AL Cdr to Obama; Hands off Vet Health Care
With all of this talk about altering the health care system in this country, the American Legion Commander, David Rehbein, spoke up the other day for veterans;
The national commander of the nation’s largest veterans service organization has reacted to tonight’s urgent call by President Obama for national health care reform.
“While The American Legion appreciates the complexity of the healthcare reform challenge facing the president and Congress,” said David K. Rehbein, “on behalf of our nation’s 26-million veterans and the nearly two million personnel now on active duty in more than 130 countries, we urge Congress to ensure that veterans’ and military health care not be part of any national health care bill. They should be exempt in the legislation.”
Rehbein added, “Our nation must maintain its long standing tradition that veterans’ and military health care systems will remain independent and focused on our most deserving citizens.
“The American Legion has a proud tradition of securing and preserving the earned benefits of America’s veterans,” Rehbein said. “Ensuring timely access to quality healthcare for today’s military and veterans is of paramount concern. These are the citizens who have borne our battles in previous wars as they still are in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have earned our care the hard way. We, as a nation, have an obligation to ensure that their healthcare is not compromised,” he concluded.
This is an issue that’s near and dear to my heart. Military Health Care has been the foundation of my financial planning since I decided to reenlist back in 1977. I knew that I’d have meager paychecks for the rest of my career, but I’d tolerate that for quality, dependable health care for me and my family. A lot of folks complain about military care, but I’ve never had a problem with it and I’d hate to be thrown out of military care for some kind of social program.
Now, I don’t hear any other VSO standing up for veterans’ health care in this way. The American Legion commander also stood up to the President on the issue of forcing disabled, service-connected veterans into the insurance pool. It seems to me that because of the whole insurance thing, this administration would love to throw veterans into the general population for our health care just to save money, irrespective of the quality of care.
I’d like to see some sort of unified response from all of the VSOs on this issue, instead of some touting their free rides for veterans or campaigning for the end of DADT. Veteran health care has always been the first casualty of budget cuts, so I applaud the American Legion’s National Commander for leading the way and making a preemptive strike.
Added: For the record, and in response to an email I saw passed around today, this is NOT our new logo;
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Veteran Health Care
I think this is a dead issue. We’ve heard all the rumors many times before through the last few administrations.
No politician from either side of the aisle will ever go after Vet Health Care. We are one of the largest voting blocks out there, with elections being as close as they are…they’d be crazy to attack Vet Health Care.
It’s one of those scare tactics, that never happens.
It’s happened before – it seems like scare tactics until it happens. It was just a few months ago that Obama was adamant about making members with service-connected disabilities get health insurance to offset VA’s cost. In fact, he told the VSOs that it was a done deal. This time, though, the AL had a national commander with the cojones to stand up to him and get Congress behind him.
As a voting bloc, we’ve only recently begun to flex our muscles – and a lot of that is due to the new National Commander at the AL.
Jonn your right but I wouldn’t say its mostly due to the new commander of the AL. I have no idea who that is. But I do get my monthly newsletter from both the Retirement Service Officers at the Defense Department plus letters from the DAV daily that inform me of proposed cuts to both the VA and TriCare which makes me react.
I think we can’t disregard the work of other fine VSO’s such as TREA, MOAA, DAV, and the VFW who also get the information out to there members who help twist the arms of the policy makers.
Well, AD, it’s funny you bring that up. Dave Rehbein (Iowa) is the National Commander of the American Legion (the largest VSO in the world). As for the VFW, just this past Sunday, I was in the company of a few dozen VFW members and they told me they wanted to thank the American Legion for taking point and providing leadership for Veterans against the shenanigans of this administration, since the National Commander stood up against the DHS memo and the proposed third party payer crap. They were less than impressed with their national leadership.
I get updates all the time as a Post Service Officer,also, and I talk with CVSO’s (County Veterans Service Officers)and have sat in on legislative sessions that were dealing with Veteran’s issues. It seems the one place they always like to start looking for cuts is the Vets. However, they usually back off when they see a bunch of Vets sitting in the audience.
As for the National Commander of the American Legion; well his tenure is almost concluded (it’s a 1 year term) and I hope that the next Commander will have the fortitude of Dave.
I’m just not a fan of the American Legion…alittle to religious (Christian) affiliated and rightwing for my taste. Veterans and real veterans organizations should never be a politically biased.
I think it’s important to have grassroots reactions like you mentioned, AD, but the National Commander of the AL had the opportunity to stand in the White House toe-to-toe with the president and Rahm Emanuel and nip it in the bud before we needed to take to the streets. While some other organizations were telling their membership why it would be good for us and to just swallow the shit sandwich like good soldiers.
My intent here is to encourage the other VSOs to take a similar stance and get active instead of sending us emails and newsletters that arrive a month after it’s too late. That’s why they all have offices in Washington.
I don’t get the “Christian” thing or the “right wing” thing either. From what I’ve seen they’re just Americans. They had their problems with the Bush Administration, too.
Jonn, again I am in totally agreement.
Your last statement just makes me wonder if you ever read the American Legion Magazine? It’s been pretty clear to me.
That’s why I stick with the DAV and TREA. Neither have a political or religious affilitation.
Oh, we sure did have our problems with Bush, as well. I personally know members that were voting for Kerry and Obama. They are the most A-political bunch out there. It’s all about the Vets for them. They are the only VSO to have a liason office at Walter Reed, because they worked with the military to get things taken care of for our wounded warriors after the red tape fiasco that was so well publicized a few years back. So, now, they work to ensure that no one “falls through the cracks” in the system. They have a very knowledgeable staff that helps the wounded and family to transition, or get the care they need and it works very well. The military is happy, the Veteran is happy, and the American Legion is happy.
“I’m just not a fan of the American Legion…alittle to religious (Christian) affiliated and rightwing for my taste.”
Most Legionaires have the opinion that the Legion would be awesome if it wasn’t for the national level folks, FYI.
Am a member & my Legion buddies come from all political backgrounds… I’m probably the lone Libertarian in the bunch.
FWIW, the reason I haven’t joined the legion (I’m a life member of the DAV) is because of the local post. They have some great folks there, but a good portion of the membership is only there because of the bar. It’s open an awful lot, and that is their right. However, a number of fellows there have a serious drinking problem and no one wants to address that issue. It’s easier for them to call a cab and pay the fare to get them home than to shut them off.
I’d considered another post, but it’s so darned far away, and I really don’t feel like addressing the issue to them of why I don’t want to join my local post.
respects,
AW1 Tim: I have heard you reasons from other people and yes, that is a turn off to some people. We have to look past that and get to what the pluses are for membership, because the stigma of the “bar” is hard to overcome. I encouage you to check out the national website and maybe a few of the state websites and look at what the organization does on all levels, including the local level, for Veterans, their families, and the community. Our Department (state) has been in the forefront of research and treatment for TBI and PTSD with the Brain Science Foundation, here in the state, which is very important work and something close to me. That’s just one quick example, but a big one. With over 2.6 million members, it can’t be all bad.
I haven’t joined the DAV, yet, and I really don’t have a good reason as to why I haven’t. It is something I have considered, in the past, but just haven’t gotten around to it.