Never Forget Our Vets

I was with my dad during these VA medical assessments and everything was incredibly professional and thorough.

Our waits in the VA’s waiting room were never more than 15 minutes, and they always offered a glimpse into the lives of other veterans, whose lives had been impacted by their service.

Some were in wheelchairs and missing limbs.

Some, like my father, were elderly and finally getting treated for issues that happened long ago.

Some were younger and dealing with severe mental-health effects after serving tours in Afghanistan and Iraq — and they need help, as veteran suicide rates are at an all-time high.

Our government owes these vets the very best medical treatment, but, until recently, they didn’t get it.

Though improvements finally began to happen seven years ago in response to the VA’s scandal over the long wait times vets had to regularly endure, the VA still must do better.

Congress authorized the temporary Choice Act in 2014 to allow vets to see private doctors outside of the VA’s system, but it wasn’t until the bipartisan 2019 Mission Act that things got much better.

The act established the Veterans Community Care Program that allows vets to receive primary care and mental health services outside the VA system through non-VA providers in the local community.

A subsequent survey found that more than 80 percent of vets were satisfied with their VA care, reports the VA website.

Those improvements at the VA were long overdue and must continue for all veterans, but will they?

According to Military Times, the VA recently announced it is phasing out its office in charge of community care programs, “a move that some advocates are decrying as unfairly limiting veterans’ medical options….”

I don’t know what the VA’s current leaders are planning, and I’m not sure I trust them.

But I do know that the men and women hurt in our wars should be honored and thanked every day, not just Veterans Day — and must never again be forced to wait months for the medical care they deserve.

Tom Purcell is an author and humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Email him at Tom@TomPurcell.com.