Lewis Black | 11/11/18 New Haven CT: Thank Your For Your Service (Veterans Day)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Lewis reads a rant from Silas, an Air Force veteran who has experienced the hypocrisy of how civilians, the VA, and the military treat those who have served. His message: saying "thank you for your service" isn't enough.
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#LewisBlack #VeteransDay #ThankYouForYourService #NewHaven
Lewis Black can be crass and yet in an odd way is eloquent at the same time. Perhaps it's his honesty that shines through and I like his candid demeanor. It impressed me that he spoke out for this veteran who has had to go through so much after giving his service. When will Veterans be treated with the dignity and accountability that they deserve and have earned.
I am a retired US Marine. To answer your question, "Never".....Veterans will NEVER be treated (by the Federal government) with the dignity and accountability that they deserve and have earned.
I guess I am one of the "lucky" ones who retired with more than 20 years service and essentially with no real disabilities.
When people stop voting for democrats and republicans
I served during OEF and missed your USO tours, but I want to thank you Lewis Black for the humanity you’ve given us vets.
Trenton oif oef vet here man ty 4 ur service brother
Hey Trenton, U.S. Army OIF 1&2 Vet here. Retired young due to combat wounds. Had over 16 years in before having to retire though. Thanks for your service. I have no idea if it would've ever have been possible for me to have seen Lewis Black or anyone else on a USO tour because I was with a Special Operations team in Iraq. But I'm really appreciative of him and any other performers and thankful that a lot of service members did get to see them. All my best. Hooah!
As a Disabled Vet. This is not so uncommon. It took me 12 years to get my disability. 12 years of extreme poverty and now that I have it The Va makes me travel three states to just get test for my issues. I cant travel that far. So I fought for them to treat my issues and they make it impossible for me to get the treatment I need.
I'm sorry.
Hang in there sister.
I am so sorry, we the public need to provide more support, by communicating with the idiots we voted into office.
I personally apologize to you as I have not done my part.
I promise to do better.
Haida,I feel what your saying an uncle of very close friend of mine was in the hospital needed an amputation, he got it,to bad they removed the wrong leg . 9 years ago and he still fighting for settlement t,but has both legs gone,the other from another institution.
I pray it doesn't take 12 years for me. I finally had my travel board this year and recently had my case remanded back to the regional office, which my attorney says might not be such a bad thing. I feel ya on the travel for testing. I was told I had to go to North Little Rock for a lung capacity test because Memphis (where I've had them before) couldn't do that test. I had to cough up enough for bus and Uber fare and wait 2 weeks to be compensated for the trip.
8 year Marine vet with 2 tours in Vietnam. Thank you to all my fellow vets in all branches, who served before, during, and after me, whether you saw action or not, THANK YOU!
I was an 0351 Assaultman from 1979-85. Semper Fi.
0621 field radio operator with a reconnaissance battalion. 2006 to 2012..err rah and Semper Fi!
VA a big insurance company that doesnt pay
It's a mess! I go to the VA. I know exactly how he feels. I'm proud he articulated what we go thru, so well. I couldn't choke out the words.
It's pretty morbidly ironic that the ad before the video was for US Air Force recruiting
Tom The Cat -Don't believe it, that isn't irony, that's all Done on purpose by these gov/google input analytics specially made & designed to mock you (us) even further...those muthariders!
That is a terribly sad story about how the bravest souls in America are being shafted by the most cowardly souls in America. I live in Canada, and I don't think our vets are treated any better. If I was running things, I would happily hand every vet who retires or who has to retire because of medical (and by medical, I also mean emotional because that is as real as losing a limb) a cheque for a million dollars. They deserve it. They earned it. We shouldn't make life difficult for them. We should make life as easy as possible for them because we OWE them! And maybe a million isn't enough. Maybe give them a home if they haven't got one already. Or pay off their mortgage if they have a home. We must in SOME VERY SUBSTANTIAL WAY, put our money where our mouth is when we say "Thanks for your service". Thanks for the insight Mr. Black!
Vets are screwing over vets within the disability system. The post 9/11 veterans are having disability showered on them of they even set foot near Iraq or Afghanistan. The system that awards disability needs reform.
Not much better in the UK imho..
@@danepatterson8107
Taking care of U.S. Vets isn't an award for disabilities.
Taking care of our Vets is our duty.
Taking care of Vets is what they have earned.
Taking care of Vets is what they were promised when they signed to put their lives on the line.
Only vets screwing over other vets are the ones who wrongly judge their brothers & sisters & refuse to empathize with them
@@maestermercy8512 I am a veteran with disability who works in the VA. I know what I see every day.
What are you talking about?
You start with the premise that anyone who enlists in the military is a hero; this is not the case. There are lots of reasons to become a soldier. Being a hero is not a requirement. But of course, this part of the BS being called here by Silas.
If you are serious about wanting to help the victims of this sort, the first thing to do is to militate against war. This would also help the victims at the other end, you know, those who get maimed or killed by falling bombs or liquified by high powered machine guns from a helicopter for going about their business in their own country.
Instead of encouraging jobless people to join the military to get their million dollar cheque when they lose a limb, let's encourage them to find another career for adventure, or to stay in school and get a good education. As sad as Silas' story is, can you imagine the sad stories of the innocent victims of US' extreme violence? My heart goes to them, first and foremost!
My advice to Silas: advocate against war. Tell people not just your sad story, which is awful enough and a definite eye-opener, but everything you saw in action.
Lewis you are a fine human
Very true, I am a veteran 23 years Army...nobody has ever thanked me because I usually dont tell anyone! Thankfully I served in the British forces so I am looked after by a universal healthcare system. I feel sorry for my US colleagues!
My father had served two tours in Nam and six more years after. He was well taken care of by the VA. At the age of 70 they, on their own had recognized that they made a mistake. He has two purple hearts from gun wounds on separate occasions. They immediately compensated him for every year since discharge. 1972. They gave him an additional $3300 a month they should have been given him. I call that a attempt to make it right. I lost my hero in February. Every soldier he served with showed up. The ones that were still alive. It was a wonderful thing to hear about my dad from back then. The VA is fucked up, but not as it's made to seem all the time. Thanks for laying it on the line.
