Blog Assignment #5
The topic that I’m going to research the current and possible future status of war vets coming back into civilian life. My first specific interest is the Iraq war vets, and health care and benefit issues. The current GI BILL comes no where close to covering all the costs and expenses ( such as tuition, health care, or any other benefits) the US government promised to pay for when they returned from Iraq. The US war vets are counting on the GI BILL to get amended for the abundance of war vets coming home from Iraq. Since this is the first time in US history that this many war vets will be coming back alive, and our nation is struggling to compensate. Also, our future doesn’t look too promising. John McCain has no intention of amending the GI BILL and shows no genuine support for the war vets. This situation is hard enough for the war vet that is actually in good shape mentally and physically—they can’t go to the college they want to because of how expenses tuition has gone up, cover monthly utility expenses, meals etc. However, this situation is even worse for those who are injured and need medical attention on top of everything else due to health care expenses.
I chose this topic for a variety of reasons. My family owns a business to people who have survived traumatic injuries. The most common cause for a traumatic brain injury is due to the war. As medical advances become more abundant TBI cases will flourish. I also work for this business and get a first hand experience of every day simple struggles that these people have to go through. I couldn’t imagine sacrificing so much for my country, and all I get for a welcome home is health care expenses and debt. I think it makes our government look disgusting and unethical. Denying benefits to Iraq war vets is against my morals and I think shows the world how selfish the US is. The idea of the American Dream is slowly diminishing and is having a dramatic effect on our country: financially, economically, and socially. How the image of the US transformed over the past couple years, and what kind of effect does it have on the rest of the world?
The idea of the government denying benefits, increase of health care expenses, and in general our lack of aid for the income Iraq war vets is extremely popular. I have searched through blogs and other websites. I intend to research some scholarly articles and other personal website to find out what the government has to say about this and those in favor of the war. I personally cannot find reason why we are still in the war, why we haven’t pulled our troops out, and how anyone can back up this idea of denying promised benefits to Iraq war vets. If possible, I will try and interview a client of our family business who has had experience entering civilian life after war. I also think the idea mentioned in blog assignment #5 of entering a chat room is great and I plan on doing that.
I believe that anyone who has an opinion about the war and has followed current events will have an interest in this topic. This could potentially affect every individual in the US due to economic and social changes. Someone needs to and I believe will find a solution to this problem. I think they will take the reins of the situation and we will a dramatic change in our country—possibility coming this fall due to elections, which in this case could devastating. If anyone has morals, then I think this topic will spark their interest.
I relly like how you are using your own social location to refelct and understand the concerns and issues of the vets coming home. In further research you will need to prove what methodology or theory you are using to explain your logic of your arguemnet. Besides the blog and personal experience, what will be some of your possible sources. PBS Frontline has some great segment about the healthcare and GI problems of vets returning home that you can watch on archieves on line. Have you consider intervuewing one of the customers of your families business to give us a 1st hand persepctive? Where will you be finding you statistical info for the paper? This is going to be a very interesting topic and I think you working on a paper is a great service to educating the public on the issues many of the soldiers returning home will be facing.
Ground Truth, the documentary, will also prove to be a valuable resource for you as well as the website for Iraq Veterans Against the War. I think it will be very generative for you to interview Iraq War Vets who are not receiving the care and funds they need to heal from war injuries as well, if you can find someone, who has been promised education benefits and not received them. It might be in your best interest, however, to narrow your inquiry to difficulties disabled Iraq war vets are experiencing upon return home. After all, you only have 10-12 pages, which is not that much space.
Your personal investment in this topic is going to drive your research deep, and I am particularly glad to see that you are writing about a topic that has so much exigency. I think it will behoove you to make sure you present the military’s own response to the accusations that the government is not fulfilling its promises to “take care of their own.” I am interested in bills that have been created to address this issue, such as the Benefit Rating Acceleration for Veterans Entitlement Act, or BRAVE Act. It will be important to see what has been done legislatively, in other words, to address this issue.
I am glad to see that you are investigating how the presidential candidates are addressing or not addressing this issue.
As I think you know, the War Torn series from the New York Times will be a good source for you, as they are addressing this very issue. PTSD seems, in particular, to be a major disorder that is not being recognized and addressed by the military/government. Also, as I am sure you are aware, there are tons of war veteran organizations that will be useful to draw on.
Anyway, sounds as if you are off to a good start. Be sure to try to set your already strong opinions about this topic aside as you research. Perhaps, a neutral inquiry to begin with is: What is currently being done by the U.S. government to help disabled Iraq War Vets get the medical attention they need once they return back home?
I just want to add: the GI Bill is a voluntary program; Its neither mandatory nor obligated. It requires a 12-month investment by the service member before it becomes activated. There are additional stipulations such as: $XX,XXX for college (at a maximum $X,XXX per semester), and a 10-year expiration date. Plus some schools won’t accept MGIB assistance regardless of veteran status.
And I agree: veterans returning from war are having difficulty adjusting to civilian life. Good luck with your topic. And thank you for serving our American heroes.