyone.]
CNN Transcript
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. How far would you go to get good health insurance? One man who lost his job and medical benefits reenlisted in the Army just to get his family covered and then he paid the ultimate price. This is a story that you'll see only here on CNN.
Jim Acosta joins us now from Washington for the heart-wrenching report. It's unbelievable story, Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESONDENT: It is terrible, John. The story of Greg Missman as you mentioned is not just about a soldier's sacrifice in the intensifying war in Afghanistan. It's also about a father's sacrifice to his family, when that family has no health insurance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA (voice-over): Army Specialist Greg Missman was only on the ground in Afghanistan for one month.
JIM MISSMAN, FATHER OF ARMY SPC. GREG MISSMAN: My son's convoy had been ambushed.
ACOSTA: In July, his father Jim got that knock on the door.
J. MISSMAN: A chaplain and a master sergeant showed up. So it was - it was not a pleasant day.
ACOSTA: It was an abrupt end to what was actually Missman's second stint in the Army. He left the service 11 years ago, but last year, he lost his job as a computer consultant.
(on camera): He lost his job?
J. MISSMAN: Um-hmm.
ACOSTA: And became unemployed.
J. MISSMAN: Became unemployed. Lost his health insurance.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Missman says his son reenlisted to see to it his family had health insurance.
J. MISSMAN: See you in a year.
ACOSTA: He was full of confidence on the day he left for Afghanistan. J. MISSMAN: So he said, you know, I'm going to go back in the Army and make sure Jack has -- his son Jack would have health insurance. That was really the motivating thing to have him go back in.
ACOSTA (on camera): Greg Missman grew up in a community that's already lost two of its sons in the war of Iraq. Greg made it three, only in Afghanistan.
(voice-over): Keith (INAUDIBLE) son, Matt, is one of the other fallen soldiers.
(on camera): Do you think we'll see more cases like Greg Missman?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No doubt about it. We probably will. You know, I was going to say hope it isn't from here, but I hope it isn't from anywhere. But it will happen again.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Jim Missman looks at the letters he has received from the president and military leaders and worries about the future.
J. MISSMAN: I'm a gold star parent because of my son's sacrifice, and I would rather not see any other Gold Star parents.
ACOSTA: But this Gold Star parent doesn't have the answer on how to fix the nations' health care system.
J. MISSMAN: He made quite a sacrifice. Health care is - it's going to be a tough one.
ACOSTA: These days he's remembering a son who sacrificed to country and family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: And a Pentagon spokesman said there is no way to count how many soldiers have joined the armed services to get health care benefits. As for Greg Missman, his son will continue receive military health insurance so this soldier's sacrifice will live on, John.
ROBERTS: What a shame. What a story. Jim Acosta for us this morning. Jim, thanks so much.
Click here for full transcript: http://transcripts.cnn.com/...
As a person of conscience, I'm asking you to please call or write to your member of Congress and tell them how you feel about Greg Missman's story. Also please tell them that America needs a public health insurance option. I would like to express a word of thanks to Jim Missman for telling the press the reason his son joined the Army was to get health care for his family so that this could now become part of our national dialog for health care reform. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Missman family.