-Proud son of ARMY 1ST CAV ST. SRGT
Well they got to fund those tax breaks somehow. Can't have the super rich and corporations those veterans fought for suffering or whats the point.
It is NOT enough that they WIN. YOU must LOSE. Win/Win is a GOP Loss.
Exactly. Corporations are people with rights. You can't expect a corporation to suffer.
Thanks for this comrdy skit that shows how our government treats its veterans. I just wonder how many vets voted repubs.
Out of control spending is causing the debt and deficits. To assume tax cuts cause the debt/deficit is to assume that money belonged to the govt in the first place. I'm not saying the corporations needed the help or to operate virtually tax free. Even with the tax cuts, tax revenues are up but the spending is still outpacing the revenue gathered. Tons of waste, fraud and abuse to go around as well. It'll sink this country fiscally sooner or latter. Probably sooner.
@@thesoundsmith it's not just the GOP though. Both parties are guilty of doing the same thing.
Medically discharged from the army and still waiting on VA benefits for the last 14 1/2 years.
As a Marine vet of 30 years, I thank you for your service and I hope you get what you have EARNED!!!!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
This is absolute insanity.
@Story of O, yes it is! Especially when one considers who is -cough- 'running' the US VA at the moment! Three rich bastards that are members of Mar A Lago who apparently convinced the "Cheeto in Charge" {props for that nugget from the above} that they could do a mighty fine job of running the VA!
Apparently, their 'idea' of 'saving money' is to just not pay the Veterans at all! Wow! 😤
Like those who are getting jacked on the GI bill & facing HOMELESSNESS because they haven't gotten paid for over four months. That's happening TODAY! Peace all.
That is RED TAPE.
No; just greed and being dickheads. The veterans problems come up in discussion every so often when one of them comes into our e.r.. The dickhead doctors want us to send them away to the VA hospital 20 miles away. Then I get the wonderful discussion about how 'they knew what they were getting into when they signed up with the military, so they got what they deserved', from all the well off conservative bastards clearing a MINIMUM of $100,000 a year, who have also never served a day in their life helping anyone except themselves. Dickheads. And these fools keep putting republican politicians who don't give a crap about anyone else, right back in office.
It's to slow help, funds and other resources because actually giving to a Veteran makes no one any money. Withholding money for as long as possible gets you a bonus.
@@maggierezac5820 As a vet, I thank you for your comments and support. I concur that Trump putting three out of touch rich a_holes in charge of something so critical as health care for vets is appalling. The notion of witholding care, benefits and treatment just to save a buck is the little trust fund rich boy game; they are notorious for stiffing people, not just here but everywhere I've been on this planet.
That breaks my heart. Nothing gets changed but Spanky gets his golf game regularly on the taxpayer dime.
Ya, I rode that Merry-Go-Round for years before obtaining the benefits I was entitled to. It's just like Silas said, a real goat-rope..............
Lou, I’m a disabled vet, I served in the Marines saw combat in the Persian Gulf, and I’d like to thank you for standing up and speaking on our behalf.
You’re a good man Lou.
Recruiting command: “we can’t figure out why our goal numbers aren’t being met.”
I once spoke to someone in recruitment and they told me that I can join, just don't tell them anything if you have an injury or mental illness. I told them that I should not likely be a part of the military. I already have PTSD. They said they will still except me as long as I don't tell them about these things. It felt like they didn't care if I couldn't handle it, if I could be a danger to myself and others, or risk being a security risk. They didn't want Me to join, they just wanted a warm body. I felt like they would have taken anyone. Even people we really shouldn't have in our military. "Just don't tell them and you'll be fine~" it put a bad feeling in my gut, so I didn't join. Really sounds like I dodged both a figurative and literal bullet there, especially after hearing that.
I've had older vets tell me they're taken good care of, but there are so many younger vets that have told me stories that make me want to cry. The messed up stuff that has happened to people in the field, and even before they have a chance to get out of basic. The military is a really fucked up situation on all fronts, during and after. Our bravest are glorified and made out to be shining examples of human being. Yet we don't even treat them like human beings. I feel for every man, woman, and otherwise who has marched into danger their orders and their guns to only find themselves lost in a broken system that could really care less till veterans day comes. We all need to pitch in to help those who need it most, I may not have joined the military, but maybe my job isn't to be a soldier, but to help them and theirs after they come back. That is everyone's job, especially our governments.
That is correct. I have permanent PTSD. I can't be cured. I'm bi. It used to be manic depression. But since I have been to both the North and South poles looking for Santa Claus for Jesus... I'm bi polar.
you'd expect that someone that served and protected to be served and protected in return. especially under this new administration and its big promises. disgusting demagogues.
You'd expect that a BUNCH of vets would just get organized, gear up and blow the entire top brass of the VA all over their boardroom walls.
David Kempton I’d absolutely love it if they’d do mass protests in every city, like the recent women’s marches. Frustratingly, most military members & many veterans vote Republican & watch FOX, so they are told, Day in & day out, that only entitled, jobless libs hold protests! en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army
At least two decades and four presidents, and all the military money gets put into bombs. Course when you cycle the administration out every 4-8 years, it's not surprise that the deep state who get to hold their seats of power for decades on end end up being the one who's actually in control of the country.
@@thesoundsmith you mean we could VOTE ???
@@MarkLawsonY3K What's the point any more? Democrat or Republican, it's all poison and it will kill you. All voting does now is to let you decide whether it's cherry or grape flavored.
i have 2 medical implants from serving in the US ARMY overseas was in a real bad accident which i had no control over. Of course i was denied benefits i have a brother in arms who was denied healthcare after 28 yrs of service sadly he passed away as has most of my squad saltpeter we used to jokingly say not so sure now no one respects veterans and please dont thank me for serving i concur with myr bretehren BTW I'm canadian and moved here when i was 7 what have you done for this country ? love you lewis keep up the good work and tell katherine the same
I am a vet. Every word is true.
