Veterans getting the shaft

As some of you may know, I am a disabled veteran. I received a medical discharge from the Marines after 3 years and 8 months of service. I went on to work as a truck driver, mechanic and equipment operator for 31 years. In 2004 a slip on the ice put a end to my working days. After going through almost every penny we had on doctors, I applied to the VA for the benefits I earned. I started to receive some benefits by the summer of that year.
I appealed their decision on the amount of service connect-ability of my disability. after over a year I finally got a small increase. Barely enough to cover me medicine. I felt that they were short changing me due to the accident that started all of this. When i was hit by a truck in 1976. I contacted the DAV and we appealed their decision. For the next 2 years it was tests and specialists and finally, a denial.
Two years ago, after the DAV told me there was nothing else I could do I had to hire a law firm to take over my case. So far it has been another 2 years of doctors and tests and specialists and still nothing. I decided it was time to seek outside help. This past January, I was at the State Capital and ran across Senator Grassley. We talked for a bit and he told me who to contact at his office. I made the contact and now, almost 6 months later, still nothing. This morning I sat down and wrote the Senator another letter.


Senator Grassley,
It has been over a month since I received a copy of the letter that the VA sent you about my case. The letter stated that my case was "under review". This is just another one of their form letter to appease people into thinking they are doing anything. I wonder how long it takes to "review" a few pages of a medical report. Over a year ago, we were told, at the VA office, that we had a solid case and should have a decision in a few weeks. That was over a year ago and all I get are form letters.
The way the VA is treating veterans, both young and old is a disgrace. We are forced to wait months and sometimes years for a decision on the things we were promised when we enlisted. We did not make the government wait when we did our duty. Yet we have to wait on some bureaucrat to take his sweet ass time to make a decision. My case has only been going on for 6 1/2 years. I have had the DAV work on my case up to the point they could go no farther. Now, for the last 2 years I have had to retain a law firm to try and get my benefits. The is nothing right about this. There should be no need for law firms that specialize in veterans rights.
In 1976 while on active duty in the Marines, I was hit by a truck. The details are all in my medical records at the time. That and current data and test results are all right there in my file at the VA. I have submitted to every test and examination they have requested. All of this seem to be action to make me think they are doing something.
Because of the hold up in the last 3 years, we have almost lost our house, my wife, a heart patient has had to go to work just so we can keep the basic utilities on. We can't get medical coverage for her because of this lack of decision. I have even had to resort to delivering pizza part time just to make a little to help make ends meet. Neither one of us are supposed to be working but they leave us no choice. Their foot dragging has caused a lot of problems for us.
The President said that veterans are supposed to be a priority. I guess that was just another lie to keep us quite while they maintain the status quo. You can probably tell that I am becoming very discouraged. It's not so much that as tired. Almost 7 years takes a lot out of a person.
Respectfully,
Robert Fowler

Will it do any good? I doubt it. No one can explain why it takes so long to get the benefits we were promised when we took our oath. There are young men coming back from the war in need of serious medical help and yet they have to wait months if not longer for the care they desperately need. We hear from these politicians all the time about how they care for veterans. They can talk till they are blue in the face. I'll start believing them when they actually do something. Show us, That includes President Obama. He needs to quit campaigning long enough to show the ones that defend this country that he and other really care.