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Last post 20 years ago by xibbumbero. 12 replies replies.
Wow this Sucks...Military...
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usahog Offline
#1 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 2:07 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
Ex POW's Family Accuses Army Of Double Standard On Benefit
Washington Post - Free Registration Required (AUSTIN OCT. 24)
Shot through both legs and held prisoner in Iraq for 22 days, Army Spec. Shoshana Johnson returned home in the spring to a difficult convalescence that lacked the media fury and official hype that attended her friend and comrade in arms, Jessica Lynch. Depressed, scarred, haunted by the trauma of her captivity and at times unable to sleep, Johnson walks with a limp and has difficulty standing for long, according to her parents. And now that Johnson is on the verge of her discharge from the Army, insult is being added to her injury, they say. While Lynch was discharged as a private first class in August with an 80 percent disability benefit, Johnson, set to leave in the coming days, learned last week that she will receive a 30 percent disability benefit from the Army for her injuries.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8791-2003Oct23.html

Hog
timhampton Offline
#2 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 3:06 PM EST
Joined: 10-03-2003
Posts: 166
Hog,

I had an AK47 shot through the left leg. I had a .30 cal or so that missed my heart by 4 cm. I had 36 pieces of shrapnel from a grenade in my back. My bottom 3 vertebra are fused together. Took we three months to learn how to walk again and my disability is 30 %. I have a lot of pain that will never go away. I think she make out well. Or maybe I got screwed………We all get screwed by Uncle Sam one way or another.

Tim


usahog Offline
#3 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 4:03 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
I would gather on the Later part of what you said Tim... for sure your Right...but like this artical is... for once I will say Jessie Jackson and this woman are partialy right... although I in no way think it is racial here.. I think this woman should have the same Medical Retirment as Lynch recieved ... they were in fact together all through the whole trama of being POW'ed in Iraq... the thing about you though Tim is you Kept going and going like the Energizer Bunny.. for the Freedom of this Country!!!! where these military folks decided to call it quits.. in everyone's mind they know when it's time to call it quits...

IMHO I think this Woman should have the same rate of Medical!!!!

just from my last deployment one of our new guy's maybe been in 3 yrs... Maybe.. Blew out two discs in his back.. he would have been Pilot Select Material... anyway just before returning home.. he was injured.. he got 10% for the rest of his life and see ya... that is it and he cannot even walk right...and they cannot Operate on him until he is at least 40 or over... I think he's 22 now... Not fit for Military Duty.. in his AFSC.. so he tells them... Give me a Desk Job cross train me... Nope See Ya... here you go Son.. you figure out how your going to make it the rest of your Life... then Congress just gives themselves a raise the other day... Go Figure!!!!!

Hog
timhampton Offline
#4 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 4:26 PM EST
Joined: 10-03-2003
Posts: 166
Raise after raise after raise I had watched them give themselves while I was in. My family and I where just above the food stamp level when I was getting pounded for the freedom that we all enjoy still. I didn't see any of their son's and daughter's fighting and dieing by my side. What I saw was the proud sons and daughters of farmers, truckers, coalminers, factory workers, prior service, food service workers, store clerks, car salesman, school teachers, policemen and firemen. That's who I saw on the front lines with me.

Who paid me my small salary. Those same mothers and fathers. THANK YOU. It kept food on our table and cloths on our backs. But that is about all. I would not burden them for more.

As far as Congress.... They can go screw themselves.
usahog Offline
#5 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 4:46 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
"As far as Congress.... They can go screw themselves"

they Can't their to busy screwing US...

Hog
timhampton Offline
#6 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 4:57 PM EST
Joined: 10-03-2003
Posts: 166
Hog

LMAO!!!! You're funny as hell!!!!

Tim
65gtoman Offline
#7 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 5:38 PM EST
Joined: 06-12-2003
Posts: 858
Tim. Congrats on walking out in one piece, you have me beat, I had a flesh wound on my arm, in&out, and I lost my hearing in the left ear. Not that I mind too much, I can always get a good night sleep if I lay on my right ear, I don’t hear anything then.