He is lucky. I won't ever get back pay. I've been handicapped with cancer and a heart problem 7 years and can't get disability pay. I have a sticker from the doc for my car, but everyone has just said no every time I applied.
I, like many, have given up on begging. It's what they hope for. , (
joel: Have you talked to an attorney? Neighbors of mine (husband has a degenerative spinal disorder) applied and were turned down, but got an attorney, and it took about a year, I think, but he (husband) finally got SS Disability. There are attorneys who specialize in this. You might think you can't afford it, but i THINK the attorney got paid AFTER they start getting the benefits.
JOel, please reach out to me, I may be able to help you. SERIOUSLY, I have notifications set for this, I will get the message if you reply. Please, I hope to hear from you. I also posted a comment way up at the top. Please, REACH OUT.....
G'day Lewis, Oh, my... I was on the verge of tears after your read of that poor bloke's message. Probably would have wept too except I was so damned angry at this Veteran's horrendous treatment. There's a few people who complain about the ADF (Australian Defence Force) and Australian Dept. of Veterans' Affairs but that is nothing to the mammoth cluster f**k that is the US VA and ex-service persons' plight.
It truly breaks my heart that most 'developed' nations are so actively keen to put young people into uniform and appeal to their highest feelings of patriotism, service, duty and honesty. Then, the moment they take their uniform off for the last time; the screwing begins. The nation who had these young men and women who were openly willing to lay down their lives for their country are now treated worse than the corpses that arrive back home in a flag draped casket!
The ex-service person's suicide rate, even here with our tiny population, is catastrophically high, in the US it is truly appalling. ONE suicide because a veteran is being screwed over is ONE TOO MANY! To have multiple thousands of suicides every year is an unsurpassable disgrace. People who gladly die for their mates in combat show the greatest form of love and dedication that is possible to show. I donate to Veterans' charities as much as I could but as I'm on a Permanent Disability Pension after serving in the Air Force, I don't have a lot of money myself.
If I had a son or a daughter who wanted to join up I'd have them kidnapped if I couldn't persuade them not to strap on a uniform, like their stupid young dad did. Don't get me wrong, I was proud to serve and, compared to the Veteran you spoke of, I had a 'dream' ride through the red tape.
I urge everyone reading this to do as you suggested and donate to a Veterans' charity AND to send letters of complaint to their local and national politicians. To me every day is Veterans' Day, every day is ANZAC Day (our national day of commemoration). It doesn't matter if you are a hawk or a pacifist; these people desperately need our help. Thank you, Lewis. I love your comedy and I salute your dedication to this much forgotten crisis. Yours sincerely, Bill Halliwell.
A society is judged by how it treats it's most vulnerable members.
I would by who it chooses as it most valuable members as well. Celebrities are not valuable members, yet they are often revered as gods.
Actually it is Armistice Day, to "celebrate" the end of WWI. My Mom remembered that day all of her life, she was 3 years old and people were shouting, crying, hugging one another. I don't like that they changed the meaning of the day, especially since they sold that war as the war to end all wars. It was actually the end of a war that started a fucking lot of other wars, even into today's time. The Vets are getting screwed? No surprise, the MF'ers that have never been to war are quick to send others into war but don't give a shit about them.
Since I am making this after Thanksgiving, you have all probably heard somd idiot sent thanks to all of the military contractors. They don't run into those problems, they get cost plus and they get under the table pay that they never declare.
Do you know how I want to honor the veterans? Let's stop all of these wars. I think that most veterans have mental problems when they see that they are just goons for some corporation making money off of war and just killing people in their homeland. Or they are playing games with ISIS before they are told to protect them as they move around Syria. Oh yes, ISIS moves around Syria under F-16 escort. Wake up, Americans.
It was changed to Veterans Day decades ago. I'm a veteran.
The Monarchies started the Great War. Their treaties were so convoluted it brought too many countries into the War. No the Kings and Queens didn't care about the troops after the war ended. After our US Veterans protested in Washington DC in 1919 did they create the Veterans Administration!
Thank you Silas, for your service and your story, and for Mr. Black for bringing it to light. Something has to be done about this, and soon, it's disgusting how our vets are treated!
That is incredibly heartbreaking to hear. I had no idea this was going on. Thank you for sharing. I'll see what I can do to help.
I'm a military brat from my father who served 27 years. He will not tell me what he has done but he made sure to tell me always read the fine print because there are things you can't charge and things that can make work for you. He will say so himself that he is one of the lucky ones to have the disability of over 200% pay off.(both knees one done twice, both shoulders, one hip plus half the thigh bone, one foot, one hand, and a metal plate in his head. He has all the limbs but that's all metal in him for those parts to hold together and/or replace the bones) He will also tell me that because i'm a single male the government views me good for only two things, fighting in a war and paying taxes.
I wanted to cry after hearing this.
Lewis Black is awesome for giving this some traction. Every time someone speaks out, there's a chance to do something. SPEAK OUT.
Thank you. I've heard how often there are so many resources for Armed Service Veterans. I didn't realize how broken the system is. Most people probably don't realize honestly.
Bless you Louis for reading that I don't go out on Veterans Day. Because when I came back from Vietnam we didn't get thanks we got spit.
And relatives wonder why I won't go near the VA.
Mr. Black is some REAL HUMAN BEING .
After coming really close to not making it back from Vietnam because of a severe case of Malaria ( The doctors at Quang Tri Marine base said they didn't know if I would still be WITH them the next
morning ) I was choppered out to the hospital ship.
I was told on the ship ,after some time by a Major ,that I would qualify for a military comp pension because of the malaria and dysentery I had gone through . He told me that it would be a federal offense for me to give blood and that the effects would be with me all my life.
