I am a fan of Law&Order, and no more so than tonight. They did the veterans, especially the wounded veterans, a great service tonight. The show was about a group of three people who had beaten to death two homeless men. One of the group of three was a veteran of Iraq. One of the dead men was also. The first indication I had that this was going to be a humdinger of a show was when the sister of the dead veteran told how he had been wounded and had PTSD afterwards. He had been discharged with a "personality disorder" so he would not get benefits. She was rather bitter that the government would do that to him after he had served his country, "just to save a few bucks". He ended up living on the street, and was a victim of the beating deaths. The one who did the killings was also a vet. Also with PTSD, and had seizures followed by violent aggression. McCoy went to the VA hospital to talk to some of the people who had known him there when he was not allowed to see the medical records.
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What he found there was basically the same conditions that were at Walter Reed. Moldy rooms, overcrowding, dead cockroaches on the floor, etc. And his assistant took pictures with her cell phone when no one was watching her. Then the Feds got involved. There was a Federal case in New Mexico that superseded McCoy's case, and the Feds claimed that the publicity from McCoy's case would prejudice theirs. The case was someone suing the VA over lack of care for a vet, I think. Anyway, the Federal court ruled that none of the pictures or any of the evidence regarding care could be presented at McCoy's trial. Well, you know what happened..he did it anyway. And the VA doctor on the stand said that they hadn't expected so many survivors..ie wounded. McCoy was outraged, and asked him, "Would it be better then if our children sent to war had not come back alive??". The "doctor" that McCoy was grilling on the stand said that the Federal government is under-funding veterans care by MILLIONS PER HOSPITAL. And that the aftercare is not available after they are discharged from the VA hospital. Then there were some good conversations among the other characters about the vet care, and there were some good remarks about what patriotism really is, taking care of our soldiers, not just talking about "supporting the troops".
I know it's just a TV show, but it is one that millions of people watch. And tonight they put the veterans care issue right up in America's face. Shoved it up hard and made them look at it. No one who saw that show tonight will ever take the care of our wounded for granted again. And they will know it's not just at Walter Reed, it's every VA hospital, every military hospital where the wounded are cared for and treated.
I will be sending an email to the show, particularly the writers, thanking them for bringing this issue up and taking the stand on it that they did. And they even had Fred Thompson talking about what real patriotism is, not flag waving and "supporting the troops", it's taking care of them when they need it..can you believe it?? I was stunned, to tell you the truth. And then ran to the computer to let you all know. Any one who hasn't seen it yet should watch it. If it doesn't get an Emmy, there is no justice.