VA to Veterans: Hurry Up and Wait!

On the 5^th of May, in an interview with Associated Press, VA Secretary David Shulkin echoed his predecessor Robert Mc Donald on Veteran homelessness:”We are still looking at a multi- year process”. Every time previous administration got close to meeting “zero Veteran homelessness” deadline, we were learning that the time just wasn´t right…

 As if recycling of Obama-style post electoral delays wasn´t bad enough, the present head of VA came to conclusion that “being able to reach zero is not necessarily the right number” and introduced “functional zero”, being in fact: “somewhere around 12,000 to 15,000 (Veterans) that despite being offered options for housing and getting them off the street, there are a number of reasons why people may not choose to do that” http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/va-zero-homeless-veterans-goal-changes . Naturally, “courteous” VA is ready to leave thousands of Veterans “free” to roam into the homeless because “We do have to respect the wishes of people who are adults and able to make their own decisions.”

If VA wants to play Freudian Santa, then how about satisfying the subconscious desire of some criminals who want to get caught? Why not consider prison for those who “lost” billions of dollars and turned Veterans into a “vulnerable population” –shouldn´t we respect wishes of people who are begging for accountability for their crimes with every smug smile?

Press Briefing on May 31, 2017 started in a promising way, but ended in a serious misdiagnosis. VA Secretary underlined that President Trump encourages business-is-business like candid and transparent talk and https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/05/31/press-briefing-secretary-veterans-affairs-david-shulkin  added: “And so, as you know, I’m a doctor and I like to diagnose things, assess them and treat them.”

Unfortunately, despite “137 different assessments and studies telling VA what’s wrong and how to fix it “and time to present “13 areas of significant risk for VA”, Dr. Shulkin did not give his diagnosis of the state of our homeless Veterans, and did not mention other serious diseases ravaging VA.

As a doctor, David Shulkin is perfectly aware that for many homeless Veterans “few more years” of torture will be lethal or will cause irreparable damage to their health. Right now VA says to Veterans: Stay Homeless or Die Waiting. Does President Trump approve this message?

Is the President fully aware of the extent of damage caused by Obama-era unnatural disaster that hit Veteran community? How about emergency humanitarian assistance?

The cynical suggestion that some Veterans “prefer” homelessness and yet another version of  “functional zero”http://www.democratandchronicle.com/videos/news/2016/04/08/82787650/  not only makes VA look like zero but destroys trust many Veterans placed in Donald Trump´s presidency. And talking about dishonorably discharged Veterans -will their guilt be reassessed together with politically incorrect “crimes” of Leavenworth 10?

VA Secretary announced  a new initiative” called Getting to Zero to help us end veteran suicide”, but does not mention some very important stressors leading to “20 Veterans a day” drama. Many Veterans rightly feel betrayed and disgusted. Political repression, impoverishment imposed by fiscal harassment and helplessness in the face of injustice should also be included as key factors. Is President Trump aware that many Veterans got PTSD as a “bonus” to inhuman treatment and not as a result of combat?

Obama administration was notorious for “generous” and massive distribution of psychiatric drugs to Veterans whose fundamental needs were not met. Why, instead of focusing on safety and decent living conditions for Veterans VA engages in deliberation on “helping” Vets through “reclassification of cannabis”? Only American Legion could come up with such a proposition and only “Politico” http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/20/veterans-marijuana-trump-american-legion-238626  could call the American Legion “one of the nation´s most conservative veterans´ groups”…

Will we have no other choice but to stand up for the rights of Veterans Tribe, Oglala Lakota style https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM4pAJvn5s  ?

Was Donald Trump informed about Sec Divert? Does he know that VA has developed “partnerships” to target whistleblowers both nationally and internationally? Why nothing is being done to stop purely political repression?

David Shulkin said:” the President is so committed to fixing issues for veterans that what he has told me is, is that it is important that we be open and candid and transparent about where the problems are “,so how about some straight-shooting?

Mr.VA Secretary, everything that is happening now, is happening on your watch.

Joanna Rosamond