Before being discharged from the Army I had some kind of breakdown and I was kept 41 days beyond my due date " FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT "
After coming home to my small town I ended up having to go to the hospital mental ward about a half dozen times over several years with what the Psychiatrist started out saying it was paranoid schizophrenia ,then depression, etc., etc., and finally ended up with good old bipolar
My VA experience left me with not wanting to have any future contact with them.
For the Malaria I was to travel a couple hours to the VA in Pittsburgh with a jar of my feces.
After spending the entire day there my wife and I were told from their info that since I was able to hold down a part time job that there was no reason that I would have any military compensation. At that point I just wanted to get away from anything to do these people.
I was based at Dong Ha in 1969. The worst place and year for Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam.
For awhile family and friends tried to talk me into trying to investigate this issue further . Kind of hard to explain to anybody what a bunch of bull I thought the VA. was and why I didn't want anything to do with them. Even my brother who was a Vietnam Vet and is in the VA. system can't understand my resistance to go get their help. I guess I just lost all faith in the system.
When I hear people not being able to understand why those homeless veterans can't lift themselves up and do something with their lives or why all the crazy suicides .......... well you can't expect people to understand something they haven't lived through I guess.
God bless brothers and you too Lewis Black.
I'm a veteran. Desert Storm, Bosnia and Iraqi Freedom. I don't get that day off at work unless I take personal or unpaid time off. Yet my sister who was never in the military and works in a bank gets that day off. Paid. Most vets don't get veterans day off. Our president, Donald J. Trump, is a draft dodger who ridiculed John McCain for getting captured and spending 5 years as a POW nearly dieing several times. Trump spends most of his time on "executive time" or playing golf at his own personal resort at tax payer cost. He didn't have time to go to the Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day because he didn't want to get wet. Yet a shitload of my fellow vets vote for and support him. Insanity. I have a new idea for a new law. NO MILITARY SERVICEMEN OR WOMAN WILL BE REQUIRED TO SERVE IN FOREIGN WARS OR OPERATIONS. Require the politicians to fight the fuckin wars themselves if they want them so damn bad.
Don't forget Donald Jr who is also being groomed to be a loathsome human being.
“I rarely get emotional, if ever,” Trump Jr. wrote in the book. “Yet, as we drove past the rows of white grave markers, in the gravity of the moment, I had a deep sense of the importance of the presidency and a love of our country.” He also lamented the “big sacrifice” that was “costing us millions and millions of dollars annually, a huge book of business that I had personally built.”
i am the proud holder of the infamous article 99 from usaf though i was taken directly from a hangar to diespensary. see the movie of same name; it’s crazy inside the va. the last time i went i sat 10 hours. checked in at 06:45 hrs but by 19:00 hrs not a soul had been called. as the civilain staff closed up i asked and got a smart-assed, you’ll just have to try again tomorrow won’t you?! i returned the next day, though my letter of appt had the prior day’s date. i sat another 10 hours with same result - not the first man or woman was called from the desk where the civilain “staff” ate donuts and had pizza delivered. i never returned and have no plans to do so...
I don't care what you did in the war (which is one I probably disagree with); but, you performed a service as per the contract. You are therefore entitled to remuneration as per the contract. You ought to be entitled to all the rights of a citizen of the US - civil rights, human rights, labour rights etc. You did your job; you are entitled to remuneration.
@@TJ-USMC You know nothing about me.
@@TJ-USMC In yer dreams, pal.
@@TJ-USMC Why, thank you. There's hope for you yet.
@@TJ-USMC Just remember to take the same advice yourself.
@@TJ-USMC I did.
I like the fact this was shared, but we really need to treat our veterans better.
OMG! That brought tears to my eyes. :( How can we do that to our veterans. We condone this by not taking any actions towards our elected officials.
When I was in school, I was told America was special. Still waiting to see the evidence.
That one person who didn't like this video or went thumbs down must not have a soul. The VA retirement situation in this country is so screwed up. Every veteran who served honorably should get the benefits that they earned and deserved for fighting for the rights most of us take for granted.
You dont know if they downvoted because they hated what the soldier had to go through, different reasons could be for the thumbs down
Everyone is getting screwed by this president. Him and his Republican cronies need to be thrown out of office now. We need to fix this mess. How can a president who is supposed to care about the entire country give tax breaks to the rich and corporate rich and screw everyone else over? He is a traitor along with the phony Republican Party. the Repubs hitched their fate to Trumps, we need to be sure they go down with trump in 2020. His delusional followers need to be brought out into the light.
I feel like we can all still be proud of being an American. ONLY IF!!!!! This country drastically changes the way it is. If we live in a country that is still willing to say we are clearly wrong let's change what we did. Then that means that yes we do live in the best country in the world......... As of now I say the most stereotypical thing that you probably heard millions of times over. I am not proud of being an American. anyone at Washington should be ashamed of themselves!!!!!!!!!!
America has been killed. Not just trump, it began with Reagan. When the GOP stopped acting in good faith, the path was set. Trump just broke the stagnation and showed us the true face of Republicans. There may be a lot of GOP that don't like or agree with Trump, but as long as they continue to VOTE with him, so fucking what?
THIS IS WAR, PEOPLE! The GOP refuses to fix the environment and WE ARE OUT OF TIME.
Bottom line - in the next 150 years, most air-breathing species will become extinct. Including every Republican that can't afford a 100-year supply of manufactured oxygen.
And THERE'S yer NEXT Mad Max-style sequel. Where if you don't have a good mask and a supply of oxygen attached, you will die within, say, an hour. And everyone works for, fights for and dies for the oxygen bottles, so OxyContain Inc. the one manufacturer, is God...
@@thesoundsmith you're thinking too deep into the future and that's only if things don't change. More realistically you need to think of baby steps. one thing at a time little by little the little voice can change something. 100 pennies makes a dollar. And that's how you speak their language because they only speak in dollars. Wilma Mankiller was a woman who proves exactly what I'm saying. A native American who not only proved she could be a politician that wasn't corrupt and made a difference for the better of minorities. But also changed other politicians minds. Helping social security, getting cops to wear 100% bulletproof vests and having minimum wage be risen by $2. The only thing is no one capitalized on her progressions. My point is we can do this for veterans. the public is being known to the mistreatment of veterans to this very day!! If you can help you should......... At least that's the way I was raised
LB is an amazing performer and his career is legendary. My family and I have been huge fans for many years.
