Senator Levin: Veterans need us to fix much more than just Walter Reed

[babylonsister]

http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070403/OPINION02/704030319/1014/OPINION

Veterans need us to fix much more than just Walter Reed

snip//

A soldier's disability rating is extremely important because it determines the benefits he or she will receive. Those with disabilities rated at 30% or higher are medically retired, entitling them and their families to health care through the military's generous TRICARE program. Those whose disabilities are rated less than 30% are given a medical separation with severance pay. Although these service members whose disabilities are rated at less than 30% will be able to receive health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, their families will not.

One soldier with whom I talked had been injured by a blast from an improvised explosive device on his second tour of duty in Iraq. He understands he is no longer physically fit for military duty.

He told me he is "scared to death" that the physical-disability evaluation system will rate his disability at less than 30% and will "put me out on the street" without the ability to take care of his family.

Surely we must change such a system.

I recently chaired a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee to get to the bottom of what went wrong at Walter Reed and what we need to do to make sure that it never happens again. While the Army appears to be taking the necessary steps to improve or replace substandard buildings and to hire additional staff, the more daunting task is to change the overly complex and bureaucratic system used to evaluate disabilities of injured service members.

As part of that effort, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Veterans Affairs Committee will have an unprecedented joint hearing in April to address the problems with service members transitioning from the military to the VA for care and benefits, and the problems with the disability evaluation systems.

The war in Iraq has divided our nation, but the cause of supporting our troops unites us. We will do everything we possibly can do, not as Democrats or Republicans but as grateful Americans, to care for those who have served our nation.