Sick Veteran Fights for Medical Treatment

The Associated Press

After Army Sgt. Vannessa Turner survived a still-unknown illness doctors feared would kill her, she thought her toughest battle was over.

But since a military flight brought Turner home she says she's had to fight to get medical treatment and can't even get personal items returned.

"It's easier to stay a soldier and be in harm's way than to come home and get care," said Turner, her quiet voice quaking with emotion.

Arriving at her mother's home in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood last month after hospital stays in Germany and Washington, the six-year Army veteran says she was told that despite severe nerve damage in her right leg she'd have to wait until mid-October to see a doctor at the local Veterans Affairs hospital.

She sought help from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and eventually got an appointment scheduled this week, but the experience was frustrating for Turner and her family. They look at the hero's welcome given to former prisoner of war Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who was in one of Turner's rehabilitation sessions, and see a double standard.

"Some people are getting scholarships, my sister can't get a doctor's appointment," said her sister Nicole. "To me, they threw her away like a piece of trash. She served her country and now nothing is being done for her." ---

I couldn't believe it!

Why would the military be so quick to make her "retired" while she was so ill? That makes no sense. But so little makes sense to me lately. And they wanted her to get her things from Germany ON HER OWN? Holy crap.

Or absolve them in some other way? Wouldn't surprise me...

The GOP hold on the military will be broken. There are forces at work to make sure that happens.

and see that the Republican party does nothing but use and abuse? My heart goes out to this young woman, and to all the other vets who are treated so shamefully.

Are tax cuts for the rich so frigging important that we allow people to be treated like so much garbage? Could Bush possibly interrupt his vacationing and fund-raising long enough to at least pretend he gives a shit about the rest of us?

told they don't have a problem because VA is unable to treat them. Agent Orange and the problems from Desert Storm are just examples.

The "one per centers" own 50% of our nation's financial wealth so they should provide 50% of the person-power to fill our military.
Draft the "one per centers" and put a stop to preemptive wars. :nuke: