A year ago, the veterans around the St. John Valley attended a town meeting in Fort Kent with Director Jack Sims and his staff of the Veterans Administration of Togus. He told us about having a clinic in Fort Kent. Last week I found out there will barely be a clinic in Fort Kent – open one day a week.

At the meeting the director told us to seek out veterans to register with the VA Health System and by doing so would allow more money to be allocated to the VA Hospital and Clinics throughout the state of Maine. He said, we need the numbers, meaning veterans. Director Sims told me there were more than 500 new veterans a month who were registering and he anticipated an increase.

Now that there is a dramatic increase in veterans registration for benefits, where are the funds to meet the demand? Why are claims being denied when there is overwhelming evidence supporting them? Why did the VA archives destroy a World War II veteran’s medical record and then turn around and deny his claim? (It was enough that some of his records were destroyed in St. Louis.) Director Sims said World War II veterans claims were a priority. That was not the case with this veteran I know. The claims department denied his claim and told him it would be nine to 11 months before he would get a response. The veteran’s wife and I called the senator’s office and only then we were told he would get a response in 30 days. Why do we always have to contact our senators or congressmen to intervene to get a prompt response?

I wish all veterans could get a subscription to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Magazine, in which the National Adjutant tells us veterans on the reality of what is happening to our benefits. In the March/April 2002 issue of the DAV Magazine, the National Adjutant tells us the president and congress can no longer ignore the serious financial problems VA is facing and the dangerous impact on the sick and disabled veterans. He says that the president signature barely had time to dry on the 2002 Department of Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill when VA health care directors were ordered to start cutting cost by downsizing, by reducing staff and benefits.

This is happening not only in Maine, but across the country. Veterans today are turning to the VA medical care system for medical treatment and benefits they deserve. This country is in a state of war against terrorism. What are we going to tell those soldiers who are coming home wounded? Are we going to tell them we are sorry but we can’t provide you with the care we promised you?

The continuous cuts imposed by this government towards reducing benefits for the veterans of this country should be considered illegal. Combat related illnesses for example, Agent Orange, Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome and other war related disabilities should be treated at VA facilities and not the private sectors that know little about treating those illnesses.

Most veterans and staff working at VA facilities are aware of what is going on. We know the government is trying to cut our benefits by downsizing, closing VA clinics, sending veterans to private hospitals on a fee basis and eventually closing VA facilities or make them outpatient clinics. This wouldn’t be in the veterans’ best interest when we have been promised the best possible medical treatment that we are now enjoying.

Veterans of the state of Maine and of this great nation, it is time to unite together and let the president and congress know we will no longer sit back and allow them to take our benefits away. Serving this great nation of ours is a good thing to do. Young men and women of this country, before you enter the military ask your recruiter this question, if I get injured while serving in the military, will the U.S. government insure met hat my family and I will be compensated and have the best medical treatment promised to me when I entered the military? We are the greatest nation in the world and the reason we are free is due to the sacrifices made by the veterans of this nation.

Please do not ignore my warning. I encourage all Americans, especially veterans, to write to our leaders and let them know how you feel. We are the greatest nation in the world. Let us act like it, and by taking care of the veterans who have served proudly to defend this nation. Taking veterans benefits away from veterans who serve honorable is like a slap in the face. We don’t deserve this.

Richard Pelletier Jr. is a disabled American veteran from Fort Kent.