A Veteran's Plea To Our Congress And Senate

Veterans are easily forgotten by our legislators, until we remind them of who we are and why we fought for America’s freedom and why you may one day need help.

(MEDIA, PA) - Veterans who are in need of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care and due process of disability claims, it is our Government’s obligation to take responsibility and be sympathetic to those in need, The American people need to query their members of Congress and Senate. Why won’t they help our veterans in need? We Vietnam veterans who are sick need the help of our Congress and Senate. Please do what is right.

WWII and Korean war veterans life expectancy is longer then veterans of the Vietnam war. Why? Because of Agent Orange Dioxin exposure. We are not dying of old age, we are dying of diseases most men would not realize until a much older age. We could realize better quality of life and maybe longer life, if our legislators would make provision for us by simply passing House Bill HR-3612 and Senate Bill S.1629. Is life worth so little by continued delayed action on those Bills?

It is not only about the Vietnam war, likewise the Iraq war and Afghanistan war. It is about the brave souls who died for America. Also, those who came home, and those yet to come home. Some with loss of limb, diseases, post traumatic stress disorder. In some cases, facing the loss of a family, due to long term deployments of not just one, but as many as three or more.

It is not easy to start life over again after the toil of war. Family values need to be re-strengthened. Friendships need to be renewed. Jobs need to be recovered or sought for. Health issues will crop up and will need to be addressed for possible VA assistance. Will the VA and our Government be there for them? Veterans of today’s wars need to learn from the Vietnam war era. Many of these veterans, in all likelihood will need help from the VA. You very well may need to do battle with the VA and our legislators as we Vietnam veterans are presently doing. Veterans are easily forgotten by our legislators, until we remind them of who we are and why we fought for America’s freedom and why you may one day need help. You, someday will likewise be asking the American people to step in and appeal to our Congress and Senate to help veterans. What legislative Bills will be introduced for the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans?

This information is published as an immediate press release and it can be republished and sent to .

John Bury represents both his interests and those of military veterans, with an emphasis on the U.S. Navy, and specific interest in health-related issues stemming from Agent Orange contamination; a rampant problem affecting so many who didn't necessarily have the deadly chemical dropped on their heads while fighting in Vietnam's jungles. John was onboard the USS Sacramento (AOE-1) a fast combat support ship from Oct. 1967 to Feb. 1972, making four deployments to Vietnam waters.

Now an activist and writer, John lives in the aptly named Pennsylvania city, Media, where he continues to seek justice while becoming a larger and larger voice of the movement. John has a college degree (AS) Management from Delaware County Community College, and he taught disciplines of engineering at Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades. When he isn't writing articles, performing research or rallying support for his fellow military veterans, John enjoys fishing; he is an amateur artist, and also spends time gardening and traveling. You can write to John Bury at Email: johnb1936@verizon.net

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G 2/3; April 6, 2012 10:34 am (Pacific time)

COLLI is in the ten ring,our "government" cannot govern themselves. Shame is too good a word.,they are criminals in three piece suits who make the laws and break them at will. Thank you very much.

COLLI April 5, 2012 6:13 pm (Pacific time)

It appears to me that every year, things get a little worse for our veterans. We ask them to literally put their lives on the line but turn our backs on them when they are in need. The level of respect they get from the Commander in Chief who opted to visit Chicago rather than place a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery sets a pattern which did not go un-noticed. Maybe it is appropriate that President Obama opted not to go to Arlington. After all, it is a sacred place that is the final resting place of those who sacrificed, bled, and/or died for our country. Those veterans who now rest there deserve to be honored by those U.S. citizens who love this country and wish to pay honor to those interred there for their sacrifice. President Obama has made it crystal clear to everyone, on more than one occasion that he does not fall into that category! We have Congressmen who serve a single term in office but get full benefits that our veterans can only dream of having . . . yet, they do little more than warm the seat they occupy. We have a man in the Whitehouse whose wife spends 1.4 million taxpayer dollars on a Hawaiian vacation but paying for treatment for those suffering the effects of Agent Orange is asking too much of that same Commander in Chief and Congress. Congress willingly send the best and the brightest to risk their lives for oil and colonial goals but providing jobs for those lucky enough to make it back is out of the question. It is also asking too much to provide a paid college education for the surviving children of those killed in battle. Would tossing every member of Congress out on their ear and replacing them with hand-picked individuals from our prisons be any worse for our veterans? I think not. It would probably improve the veteran’s lot! Our veterans deserve better. Maybe if the President and every member of Congress received only the benefits received by the lowest level veteran, we would see the type of changes needed. I’d vote for that in a heartbeat!

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