First of all only a scant few of these Veterans groups will acknowledge the "promise" of free health care; for the most part these groups will tout the benefits already promised by the Veterans Administration and assert that cuts in these benefits are the same a broken promise-or contractual breach in legal terms. The idea of the United States military making a "promise" or forging a legally binding agreement between individual veterans or groups of veterans is barred by the United States Constitution. As will be demonstrated in the Literature Review, specific Constitutional language from Article I give Congress and only Congress the express authority to make laws and regulations pertaining to the armed forces. Therefore, the idea the military breached a contract with service members is, ultimately, inherently inaccurate. Combining the lack of specific language within the materials provided by any governmental agency with the clear language of the Constitution, it becomes readily apparent that there is no validity to the claim of the Government breaking any contractual relationship with veterans, either individually or collectively.
Some of these groups are also fraudulently acting on behalf of veterans-although the data suggests that the overwhelming amount of such groups are legitimate and are pursuing legitimate causes; however the need for examining these fraudulent groups is imperative for a comprehensive analysis. The most recent example of a fraudulent veterans group is seen in the case of the United States Naval Veterans Association -- a group that raised upwards of $40,000 this past fiscal year in donations (Birkey, 2010). The lynchpin, however, is that the group is a fraud. No money has ever gone to one veteran, hospital, charity, clinic or center. In total, nearly $100,000 in fraudulently obtained donations went into the pocket of the group's founder Robert Thompson (Birkey, 2010).
Groups such as this are at the root cause of the problem when it comes to veteran's advocacy groups, it is extremely difficult to distinguish between the legitimate, and cause oriented group and those who are only after the innocent donations of Naval Veterans. Focusing on the legitimate veterans groups brings the nature and complexity of this issue into stark reality. One such group referred to as "The Retired Military Advocate" goes into great detail as to the nature of the promises that have been broken between the military and the veteran.
On their website, the group states the following:
"The breaking of the military retiree medical care promise:
In the process of down sizing the United States Military, a large number of military bases and military treatment facilities have been closed. This has created a situation where inadequate space is available to accommodate the military retiree community. As a result, the medical care that was promised to the military retiree is being denied by the United States Government." (2010).
Language such as this begins to lay out the nature of the problem. There are those whether they be individuals or groups that continue to think the closure of various VA facilities and the inability to service all veterans who seek "free" health care is a breach of the promises that Congress and the Department of Defense has made to veterans and retirees. Where do these individuals and groups ascertain the information necessary to formulate the attitude that a promise was conveyed in the first place? The answer to this question requires a bit of historical purview. This purview is also stated on "The Retired Military Advocate" website. The group states the following:
"In November of 1951, because of the military draft, I had to make a choice. I could volunteer to join or be drafted into the military. At that time I did talk to a military recruiter and I volunteered to join the military. I was told by the military recruiter that medical care would be provided for me and my wife while I was on active duty, and medical care after retirement was mentioned. I was very interested in the immediate medical care since I could not afford insurance based on what I would be paid. In November of 1951 I was not concerned about medical care after retirement because I had no interest in a military career, but because of later promises I changed my mind" (2010).
This text is the relaying of an experience by a member of the group detailing their experience as a young, eager recruit who was informed of the prospect of medical care after service. Again what is not mentioned in any of this language is that the medical care will be "free" and be provided "on-demand." This is further evidence that supports the premise the Government has indeed fulfilled its promise to its veterans and retirees....
The authors maintain that the military has factors that are matched by very few civilian jobs. These features include: 1. Risk of injury or death to the service member; 2. Periodic (often prolonged) separation from other immediate family members; 3. Geographic mobility; 4. Residence in foreign countries, and 5. Normative role pressures placed upon family members because they are considered (associate) members of the employee's organization. Obviously, in this paper, we are interested in prolonged
Addressing the Disadvantages of Military Involvement While the reasons for the involvement are obvious, the cons are outweighed by the advantages. Firstly, the two countries do not have to act in isolation. Military from both sides can be employed by formal consent between the two countries to better manage the borders and the diplomatic relations. Secondly, the cost of the military involvement is low as compared to the costs that are
And members of the military who contemplate suicide should be helped by their fellow members, health professionals, military leaders and others in their community. Conclusion Problems affecting the physical and mental health of the members of the military beset its management. Causes may be known or unknown but they are not without solutions. These can range from the introduction of appropriate training programs, the application of new tools or procedures, a
Military Partnerships The National Response Framework (NRF) "provides context for how the whole community works together and how response efforts relate to other parts of national preparedness" (FEMA, 2014). The NRF notes that normally, the Department of Defense has a critical role to play in national defense, and therefore its resources are only committed to disaster relief at the discretion of the President, or on approval of the Secretary of Defense. According
The subjects were 613 injured Army personnel Military Deployment Services TF Report 13 admitted to Walter Reed Army Medical Center from March 2003 to September 2004 who were capable of completing the screening battery. Soldiers were assessed at approximately one month after injury and were reassessed at four and seven months either by telephone interview or upon return to the hospital for outpatient treatment. Two hundred and forty-three soldiers
In wartime, those hardships pale in comparison to the emotional anxiety associated with the natural concerns for the health, safety, and welfare of loved ones. Every news report about U.S. personnel killed or wounded in the theater in which their loved ones serve is a source of anxiety and fear until family members can confirm that the casualties did not involve their loved ones. Meanwhile, everyday civilian life must
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now