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View Full Version : Look after your Veterans' welfare



skuthorp
05-04-2004, 02:15 AM
During your election campaign this year, question your representatives about their party's commitment to your veterans. Governments have a history of jingoistic rhetoric when they need fighting men and women, and a very short memory when the action is over. Electorates need to be reminded too, the next generation doesn't know what it's about.
My father, WW2, 96, has his nightmares back in his last months and wakes shouting in the early hours.
My brother, Korea, 72, finds his dad's distress arouses his as well.
Some men never manage to quiet the demons at all and are never at peace. Every war is followed by a rash of veterans suicides that Govts are always at pains to hush up.
Only those who have been there can really comprehend.
Dont let the spin doctors and PR campaigns hide the reality this time. Question your reps, get a committment, in public, on the record, in print!
As some will know I did not support this 'war', but the men and women at the 'sharp end' deserve every consideration. For the rest of their lives if necessary, even if they live to 96.
"LEST WE FORGET"

formerlyknownasprince
05-04-2004, 02:35 AM
They did stuff all for my father.

WWII - wounded in action - POW for 4+ years - 13 escapes, including one where they were lined up and every second man executed. He went in to the POW camp as a solid guy - came out a bag of bones. He couldn't work beyond 58, nerves were shot to pieces - had to fight for years to get his TPI (totally & permanently incapacitated) pension.

The attitude to vets affairs in Oz is a disgrace - put a goose in charge and let her blunder along, stalling any real progress - not that the other mob would be any better.

As to the current war - I support it totally. I can't understand why we don't get in there and do the job properly. Show the scumbags the benefits of doing it properly by fixing the deficiencies in their society. And, just to fuel the flamnes, why don't we disarm Iraq - they don't have the right to bear arms, etc, etc.

If any of our vets come out of there with problems, give them some support.

:D