Dear Breitbart; the VA is not DoD
Yeah, I get his point, but Breitbart author, Thomas Rose tries to draw a comparison between the Veterans’ Affairs Department allowing deserving veterans to languish on long lists awaiting care while Bradley Breanna Chelsea Manning jumps to the front of the line for his sexual reassignment treatment. First of all, I don’t believe that even Chuck Hagel would have anything to do with the Manning issue. All I’ve seen on the subject is partisan blogs and news agencies looking for red meat, so I have my doubts. But, you know, if I was going to write about military issues, first I’d know the difference between the Department of Defense and the VA and the function each has in health care.
Since Manning still falls under the Department of Defense, he’s not jumping the line at the Veterans’ Affairs clusterf***, so it’s really an unfair comparison. the VA has nothing to do with Manning, since he doesn’t even qualify for any VA benefits to veterans. There is enough wrong at the VA that we don’t have to make shit up. Things like this give us less credibility in the whole discussion, so just stop trying to grab headlines with sensationalized bullshit.
If you need advice, my inbox is always open for your questions relating to military healthcare.
Thanks to John for the link.
Category: Media, Military issues
This is to common a thing with journalists. I take everything with a grain of salt.
Journalists get their ideas about the military from watching movies…
…and the VA wasn’t mentioned in the latest Transformers sequel.
Yet again, civilians, especially reporters, who can’t seem to do a little research. This lack of research is just how a lot of phonies get exposed though, so…keep fucking up out there guys.
I do believe they either did not research at all, or they are intentionally tying the two stories together in order to create even more controversy.
I have noticed a distinct willingness to play fast and loose with the facts on all ends of the political spectrum.
No need to when the actual facts of the separate cases alone are as shocking as they are.
I said as much in their comment section (twice). Amazingly, only a few readers (and no Bretbart editors) seemed to notice.
This lack of precision is showing up far too frequently on sites that claim a high standard of journalistic practice. Breitbart is not immune.
I’ve caught them several times on “Big Peace” using random foreign military images on articles regarding our military. They quickly edited the images in question out but they still don’t source any of their images use still.
I’m sure you were called everything under the Moon for pointing out facts too in the comments section. That place is toxic.
Yep. A distinction, and a serious one at that. However, the funding for both still comes out of our pockets, so for many/most/at least some taxpayers, that distinction doesn’t really matter. It’s all our money, just being shuffled around by a bunch of self-serving bureaucrats who each take a healthy cut from our pie.
True enough, but the underlying issue is media integrity. If Breitbart can’t be bothered to get the facts right, or worse yet, intentionally conflates an issue for ideological purposes, then they’re no better than Talking Points Memo. That is a first, big step towards an erosion of relevance.
Agreed.
ugh, Breitbart.com
That domain is a mess.
They are beyond amateur and sadly too many people take them seriously. I’ve corrected several of their articles previously regarding ghost authors, non sourced images, and just misleading information in their comments sections.
Routinely they’ll throw up random images that are completely irrelevant to the article and not source it. They basically are a click bait web journalism domain and the echo chamber of morons found in the comments section usually eat it up without a second thought.
I fail to understand the justification for giving that shabby slacker Manning a sex-change operation when a convicted murderer on death row in a federal prison, now living as a woman, has been denied the same thing.
Since tax money pays for either prisoner’s request, if fulfilled, why give it to one of them and not the other? Why not, instead, deny it to both of them?
I frankly do not give a flying fart in space if Manning is desperately unhappy with his penis situation, but if he is to have his spoiled brat way, then why shouldn’t the other one have it, as well?
And ignore the fact that the federal prisoner is on death row. He wants to die as a woman. He can be buried in a dress. Who gives a crap? No one will know.
But why should Manning get it and this one does not?
Look, I have no issue with Bradley/Chelsea/Breanna/Princess Sparklebunny getting surgery. He can wait until he’s served out his sentence and get it done with his money or through donations.
Heck, after 30+ years in Leavenworth might help him realize that he’s actually male.
After 30+ years in prison, he’ll be more bitch than he is now.
Even if his comparison is inaccurate (DoD vs. VA), I get the point he is trying to make. Veterans are dying while waiting for appointments; meanwhile, Manning is possibly getting transferred so that he can have the care he needs as soon as possible.
Minor correction, Anonymous in Jax. To be accurate, that should read “the care he wants” vice “the care he needs”.
Gender reassignment therapy is virtually never actually “medically necessary”. It’s generally considered an elective procedure, as one can live a long and healthy life without it.
I think that is the problem I am having with this as well Hondo. There are apparently legitimate medical reasons for the procedure but these reasons take some time to sort out.
This surgery is on the public dime.
I have a huge problem with Hagel stepping in and putting Manning to the front of the list for surgery – including sending him to a private hospital – without the extensive evaluations that others have to go through.
It is as if we are rewarding a traitor for being a traitor.
Also, it should be noted that as far as I can determine the White House was silent on this past Saturday being Armed Forces Day in the US, but released a statement noting that this month was “Transgendered Month.”
I understand the difference between the DOD and the VA, but at the same time, I can see a direct parallel between the treatment of vets who served honorably and whose medical services are denied or delayed and a vet who is a convicted traitor now in prison getting medical treatment by being put at the top of the list by the Secretary of Defense and vet himself.
There may not be a direct comparison to the Departments, but there is a direct comparison to the attitude toward honorable vets by this administration and those within it.
Sorry for the vent – it wasn’t directed at you.