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Posts Tagged ‘Iraq’
Thursday, October 6th, 2011
A recent poll, which may be the first of its kind, looked at how veterans viewed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as compared to the opinions civilians hold. Approximately one-third of the veterans surveyed do not believe the wars were worth the effort, and approximately one-third do, according to an MSNBC News report. Those same veterans, however, place much more belief in the value of fighting in Afghanistan (about 50%) as opposed to Iraq (about 44%). The poll included responses from veterans with disabilities.
Around 60% of the veterans responding to the poll believe it is time for the U.S. to focus on the problems this country is facing at home, and spend less time on foreign affairs. Not only is the U.S. is facing a huge budget crisis with the wars draining billions of dollars, but there are veterans returning from combat facing potential lifelong, incapacitating mental conditions, which affect not only veterans, but their families and dependents as well.
Aside from the tens of thousands of veterans who have been wounded in these wars, more than 6,000 American soldiers have died. Although the poll results reflect many soldiers as being “proud of their work,” they also show 84% of veterans do not believe the civilian world has any understanding of what they face every day in combat and on the home front, e.g. re-adjusting to civilian life. Just more than 70% of the civilians who took part in the poll agree with that statement.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Afghanistan, Caregiver Program, Civilian Life, Iraq, Veteran Disabilities
Posted in General | No Comments »
Friday, July 29th, 2011
Many soldiers returning to the U.S. following deployments are returning with various physical and mental ailments. Aside from common mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many soldiers are returning with physical problems outside those “wear-and-tear” injuries normally associated with deployments.
Troops have been returning from that region of the world with strange and rare physical problems since the first Gulf War. Most recently, troops have been returning from Iraq with a very uncommon respiratory disease. Constrictive bronchiolitis has been discovered in multiple returning soldiers and may very well pose serious respiratory health problems for those soldiers throughout their lives.
Researchers studied 38 soldiers who had been diagnosed with constrictive bronchiolitis and found 28 of those soldiers were exposed to a 2003 sulfur-mine fire. Sulfur dioxide is a toxin and was present at levels of up to 125 parts per million in the smoke emanating from the fire.
People exposed to sulfur dioxide are more likely to develop some type of respiratory disease. Therefore, it is possible the mine fire produced a residue that may be responsible for causing the constrictive bronchiolitis. Researchers note, however, respiratory diseases were found in other soldiers deployed to other areas as well and they were not limited to the area surrounding the fire.
Constrictive bronchiolitis can cause physical limitations, and can escape detection in standard physicals and check-ups. Of the 38 soldiers in the study, 50% left the military with disability ratings.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Constrictive Bronchiolitis, Iraq, Respiratory Disease, Respiratory Health Problems, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Disability | 1 Comment »
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
No matter how much people need help, if they don’t know where to go to get that help, then the help might as well not even exist. According to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, this is the problem existing between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Pentagon. Although a program exists focused solely on coordinating long-term care for veterans severely wounded while deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, very few people are aware of its existence because of a failing of communication between the two agencies.
The problems with the coordination program start at the bottom. Neither agency uses one particular classification for those soldiers who are ‘severely wounded, ill or injured.” Because of this, deciding which veterans qualify for the program’s coordination services becomes almost impossible. The program matches veterans with either a nurse or a social worker who then guides the veteran through the VA’s labyrinth disability claims process and locates the best possibilities for their proper care.
The coordinator program was created in 2008, but the VA has not taken any positive steps toward being able to identify severely wounded soldiers, which means they cannot grab qualifying veterans from military hospitals. The GAO criticized both the VA and the Pentagon for these shortcomings in its report.
Because there are no set criteria, veterans are introduced to the coordinator program almost exclusively through military hospital referrals and case coordinators seeking out potentially eligible veterans. In 2008, the coordinator program received 25 referrals per month. In 2010, that number doubled to 50 per month. Still, there is more room to help additional veterans.
Once a base-line criteria of eligibility for the coordinator program is established, they can start putting the word out about the program’s availability. This will take the burden off the injured veterans to seek out the help they need when they should be focusing on recovering.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Afghanistan, Coordinator Program, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Disabled Veterans, Iraq, Pentagon, Severely Wounded Veterans, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
Returning from a combat deployment without being hit by anything the enemy throws at you is pretty impressive. Surviving enemy assaults does not, however, mean soldiers will return home unharmed. Returning home wounded because of something the American government has done is another story.