Imposter On Hold And he didn’t have to read that letter but he did. He rocks.
What a sad reflection of how the stars and the stripes is an oxymoron!!!!!!!
Hillary Clinton robbed the Marine Corps.
Looted stole raped and robbed.
Do the Hills Have Eyes?
But. She will be immortalized in a mortuary. So. Keep looking up.
Jack Seriously, go and see a psychiatrist really soon. You’ll either do harm to yourself or others.
This rant makes me want to weep.
I would tax the rich until they started committing suicide.
Yeah, and then tax their spoiled children and widows\widowers too.
Mr. Black much of what you read is true and I wouldn't dare disagree with you. My story is very different, but with the same result. I love America, born in Alabama, raised in Detroit. I gave up fighting the system in 1994 and returned to the last place I thought would treat me fairly, GERMANY. I would love to tell you about it when you have the time.
Dennis, Go to Lewis' facebook or twitter page and make this comment. That is where his staff is sure to see it, not on You Tube.
Thanks Lewis and all who Serve !!!
Kudos to Mr. Black for caring!
I'm a vet born on veteran's day. Never ask a vet if he saw combat. All service is equally noble.
And Mr. Black, there is a great deal of abuse of VA disability by veterans. I work for the VA now.
The people who do the bare minimum are veterans riding the system that can't fire them. The people at the top are veterans who received a disability rating that enables immediate, unqualified promotion. It's terrible. The vets who need and deserve help can't get it and the vets who get the most money for disability clearly don't deserve it. Go look at the difference the modern vet's standard of living to the Vietnam vet.... You've got vets who haven't missed a day of work in their life collecting 70%+ disability, plus retirement
Thanks Lewis as a retired veteran of 21 years I understand your situation and empathize and I appreciate you bringing this
Write to President Bone Spurs - he'll sort it out!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for giving a voice to the regular people.
The military can help itself, quit voting for the Repugs. The social security system isn't any better for civilians. My son waited over four years to get his SSD while being carried to the ER several times a week by ambulance and getting a letter that his medicaid would be cut for misusing the ER. He lived on $400 food stamps and $200 from the state for child care from the state because his addict ex couldn't pay. When he got his award they took away the $400 and $200 and gave him $700, so after 4 years he gained $100. So he was making $13 hr before being disabled and now he gets about $5 hr.
Why I like Costa Rica....no military. Nuclear was supposed to be cheap, only if you didn't consider the cost of the waste. Geo. Bush said the Iraq war was going to cost 300 million $$$. What he didn't say was that with a VA 4 year backlog and Thousands needing lifelong care.... the 300 million was per month. Wake up, it's your money they are spending.
I have written to all of my state representatives, often getting a form letter and being told that I do not reside in their district, with a few actually touching on our nation's treatment of veteran's. The lifelong politician, a parasite of taxpayer dollars, who vowed 12 years ago to make veteran's affairs his top priority, has done absolutely NOTHING on that issue, NOTHING to help our veterans. He DID say nasty things about one of our Senators after our VA hospital was caught over-medicating veterans with many powerful drugs, including opiates. He said it was our Senator who failed them, said many more nasty things, and then did absolutely NOTHING. Our Senator admitted failure and then went to work, often spending several days a week working with individual families, case by case, and never once called a press conference to congratulate herself. Our other Senator responded by saying that the Senate leadership, Mitch McConnell, will continue to work with President Trump to improve treatment of veterans. Since Trump has been president, Mitch McConnell has brought exactly zero. Veterans assistance bills the floor of the Senate, after being passed, by a bipartisan majority in the house. Our Senator, Ron Johnson, often referred to as, "the stupidest man in Congress," has sent me two form letters stating that, "the Republican Party, under President Trump, have continued efforts to improve treatment of our country's brave veterans." When I responded to the letters by asking for specific examples of how Congress, under the leadership of President Trump, have acted, what have you done, to improve the treatment of our country brave veterans? I received the exact same form letter, word for word, I had already been sent. NOTHING. No specifics, no ideas, no proposals.
If you want the same of what we have seen for the last 3 years, exposing our military to danger around the world, like sending them to the Middle East, "because the Saudis pay cash," then vote to re-elect the scumbags in Congress and the orange man who makes a living lying to the American people, forcing our service people, and diplomatic teams, to go out of there way to stay at Trump hotels and resorts, specifically raising the cost of these rooms to the highest allowable under federal law, and billing our federal government for rooms at Trump hotels and resorts, again at the maximum allowable cost, for his trips, with the dozens of support and security personnel, AND for events attended by members of his administration, including those family members with no official position, nor actual qualifications for such a position, and all of their support and security personnel, AND even his personal employees, like Rudy. Or before the election, saying that Obama golfs way too much, and that if he were president he wouldn't be doing any golf because he would be too busy working for the American people. It's on videotape. Very easy to find. Look it up. He said it. And now he golfs, at taxpayer expense, no less than three days a week. Billing taxpayers to play golf on a golf course he owns.
I will be voting for Bernie Sanders, because I don't care about labels, I care about policy and integrity. HE has a long track record, verifiable voting record, and he is a man of his word, as evidenced by simply looking at what he says and what he does. His "socialism," means what we already have here: building roads, repairing bridging, building an electrical grid that is more robust and more efficient,, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, unemployment, things that some people bitch about and then they drive on those roads, rely on fire and police services, the military protecting them, then they cash the checks and survive because of exactly that socialism they cluelessly bitch about. I don't care about the damn labels, I care about the policy, and the integrity, and the fact that he holds himself to a higher standard, and expects himself to live up to the expectations of the word that he speaks. . And he won't lie to your face saying that he never met a person when there are dozens of pictures and video tapes of those people together.
i only discuss my military past with other ex servicemen i know .
