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Patricia;
I am part of a Vietnam veterans' group that has reached out to today's returning Iraqi war veterans. The experience of one young returnee we tried to help is of particular note. Diagnosed with PTSD and medically discharged by the military as a result, this man went to the VA for treatment based on our group's encouragement. I believe his VA 'treatment' has added more stress and futility to his condition. The VA informed him that he did not have PTSD in spite of the three separate diagnoses he already had in his military service records. The VA counselor told this man that he was probably just depressed about his marriage being on the rocks, and therefore he would not receive treatment because his condition was 'not service connected.'
I believe this blatant act of cost containment by the VA has actually contributed to the severity of this soldier's condition. It has certainly not helped. How many other returning soldiers are experiencing such mistreatment? We Vietnam veterans used to say we were treated as cannon fodder when we left for Vietnam, and used-up obsolete government assets when we returned. It seems the cycle of VA/government denial of the cost of war continues.
