No Country for Honorable Men

I just talked to a man the other day. He was drafted into Vietnam and fought for two years in the U.S. Navy, served another four years in Guam after the war, and was honorably discharged. All he wanted to do was go to culinary school after getting out, but he couldn't because the VA lost his DD 214. (This is a piece of paper you get when discharged, saying whether it was honorable, how long you served, rank, and other info). Without a DD 214, you cannot get VA benefits, and several other items of interest. After fighting for years to get his DD 214, he received it, and enrolled with his local VA to start getting medical evaluations. After going to the VA, he began complaining to his doctor of some pain and other symptoms. For two years that VA doctor ignored him and failed to diagnose a form of cancer that is completely curable. Unfortunately, that curable cancer turned into incurable cancer and he now has only a few months to live. They sent him here to die. For his last few months, he gets to undergo a series of painful treatment to extend life just enough to sit in a filthy room, hear dementia patients screaming, eat food that is worse than what our prisoners get, and watch a few channels on a five-inch screen that is barely audible.

Remember that this was Vietnam, a bloody war and he was hated by his own countrymen, forsaken by the government, and now dies without dignity.

Even if his family wants to fight for justice, they will have a very difficult time suing the VA. You can sue the government for malpractice through the Federal Torts Claims Act, but winning is difficult and payouts are low.

I wish I could at least say this was an exception, but it's not.