Well welcome to military service. The gop is already complaining about the cost of vets, yet still send us out to do them proud. We support the military, as long as its a big, fancy and expensive piece of hardware.
Thank you Lewis black, I would gladly have you as president.
If only the nation was so lucky to have someone who wouldn't hide the faults of our country but someone who would bring the faults to the surface for us all to see so then we as the people can help change us for the better, but to play their games you need to bow down some and I don't see that happening with mr. Black. Also the other politicians or the 1% would have him killed off to make sure the status quo of them get rich off the nation's decline stays the course.
Thanks for sharing this. Most folks have no idea how this VA and retirement work. I filed 2 appeals on mine and after the second I was told basically stop bothering them or they will reduce my current status.
Thank you donating today. And please stop letting your children join the military (at least until) they fix this broken system. I could write please fix some parts but that would be wrong. It’s outrageously ignorant of Americans, like me, to not know how bad it is for those who chose to join the military. Because even though its a choice now, it wouldn’t be if no one joined.
The real horror is the denial of services and care in the VA health care system. I will not regurgitate the sorry accounts of deaths due to veterans not getting care , most notably at the Phoenix Az. facility . It was not mismanagement .
I'm a vet, USAF. My feeling is we are all disposable to the powers that be.
The government needs to help a soldier for the freedom they fought for. Eject those who vote against anything for these souls of valour.
Im surprised he got his initial rating in 4 months, after waiting 2 years, i had to hit up my congressman, lame-o.
Son of a bitch is this now America we need to recreate the way we take care of our veterans and again son of a bitch time to write a letter
Thank you Lewis, and that's how 'great' the USA is for it's veterans. D I S G U S T I N G ! Whether you are a Rep or Dem, force your senators to make promises about these vet issues before voting. So you can hold the assholes accountable!!
I appreciate him addressing this. The bureaucracy is overwhelming for most of us. My anxiety has kept me from completing the process since 1998. I am an employee at the VA hospital and still can't deal with the hoops it takes to go through the process.
PLEASE, REACH OUT TO ME. NOTIFICATIONS SET SO i WILL RECIEVE IT
i MAY BE ABLE TOHELP YOU. iT TOOK ME 15 YEARS, THEN ANOTHER 6 MONTHS-1 YEAR, AND EVEN STILL, i JUST HAD ANOTHER CMP ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO FOR INCREASE IN MY DISABILITY BUT, IT IS WORTH IT!
And, yet, in june 2017, the proposed 2019 Defense budget of $719 billion was approved, and each year, we're told it needs to increase yet again. If asked why, we're told "It's a National Security issue, so we can't disclose why or where the $ is going". It's going into the pockets of our obscenely huge military-industrial complex is where it's going. And, how much of our budget goes to overhaul the entire VA which i understand is working with an ancient (by today's standards) computer system which is a BIG reason for the huge delays in veterans getting appointments, treatment, and benefits.
Re our Defense budget, we (obviously) spent more than any other country, but the next 2 countries with large defense budgets are: China - $100 billion and then next: Russia - at about $80 billion. Yet, WE need a budget of $700 billion?
The military-industrial complex is rife with fraud, waste, and abuse. Our generals and admirals live like kings in mansions with service members making up all their huge staff at their HOMES. The Big Defense Contractors have HUGE cost over-runs, and we just pay them regardless. It's all a huge RACKET.
Arx754, you are correct, its one big racket, always has and always will be and me nor as little ducks in the puddle can stop it.
There are WAYS of getting what you want and deserve. Unfortunately there does need to be a paper trail but that is easier than people think. I'm a female disabled Army veteran and I get told by "rich" people how I don't want that "dole" to run out. Really. Yea, I mean, I got a Masters for shits and giggle then huh? BELIEVE ME, I've gotten a few people fired, investigated, kicked out of the Army like my company commander when in reality all of my company chain of command should have been kicked out as well.
Shannon Reynolds Absolutely- paper trail and perseverance- good job!!!
Every time they go to fix the VA, they F it up even more. Now they have contractors who could care less as long as they get their pay.
It is far to common.
Powerful message about veterans from a veteran .
I'm actually familiar with the system and how they handle disabilities and compensation.
I know a person quite well who had an arm missing on one side and an alternate missing on the other and the system told him he had to prove he was disabled... AFTER a doctor examined him.
Apparently they missed the fact that he had an arm and a thumb missing.
This is so sad😫! It's just awful how vets r treated! 🤬😡
Stop enlisting brothers and sisters....
It's those in the middle who don't get assistance.
Deplorable. These United States
The VA was severely backlogged because they didn't expect the number of troops to return home, let alone the sheer number of them that would require ongoing care. That is just from the last Iraq war and Afghanistan war + the US troops that were in Pakistan. Picture how many troops that was, total, returning, and no longer able to serve. And be deemed disabled. To say the VA wasn't ready is like saying a class 5 tornado is just a little wind.. They were extremely backlogged for some time. Probably still are to this day. Imagine having to wait this long to get help, let alone the proper help you need for you and your family..
Exactly why I don't believe in this crap system we have and nor do I vote anymore because that doesn't matter either. Maybe people should stop depending on the military to make a living and only serve when we're needed...truly needed. I feel terrible for that soldier but I've always heard these nightmare stories and people yet still join. I think it should be mandatory that all citizens at 18 years old should do two years in the military for disipline and career training like many other countries do and that's it...out. That'll clean up a lot, but millions of troops spending years and years fighting is just bad business, costly, and unnecessary.
Mr. Black always makes good points about our inept government no matter who’s in power. The Dim’s & Repug’s are all more concerned about Party then People!
So sad. That's really f@#$%&up!!
But congress *Had* to give the 1 percenters their tax break. Perhaps the nation could afford adequate care for veterans, but the 1 percenters desperately needed their money.
