THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

America congratulates and reveres its fighting men. They must. They keep saying it over and over again. Even during a play-by-play sports telecast the commentator will say, somewhat unctuously I think, “this is for all those brave men who are fighting for our way of life etc…” Don Cherry likes to do the same. Whenever he seems to be short of something to say he invokes his patriotism and makes reference to our men in uniform. It’s all part of an ongoing rant. Not that it is without merit. There are men fighting and dying. Whether or not the cause is worth fighting and dying for is quite another discussion.

You would think, with all this reverence for them, that returning servicemen would be granted the rewards they deserve. In olden times, as recently perhaps as the Great War, returning veterans, some of them badly damaged, would be given very short shrift. My favourite was the man who occupied a spot outside an office building at Bay and Adelaide. He sold pencils. He was legless. Earlier, perhaps during the Napoleonic Wars crippled soldiers would return home and be given absolutely nothing.

That is all supposed to have changed. But in the last few years, in the U.S. there has been considerable criticism of the way VA (Veterans Affairs) deals with disabled veterans.

Now there is an organization called “RepForVets.” It seems that even heroes need an advocate. In their publicity the organization says: “The VA works for the government. The Rep For Vets works for you.”

Am I getting this right? Is this organization saying that Veterans Affairs (this is in the U.S. remember) is like some kind of insurance company? Insurance companies are famous for exploring every avenue of escape before paying a claim. It’s their business. They want to minimize outlay and maximize profits. But the VA??

After readying about this organization I look with jaundiced eyes at the scenes often seen on TV, of how the returning guys are all heroes and how nothing is too good for them.

Obviously there is a shortfall between intentions and reality. It may be true that there are returning veterans who will try to use the system to make gains to which they are not entitled. But having put their lives at risk, I wonder who can be so cynical about their need for assistance, real or imagined.

I will find myself watching scenes which could only be described a pious hypocrisy. Flag waving is easy, until it starts costing the “hard-working” (don’t you love that description?) taxpayer.

An ironic sidebar to the story: The VA health services are supplied by the government. Their post-battle care, along with care for people like Senators and Congressman is paid for by the taxpayer and administered by bureaucrats. Somehow, this single-pay system actually works. Which makes you wonder why the Republicans describe “Obama-care” as a “job-killer.”