Medical care for the military

For the last week or better, the nightly news broadcasts have carried stories about sub-standard care provided to our country’s veterans at the VA Medical Centers.  Reports include a  vet with chest pains told to wait 3 or 4 months and vets dying from delays in treatment and diagnosis.  Congressional leaders are in Jackson visiting the G.V. Sonny Montgomery VA Medical Center to investigate these complaints.

The fact that veterans are receiving substandard care is inexcusable.  These men and women voluntarily placed their lives on the line for country when we needed help.  When they need help from our country we should provide it to them in a timely manner and with world class quality.

It is ironic that while veterans that served their country honorably are denied or delayed medical care, a convicted traitor is apparently about to receive a transfer from a military prison to a private prison so he can receive hormone therapy to live like a woman.  Bradley Manning who now refers to himself as Chelsea Manning, was convicted on multiple counts of Espionage Act violations after he caused what has been called the largest set of classified documents ever to be released the public.  The day after the conviction, Manning released a statement through counsel stating that he was a female, had felt that way for a long time and wanted to begin hormone therapy.

That is all well and good.  I couldn’t care less if Manning receives hormone therapy.  However, if we can provide treatment for him then surely we can provide care to the men and women that made the sacrifices necessary to serve our country honorably.