These things happen all the time. I'm a vet. I gave 12 years of my life serving my country. No complaint there. I'd gladly do it again. In Feb 2018 I had a stroke at the age of 51. I had to of course receive ER treatment then on to a hospital until I could be moved to a therapy hospital. When I came home, I had 3 months of therapy in home. My family immediately contacted the VA when it happened. They said, No problem, have the medical bill claims sent to us. We asked if I needed to go to a VA facility for therapy. Nope. There wasn't one nearby that had the proper equipment or treatment. The VA denied every single claim because I had not been treated by them for the past 24 months. $240,000. I appealed, but the pretty much said "Tough sh*t"
This disabled veteran has jumped the hoops as well as his older brother.
VA never ending circus.
Imagine if the took over healthcare for all.
Carlton Bond I thought Trump fixed the VA. He gets on his soapbox and tries to hammer this home.
What makes you believe that if they took overall health care that it would be exactly identical to the way it is now? All the resources that currently go into appeasing insurance companies could then be available to them.
It would be fallacious thinking to say "if everything changed with healthcare, then nothing would change"
Thank You Sir for publishing this. It is screaming into the wind but it still needs to be said.
Flippin'hell, that made me cry. And I'm not even American.
Makes me mad as Hell. Our fat cat war pig politicians wage these wars for $.
Then they sit back getting rich while many of our vets end up homeless.
Then they pass laws against feeding homeless and making it against the law to be homeless in the first place.
Its sickening. Their greed knows no bounds.
I am a vet...it ain't the people doing this to you...IT IS UNCLE SAM. AT HIS FINEST...AT HIS FINEST..........POINT, WHERE YOU SHOULD POINT.........I AM ONE MAN..........MY CHANCES OF CHANGING ANYTHING...YEAH........PEOPLE...WHEN THE MILITARY, GETS THEIR CHECKS...THIS IS TAX PAYER MONEY. THEY THEN TAX. TAX MONEY...THE REASON I SAY THANKS...IT IS ALL I CAN DO...AND WANT YOU TO KNOW, I LOVE YA, AND SUPPORT YOU, NO MATTER WHAT........SO, BROTHER. DON'T TAKE THAT FROM ME OR MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.........IT IS ALL I CAN DO........
Thank you for that, Lewis. 😢
The VA is congested with people trying to abuse the system. They are to blame for the time constraints everyone who deals with them talks about.
Being active duty there are sooooo many members who talk about trying to cheat the system with lying about carpal tunnel, erectile dysfunction, back spasms, and a new one everyone tries to use… PTSD… the list goes on. I’m not down playing people who have those conditions but those conditions the VA can’t actually prove without very costly tests so it’s a given the cheaters will get their little cut of disability even though they suffer from nothing and are healthy.
THE LEGITIMATE DISABLED VETS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE THESE CONDITIONS HAVE TO WAIT FOR FOLKS WHO LIE TO TRY AND GET PAID!!!! It’s fucked up. Ask any service member if this is true. It’s a goddamn disgrace and shows zero honor in those individuals character.
Okay...okay...ok!
I understand all his rants are true; many many others are screwed even worse...BUT,
You'll never hear one vet say honestly that there's very little wrong with them mentally or physically, and they just choose to avoid re-entering the civilian work force because they want to ride the "milk train" since they've "served" and don't want to do ANYTHING with their lives no matter HOW MANY YEARS it takes to get on the "gravy train"!!! The majority of vets can work again in regular jobs-- but choose not to-- AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLY HARD on vets who really and truly need help!
You will never even hear ANY MENTION that what I say is true, especially in this PC fucking crazy world today.
I come from a military family; my father was a Navy Corpsman and a Pearl Harbor survivor; I respect all veterans...EXCEPT those who just whine, piss, moan & groan about wanting benefits & a free ride since they've "served" and feel that earns them free everything for life! Many served but a couple years; some never saw hazardous duty...and still these want a free ride ticket and DON'T GIVE A SHIT HOW MANY VETERANS SUFFER because of their selfish, self-pitying greed!!!!!!
Many disabled veterans commit suicide while the military keeps them in limbo like this. If you're stuck in this bureaucratic loop, PLEASE reach out for help, YOU DESERVE IT, YOU EARNED IT THE HARD WAY.
The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) , of which I'm a life member, has liaison specialists who will help you to push through the roadblocks. They use attorneys when necessary. You don't have to be a member to get help, you're our brother or sister, it's our privilege and honor to get in the foxhole with you.
*You are not alone*
Sincerely and with gratitude,
A Disabled Combat Veteran
Only after YEARS of resisting going to the VA regarding medical problems (at the urging of relatives), I relented. I served in Vietnam and the abuse I was subject to (by our own forces!) would be considered criminal - by all but the VA, of course.
So I avail myself with the complaint that I'm almost totally deaf from my time at DaNang Air Base. I had other maladies, but the hearing loss was what was bothering me most. The VA arranges for me to get a head-to-toe check. The end result of which was since I'd served at TWO bases where Agent Orange was used (maybe that's what ails our CIC!), they awarded me a 40% disability - FOR THE NUMBNESS IN MY FEET! After a couple of years for waiting on an appeal, they relent and explain no compensation will be forthcoming regarding the hearing loss that the VA confirmed. This is because of the new math. Not the "new math" we joke about that our kids had to explain to us - no. This new math is peculiar to the VA's calculations. Calculations that only make sense to career VA personnel. See, the 10% I was finally granted for my hearing loss is not REALLY 10%. Since I'm already getting a 40% disability for my swollen legs, 10% of the remaining 60% I COULD be getting is not really 10% - It's now only 6%. And since it's now only 6%, it's not a claim worthy of the 10% it should be! Got that? Me neither.
