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Our Forgotten Heroes
By Ralph Mirsky

 

February 28, 2007
Wednesday AM


Having read the Newsweek article "How U.S. Is Failing It's War Veterans" on MSN Sunday morning. I am appalled that more is not being done to assist and help these true heroes of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the article, the lack of personnel to deal with the shear numbers of wounded and sick veterans is part of the problem.

My brother is a Vietnam war veteran and prime example of this very broken system. I know what he has gone through over the years dealing with the Veterans Administration regarding his injuries. He finally in 2005 was given his long overdue and deserved true disability rating. What a sham for any and all of these veterans, these true patriots and heroes to have to fight the system while dealing with their injuries, Broken Bodies, Broken Homes and Families and Suicides, this is totally unacceptable.

Shame on us and our country for not doing more to bring this problem that has been in existence for a long, long time to a head. According to the article a lot more money is needed to fix this problem. For starters, we all of us, right here in Ketchikan could do our part by contacting our legislators and demand that they take the money that was earmarked for the Bridge and road system on Gravina Island, give it back and have our Legislators earmark it to the Veterans Administration to help restore dignity and justice to a very broken system. As a model for other communities to step up to the plate and give up these controversial earmarked projects, we I believe, would be doing a lot in helping our true heroes overcome a very broken system. And maybe in the process we might be able to restore our reputation around the world by instead of being known as the community with the bridge to nowhere by being known as the community that gave up the bridge to nowhere to help our veterans.

God Bless Our Soldiers/Veterans and Our Country.

Respectfully Submitted,

Ralph Mirsky
Ketchikan, AK

Received February 25, 2007 - Published February 28, 2006

About: "Ketchikan resident 10 years, small business owner, retired peace officer."

 

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