The military operated burn pits in Iraq throughout the entire United States presence in country. Those burn pits emitted toxic, black smoke that constantly covered many military bases and has since been found to cause detrimental effects in soldiers. Jet fuel was used as an accelerant in the pits, which were filled with:
- Amputated body parts;
- Military vehicle parts;
- Human waste;
- Plastic; and
- Garbage.
Thousands of soldiers and private contractors have been exposed to the burn pits, and the toxic contaminants contained in the smoke. The military, of course, spent years denying that the burn pits were dangerous, up to around October 2008. Jump to April of 2010, and burn pits have become responsible for so many health issues, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) felt it necessary to put forward a 25-page letter outlining what should be paid attention to when processing disability claims associated with the burn pits.
Yet, the military still refuses to appropriately supervise the burn pits and follow their own rules as far as what not to burn in the pits. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), there were still 251 pits in Afghanistan and 22 in Iraq as of August 2010. More military troops being deployed to Afghanistan with the United State’s new mission means there will likely be a higher demand for more burn pits.
Research is already being conducted in an attempt to discover specific health issues caused by burn pit exposure. The VA is handling claims on a case-by-case basis and only approving claims for certain diseases.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Afghanistan, Burn Pits, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), disability claims, Disabled Veterans, Iraq, VA Health Care System
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, VA News | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
According to some economists, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are going to cost this country an additional trillion dollars over and above original estimates. Last Thursday a full panel meeting was held on Capitol Hill, which was to focus on the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
The hearing included testimony from the authors of The Three Trillion Dollar War, which provided estimates for the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in the long term in 2008. During their testimony, they explained that the original estimates were too conservative. Their original estimate for the cost of veterans’ care was $717 billion. At this most recent hearing their new estimate was $934 billion, just a little shy of $1 trillion.
When asked for an explanation, the authors stated the amount of veterans currently using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care services is at a level they didn’t expect to see until 2016. Approximately 565,000 veterans used VA health care by March. Current estimates put the amount of veterans currently in the system around 620,000.
Because there are so many more veterans in the VA system and using VA resources than originally estimated, costs all over the place had to be raised. Although not exhaustive:
- Long-term health care estimates jumped from $284 billion to $348 billion;
- Long-term disability estimates were pushed from $388 billion to $534 billion; and
- Social Security disability payment estimates were upped from $43 billion to $52 billion.
A more accurate picture of where the numbers stand will not be published until January. These wars are hardly “self-financing,” which is how they were originally touted.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Afghanistan, costs of war, Department of Veterans Affairs, Iraq, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, VA healthcare system, Veterans disability
Posted in Iraq-Afghanistan War | No Comments »
Friday, September 3rd, 2010
The United States ended one chapter and started another this week, as the U.S. ended all combat missions under Operation Iraqi Freedom. As of 5 PM Tuesday, the US combat mission in Iraq came to an end. The United States will now engage in Operation New Dawn where our role will be one of giving assistance. This new operation will see the United States military training, assisting, and advising the Iraqis. According to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, the Americans will continue to engage Iraqis within their new operation.
Biden, in stating the “darkest days” are over, acknowledged without the sacrifices of the Iraqi people and the American soldiers, Operation New Dawn would not be possible. Biden spoke to just how complicated the mission in Iraq was and it is now up to the Iraqi people to form their own government.
Approximately 54,000 American troops will be in Iraq at any given time. Differing from their combat role, these soldiers will stay in Iraq until December 2011 to give assistance to Iraqis as they take the lead in establishing their new role in the Middle East.
President Obama addressed the nation that evening and recognized the sacrifices Americans have made in getting where we are today. Over 4,400 soldiers were killed during our time in Iraq but President Obama feels the United States has met its responsibility. He went on to say it is time for the Iraqi people to take responsibility for themselves.
Almost 100,000 soldiers will soon be returning home where a new mission begins. Only time will tell how these soldiers and their families will recover and how their return will affect the United States. For now at least, Operation Iraqi Freedom is over.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, end of Iraw combat operations, Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn
Posted in General, Iraq-Afghanistan War | No Comments »
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