PROFILE
FROM Phillip Carter
Santa Barbara's vets struggle with housing and healthcare A report released this week by the Santa Barbara Foundation shines a light on the county's veteran population, including who they are what issues they face in terms of housing, education, health and wellness.
Whistleblowers and Cover-ups at the VA The Veterans Administration runs America's largest healthcare system, with hospitals and clinics serving eight million people. Under the rules, veterans are supposed to get an appointment 14 to 30 days after calling for one. For years there have been reports that it takes much longer. Now there are claims that records have been falsified to hide that the VA has been paying bonuses to officials who've hidden evidence of how long it takes to get healthcare. In Phoenix, a whistleblowing doctor says 40 veterans died while waiting up to a year for appointments. Tomorrow, a Senate committee will be looking into claims of a widespread conspiracy, despite continued reports and the VA's official denials. Are secret waiting lists part of a cover-up? Would top brass resignations help fix Americans largest healthcare system?
Veterans' Day: Just Another Day to Go Shopping? In the aftermath of September 11, President Bush told Americans to return to business as usual and go shopping. Today Americans have the day off to honor the veterans of past wars and those that are being fought now in Iraq and Afghanistan. But since establishment of the all-volunteer service, there’s a disconnect so great that, on Veterans' Day, many civilians don’t even know one. We talk to veterans about why they fight and what it’s like to come home. Should the dead and the wounded be treated as "victims" or heroes who suffered the consequences of their own choices? Is Veterans' Day more than another day to go shopping?
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