If you recall back in May McCain was opposed to the new GI Bill for the 21st Century, which was signed into law by President Bush on June 30, 2008 and will be fully implemented by August 2009. This has got to be one of the most significant pieces of legislation passed for Veterans since The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944—commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights. Not only was John McCain opposed to the new GI Bill he didn’t even feel it necessary to vote on the bill. The alternative bill that he proposed would have limited educational benefits to our veterans instead of expanding benefits.

Now John McCain is proposing to limit the health care benefits many Veterans, including myself, receive from the VA Health Care System. Again I ask, is this guy serious? I really question his stance that he is a champion for this nation’s Service-members and Veterans. How can he be when he has opposed increasing educational benefits and now is proposing to limit the health care veterans are able to receive through VA Health Care system.

I have been accessing health care from VA for ten plus years and have been very satisfied with the care I have received. It has been much better than the health care I received from a private physician. Luckily, I am not in need of continuous care for a chronic illness or disability received during my time in service, but I take comfort in knowing the continuity of care I receive at VA is there. I am able to go to any VA hospital in the country and they have access to my medical record. I go once a year for my annual physical and lab work. My prescription medication cost me just $8. This is the one benefit that am fortunate to have as a Combat Veteran of the US Army – luckily I was not physically injured during combat . Well, the jury may still be out on that giving the continued controversy over Gulf War Syndrome. It’s not every day that you are exposed to oil field smoke that blocks out the sun for several days and not to mention what other chemicals we may have been exposed to. That is a whole other blog.

As reported in the article on military.com:

On the campaign trail, the Republican's presumptive nominee has talked of a new mission for the Department of Veterans Affairs, suggesting that veterans with noncombat medical problems be given vouchers to receive care at private, for-profit hospitals. In other words, McCain is seeking to cut off the kind of universal health care that the government has guaranteed to veterans for generations.

My first question is defining noncombat medical problems? Because I did not take a bullet or shrapnel would I be denied the benefit of receive my health care from VA. What about the noncombat wounds that are associated with combat – the mental and emotional wounds that may also cause physical issues. Case in point – post traumatic stress disorder which in my case manifest in chronic fatigue, tension in neck and should and lower back, sleep disturbance, and long term as well as short-term memory loss. The tension in my shoulders generally leads to sever headaches that often times incapacitate me for a couple of days. My care giver at VA recognized this and prescribed me muscle relaxers to help relieve the tension. Twice in the last two years when I have gone in for my annual physical I have been flagged for PTSD during the pre-screening for my appointment. Would a private health-care provider have done this same screening or recognized my symptoms?

McCain does not have a good record in supporting Veterans while he continues to publicly speak of the high respect he has for the Armed Services and quickly points out that Obama has never served in the armed forces. Serving in the military is not the only way to provide service to your country Mr. McCain! A life of public service for which Obama has is also a means of providing service to your country. Just because McCain is a combat veteran and a former POW does not automatically qualify him to lead this nation. I do respect and honor the years of service he has given and I am honored to be a part of the family of Veterans that have sworn to protect and defend the United States of America.

The Republican senator had argued that giving veterans a VA card that they can use for private doctors would shorten the long wait times that many veterans face in seeing government doctors, who are nearly universally viewed as among the best in the world.

A recent study by the RAND Corporation found that "VA patients were more likely to receive recommended care" and "received consistently better care across the board, including screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up" than that delivered by other U.S. health care providers.

Virtually all veterans groups oppose McCain's plan. The Veterans of Foreign Wars' national legislative director has said the VA card would "undermine the entire system."

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Democrat Barack Obama has received nearly six times as much money from troops deployed overseas at the time of their contribution than has Republican John McCain (military.com).

How can this man be serious about honoring our nation’s veterans when he has a history of not support legislation that would expand and protect veteran benefits. He is opposed to legislation that would make VA Health Care an entitlement. He has repeatedly voted against fully funding veterans' health care, voted against expanding mental health care and readjustment counseling, voted against efforts to expand inpatient and outpatient treatment for injured veterans, and against proposals to lower the co-payments and enrollment fees that veterans must pay to obtain prescription drugs. Is this a voting record of someone who supports our Service-members and Veterans? I think not and is just one more reason why I will not be casting my ballot in November for Senator John McCain.