Now that I am older, I became disabled a few years earlier than 65. I used to watch those tv commercials about Medicare part A or C, or about copays, premiums, and extra coverages. I ignored it as a younger person. Recently I finally had to learn what it allll is, and how it works. Interesting. I'm bright and aware. I can learn this machiavellian system of guesswork and pathy bandaids. It must be much more difficult for many not as experienced at wending through paperwork, making calls, explaining themselves clearly, or retaining masses of information. I've been distinguished miitary and guard for the Secretary of Defense and been homeless. I have two BS degrees and have been utterly broke. I've seen a lot and have been lucky. Yea, I'm grateful. But if I'd have know in the 80s that --this system-- was what I was enlisting to defend, I'd have laughed. No club, family, organization, or country that is willing to take care of only part of it's people rates preservation. I don't care what the ideals of America are purported to be. Prove it----but all you do is talk...for 200 years, just talk. I think it's two-faced, four-flushing disingenuous bullshit, and I made a mistake. This year was the first in many of a cost of living raise of 2.8 percent (whoa) for SSDI recipients. Mine went up from 1065 a month to 1098. Annnd Medicare started being taken out (yes, even at 13000 a year disabled you get to pay out for access to medicines and doctors) of 135, thus reducing my income by 1300. Cheap you say? Now I get to exist on 959 a month. I defended NOTHING in the military. You're worth spit
So, I'm an Army veteran who *cannot stand* the whole 'thank you for your service' thing.
For one thing, I live in an area with a lot of active duty troops from all 5 services [yes, the Coast Guard is a military service... ask anybody]. When I tried to tell a troop in uniform 'thank you for your service', it sounded trite, juvenile and stupid... like I was trying to sell her cookies or some shit. What I say nowadays is 'Hey [rank], from an old cavalry corporal, thanks for your time.' That works for me.
For another thing, most people who say TYFYS are just assuaging their own fucking guilt for *not* joining the service while their country was at war. A 'thank you' from an asshole like that is tantamount to saying 'I really appreciate you responding to the call of duty so I could sit on my fat ass on the couch and play Call of Duty on my fucking PS-Box machine'. There is a word for such a person in Old Norse, 'nithing'. I'll leave it to you to figure out what that means.
You want to 'thank me' for my service? Great. Here's how you can do that:
1. Don't put us on a pedestal. We're the same asshole kid you went to high school with, just with a few more bumps and bruises. In fact, military service has quite likely made us MORE of an asshole than we were. And one more thing about that... we are NOT 'heroes'. If anything, we're survivors.
2. Don't discourage your kid when they want to enlist or get a commission. No, your special little darling is NOT 'too good' for military service.
3. Make a real effort to vote for candidates that support veterans... and hold those you elect to account.
4. Take the time to actually get to know a veteran of your acquaintance.
5. Go to a Veterans Day parade.
6. Give to a veterans charity [VFW, DAV, etc.], the USO, or Fisher House [this is a veterans version of Ronald McDonald House, it allows a veteran's family to stay close by while they're getting medical treatment].
7. Support STAND DOWN, an annual community effort to get homeless vets in touch with services and help to get off the street.
Congressmen (including senators) may retire after 5 years of “service” with 80% of full salary ($174,000) + 401k plan. After 25 years of “service” they collect full pension and must be only 62 years of age. Medical coverages and other niceties are not included!
The VA is way overdue for a freaking AUDIT! Audit everything! From the top down. Every level. Not just their finances, but policies, actions, duties, etc. Rebuild the who effing thing!
Something a lot of people don’t realize about the va is how fuzzy their disability rating math is. So I got 70%for breaking my neck, 10% for hurting my knees, 10% for my back, and another 10% for other minor injuries. Do you think this adds up to 100%? Nope this is 80%, which is great but I cannot work any jobs that aren’t desk jobs because of my neck and back injuries. The VA is just a bunch of lazy people who want to pay the bare minimum. Recently, it took over 3 months to get my HBP medicine. I live on $1587 a month but thankfully I used my separation allowance on a house. I work from home doing peoples taxes to make ends meet. Seriously write your congressional representatives to fix the va it’s more than just broken it’s fucked
Thank you Congress.....way to be concerned about the spending of American tax dollars that could help these Vets.....especially for the millions of dollars tossed out the window for frivolous investigations and let's not forget the souvenir Impeachment Pens by Pelosi and the Dems!!
Thanks for your service Nanny....it's time for term limits don't you think?????
Mr Black,let us educate our youth about these issues before they join, where Are on that? sir. . .🤔 you make money from the US GOVT. ENTERTAINING TROOPS.
Each day I wake up and deal with the sadness of living in a country that I know could not give a " Damn" about the men and woman who have served to defend this nation, Like this story , millions of us did not blink when called upon to meet the challenge of protecting our freedom against the evils of this world, so that all people that live under the stars and bars could do so safely, Yet people wonder why 22 VETS a Day end their lives , to escape this madness, Well , we didn't ask for this and we don't deserve it either, all we do ask is that YOU AMERICA give what you promised in return for our service, Just a chance at a job, healthcare, and a place to lay our heads, and for these meager request, some of us will even give our lives !!! ( US Army ) Airborne Infantry ( Ranger) Combat Vet 21 years 3 months, 3 purple hearts & still alive , " GOD BLESS AMERICA "
During the Obama rain retires Social Security go a average of 1200 a month Refugee's got a minimum of 1,700 a month, housing , 170. a piece 9 mo to 99 years a month in food stamps Illegals draw 2200 to 5 thousand depending on how many kids are droping out every year plus food stamps and housing. Over 350 Billion is spent ever year on illegals by the Feds States add twice that in Welfare, Medicaid.
Wow...now that’s despicable. Absolutely despicable. After 9 fucking years of waiting for the VA to rate him at 100% disabled, that man got a slap in the face. Fuck....
The Veteran in question is mistaken in his belief that you get both military retirement and VA compensation. You must make an election between
the two. How do I know? I was medically discharged in 1972 and was a VA claims examiner from 1983 - 1987. I have a base disability rating of 90% with an additional 10% for individual unemployable. I have never had to co-pay any amount for VA health care, I even get travel pay to and from the hospital. My health care has always been cost free, up to and including open heart surgery.