The Tour
Today, Democratic Congressional Candidates Eric Massa (NY-29), Dan Maffei (NY-25) and I, Jon Powers (NY-26), toured a non-profit organization in Rochester, NY called the Veterans Outreach Center. This innovative Center helps soldiers adjust to everyday life upon returning from war and gives veterans a resource to help them learn about the benefits they have earned. It is places like these that are filling the void left by Washington’s inaction.
The good people at the center help our soldiers through the maze of paperwork, the bureaucratic neglect, and the restricted access to VA health care many of our veterans face upon returning home from war. This center is a beacon of hope for many men and women who are returning home to find that the government is not living up to its end of the bargain.
The Anniversary
Today also marks the 5 year anniversary of the Iraq War. We are now in the midst of the third longest war in our history.
More than 1.5 million brave men and women have served their country in battle in Afghanistan and Iraq. While this number seems like a great many, it is less than one half of one percent of the population in the United States. Men and women in uniform are being called back for third and fourth tours. Many are receiving less than one year at home to recover between 15 month deployments.
Our soldiers continue to perform courageously and are doing all that is asked of them. Today, I salute our soldiers for their hard work, their dedication, and their love of country.
As a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I know full well the daunting tasks facing our men and women in uniform. I have experienced first hand the consequences of war. I understand the difficulties these soldiers face upon returning home.
I fully believe that the American people want to honor the contract we have made with our soldiers by ensuring they received the care they have earned for both their physical and mental wounds.
Unfortunately our veterans are suffering from the same lack of planning that our war fighters faced upon entering Iraq. Our Veterans Administration has outstanding quality of service, but it is the quantity that is overwhelming.
Consider these facts from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America:
•Between April 2005 and April 2006, the number of veterans waiting for
their first
primary-care appointment to be scheduled doubled.
•Wait times to see a doctor can be 6 months or longer.
•24% of VA Traumatic Brain Injury appointments required more than a month waiting period.
•The current Army suicide rate is the highest it has been in 26 years.
•30-40% of Iraq Veterans (or about 500,000) will face a serious mental health injury
Washington is failing our soldiers
We still are without a comprehensive strategy to care for our troops returning from battle. This is care they deserve and desperately need.
We need leadership in Washington who will work to provide real solutions to these problems that face not only our veterans but our country. We need to develop solutions such as:
•Streamlining the Department of Defense’s and the Veterans' Administration’s health care and disability systems;
•Creating a VA outreach program to help Veterans know what benefits are available to them
•Expanding health tracking to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
Our Pledge
Eric, Dan, and I pledge to our Veterans that we will honor their service and provide them the tools they need to adjust to life after they return from battle.
I am a school teacher by trade, but this war changed me as it has many veterans. I am running for Congress because the America I grew up believing in takes care of its soldiers after they return from war and the America I believe in is no longer being represented in Washington, DC.
Eric Massa (NY-29)
Dan Maffei (NY-25)
Jon Powers (NY-26)