What gets my goat is the shape our veteran hospitals are in, if they only could put some money into them instead of their own pockets it would help so many but I guess that will never happen.
timhampton Offline
#8 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 6:08 PM EST
Joined: 10-03-2003
Posts: 166
65gtoman,

I know what you mean. The veterans hospitals I have set foot in I went running out. Those have to be the bottom of the barrel when it comes to doctors. Who could blame the good doctors? They most defiantly would make more money elsewhere.

It is the same story. Congress has all the power. None of their family members are going to have to use those hospitals. Who cares? Us that's who. I just don't know what we can do about it yet.

For myself, I have been lucky after retiring from the military. I have a good job with good health benefits. I make more money than God…I think. But a lot of our fellow veterans have nowhere else to turn. So they have to walk in to slice and dice hospitals. Makes me sick.
JustDanD Offline
#9 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 6:11 PM EST
Joined: 02-27-2003
Posts: 748
Awesome, Tim. Would love to herf and listen to stories some day.

As to the disabilities of the two girls, you have to just guess that the doctors determined their actual disability correctly. They don't base the disability on their trauma so much as physical ability.

JMHO
Dan (JustDanD)
65gtoman Offline
#10 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 6:50 PM EST
Joined: 06-12-2003
Posts: 858
Tim, seems it’s a case of out of sight out of mind. I was just in the one in my city (to pick a fellow brother up) and I cried when I got home, there was water dripping from the ceiling and the nurses are the rudest people you could ever meet, no respect for anyone, the treat the men as if they did this to themselves.

Most all of them are 40-60% understaffed with what you said the bottom of the barrel.


But no one talks about this for some reason. I can’t remember the last time I heard anything about this on the news or from anyone in politics…
timhampton Offline
#11 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 7:04 PM EST
Joined: 10-03-2003
Posts: 166
Military people are proud people. They love this country. Never will you see a service member walk up to the guy on the street and say can I get a raise. But we will bitch amoung ourselves until our heads fall off.

We are too proud to ask the public. Then if we did, who would listen. Not enough to make a differance. Most tax payers would think...How much is this going to cost me. I don't have to go there.

Why put it on the news. Who would care. Us and our familys and a few good Americans. But not enough to change anything. Most people have no idea what it is like to be in the military. They say you have a job and a place to live. When you retire you want me to pay for that too. Quickly America forgets what you do for it. Not everyone, but most. What does a 22 year old kid care what a 41 year old did for him before he was ever born. I got my first purple heart when I was 17 1/2. What does that 22 year old today care. Most don't. He just cares if he is going to get laid tonight.

I guess I better shut up and quit preaching.

Later,
Tim
usahog Offline
#12 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 7:27 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
No Tim you are Exactly right... I have said the same thing about my Very own Kids.. my last 3 deployments they never came to see me off nor did they Bother to come see me home... 2 daughters 21 and 17 and a son 19...My Door and My Heart Will always be Open to them... but it shames me when they do not even care what has happened to their Dad.. but a phone call when they need parts for their cars or money for their College books etc etc... I have even said all my Awards and Medals and achievements mean nothing to them and when I pass will probably be in an Auction somewheres I've seen this many times of Military Members who've passed and their family sells off the lots!!!!

I myself may soon be Medically Retired and it is really working on me Mentally and Physically...there is a long story behind all this and I cannot and will not go into details...what I do know is I already know what it feels like to have been **** on...

I will never ever forget the American People and I will never ever forget my Sisters and Brothers of the Military or turn a blinds eye to that!!!

I also know that, if God closes one door he has already opened another one for you, you just have to have Patience and Trust in Him!!!

Hog
xibbumbero Offline
#13 Posted: Fri, Oct 24 2003, 7:45 PM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
I have to say,I don't agree on too many things with Hog but I sure as hell agree on this one. I also agree with Tim,congress can go screw themselves. X
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