Vets need more than ‘thank yous’

When you meet me as a combat veteran, son’t say “thank you for your service.” All saying “ thank you” to me is an insult. I realize that probably sounds strange so I’ll try to explain. Some 40 years ago I received a Social Security card when the card was given to me the promise of receiving social security benefits when I reached 65. When I entered the military I was told that as a veteran I would receive college benefits, a low interest loan for a home, and lifetime free health care. For nearly 13 years I assumed these promised benefits would materialize.

These benefits, however, did not come without a cost. At one point I spent so much time away from home that when I returned my daughter hid behind my wife, frightened of the stranger in our home. Another time my daughter wrapped her arms around me pleading and crying “daddy don’t go you always get hurt.” My wife and children never knew when I would have to leave (I kept a ready bag packed all the time) and often I returned wearing bandages or splints. I couldn’t tell them where I was going, what I would be doing, or when I would return. I simply disappeared for weeks or months at a time. After seven years my wife couldn’t take any more and we divorced. The divorce cost me my relationship with my daughters as well.

I was deployed when Desert Storm kicked off and to this day I live with the nightmares of what I saw. I’ll spare the reader the details. Just know that while the war is long over my nightmares persist. To this day my wife sometimes must spend the night in an easy chair while I relive my past in my dreams.

I was in the military in 1992 when President Bill Clinton decided to do a reduction in force. At that time, we were told there would be a large number of military cut from the force (as I recall 30 percent). I saw the handwriting on the wall and accepted a small severance package and left the military.

That’s when I began to discover just how good the promises of our government were. Shortly after my discharge I went to the Veteran’s Administration. In the course of registering with the VA I went through a physical during which doctors found that I had problems with my feet and heart. I was given a 20 percent disability for my feet, but the heart problems were not part of the disability.

Several weeks after my discharge I began having pain in my arms. Thinking it might be my heart I went to the VA the doctor who squeezed my finger and said “nope, nothing wrong with your heart.” That was the only test conducted to establish it wasn’t my heart. Other tests concluded that I had acute bilateral carpel tunnel. For nine months I waited for the VA to do the surgery. The pain from the carpel tunnel was incredible. I have been shot, knifed, broken bones and a multitude of other injuries, but nothing hurt like the pain I would experience from the carpel tunnel.

At that time, I often drove truck on the Parks Highway. And on the nights when I had to drive the next day I would sit on the couch for hours while sweat from the pain would collect in a pool. When I did drive I was often so tired that I would start to drift off at the wheel. To stay awake I would put my hand on the vibrating gear shifter. The pain would be nearly immediately and very intense. I would often arrive home after a 10-hour run soaked in sweat. On the nights when I didn’t have to drive the next day I would drink about a half gallon of 151 proof vodka to get a few hours sleep. During this same period I discovered that the small disability pay that I had been awarded would not be received from the VA until the severance pay was paid back to the government. Some 12 years later I received my first disability check.

When I went to college I discovered that the G.I. bill for college no longer existed for those discharged during the period of time for when I left the service. When I applied for a home loan I received approval for $30,000 (find a house for that). Recently I ran my finger through a table saw. I went to the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for treatment. A couple of weeks ago I received a letter from the VA saying that Congress had cancelled benefits for all veterans 12who had not visited the VA in the past two years.

In short, the President and Congress have broken every promise made to me as a service member.

Many fingers can be pointed I have contacted on Congressional Delegation — U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Rep. Don Young and Sen. Mark Begich, all to no avail. I also have contacted the media there was no interest. I blame myself for some of the problem for not trying harder. The media can be blamed for not keeping the problems with the vet’s front and center in the news. Congress has their share of responsibility by consistently eliminating veteran’s benefits. But the group that I blame the most is the general public. If the people of this country really cared about their freedom and their vet’s they would not allow this to happen to the men and women that bleed and died for them. Organizations like Wounded Warriors would not exist, men like Bill O’Reilly would not be raising money to buy legless vet’s all terrain carts.

So Mister and Misses America before you say thank you to me, do me a favor, keep your word. From Social Security, severance pay, college benefits, home-loan and medical benefits keep the promises you made to us.

If you really want to say thank you, how about no taxes of any sort for veterans — not for my home, property, car, or wages. It’s time for a genuine thank you. The veterans fought and died for your rights it’s time to repay that debt.

Michael Blodgett is a veteran and chaplain for Lighthouse Chapel.