Editor, Stop the presses and call Walter Cronkite — these stats just in:
• Three years ago, 864 severely disabled veterans died without receiving their benefits.
• Two years ago, 992 severely disabled veterans died without receiving their benefits.
• Last year, 1,156 severely disabled veterans died without receiving their benefits.
Congress has mandated only 2,700 independent-living benefits per year and now the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program cannot even come close to providing for these veterans.
My own Atlanta Veterans Affairs Regional Office has fallen almost 50 percent in providing these life-altering — and often life-extending — benefits to these deserving wounded warriors.  I guess “Just call me Bob” soon will be parading alongside the emperor, who really is nekkid as a jaybird.
Let the letters, faxes and phone calls to members of Congress, the media, journalists, etc. begin. Whistleblowers, rise up so this new generation of warriors is provided with what they deserve.
For more information, watch then-Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Director Ruth Fanning’s testimony before the House Veterans Committee concerning the independent-living program at http://veteransaffairs.edgeboss.net/wmedia/veteransaffairs/2008/080710.wvx

— Bruce A. McCartney
Midway