Jessica Lynch disability: 80%. John McCain disability: 100% WHY?

[pnwmom]

Why does John McCain receive 100% for injuries than are far less serious than other soldiers who receive less disability?

For example, Jessica Lynch.

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20148680,00.html

SNIP

Seven months after her rescue, Lynch still needs a brace on her crushed left leg, and it will be some time before she shoes her paralyzed left foot in anything remotely chic. She can manage 40 halting steps on her own but still faces months of physical therapy (she hasn't gone for psychotherapy).

SNIP

She woke up in an Iraqi hospital three hours later. Medical records show several compound fractures, including the spine, and a crushed right foot. There is also evidence of sodomy (which her Iraqi doctors deny having seen). Lynch mercifully can't recall the assault, but she included it in the book. "I just wanted to put it out there so people would know what happens in wartime," she says. "Yeah, it hurts me. It hurts Ruben. It hurts my family. But it happened."

For nine days she lay in silent terror, at first not daring to sleep. At one point doctors wheeled her away to amputate her left leg. But they backed down when Lynch shrieked, "Please, no!" and struggled wildly. But there were also moments of compassion, like the night an elderly nurse sang her to sleep with a lullaby. Why the Iraqis spared her remains a mystery. "I don't know if it was because I was tiny or blonde or female," she says. She sustained herself with visions of loved ones. "I always had Ruben or Lori or my parents there, saying, 'Don't give up,' " says Lynch, unaware that Piestewa had been killed. Then, late on April 1, she heard words out of a dream. "Jessica Lynch, we're United States soldiers, and we're here to protect you and take you home." Her now-famous response: "I'm an American soldier too."

SNIP

For all her mental toughness, she still is. Lynch's surgery-scarred body resembles a relief map. She can't fully control her bladder and bowels, a consequence of spinal nerve damage. Doctors have told her she has two years to recover. Beyond that time, it's unlikely she'll improve, but she intends to try. "I didn't give up in the hospital," she says, "and I'm not giving up now."

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. because brain damage plays a big role.

her injuries are simply physical. His are far more extensive.

[Booster]

2. I think you're on to something.

[pnwmom]

5. Supposedly he has none -- none that affected his disability rating,

in any case.

I think it's more likely related to the fact that his father was an Admiral.

[Alcibiades]

15. And he was an officer himself

There's many double standards between officers and enlisted folks.

[Thothmes]

46. Not quiet so

McCains disability was determened by the DOD at his retirement. Lynches disability was determined by the VA system. Two different organizations, two different set of rules.

[greyghost]

38. EXACTLY :)

[ingac70]

3. I think his mental evaluation...

after he returned from Vietnam was as big a factor as his physical injuries.

[magellan]

8. He was mental enough to command a Navy squadron until 1981

McCain spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. After he was released in 1973, he returned home on crutches and began a painful physical rehabilitation. He later regained flight status and commanded a Navy squadron before retiring from the service in 1981.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-pension22apr22,1,6562984.story

[rusty quoin]

4. Wow! 80%. Keep your kids away from this military!

That said, I was in the military 20 plus years ago. It was a good military then. Look what Republicans can do for you.

[pnwmom]

12. McCain has consistently voted against higher benefits for vets

during the Bush administration.

And meanwhile, he's received over $2 million in tax free disability benefits.

[magellan]

35. And that is the point some here refuse to get

It's a real shame. I think this is a big negative for McCain. But an awful lot of people don't appear to see the hypocrisy.

It's not about taking away McCain's or anyone else's military disability benefit. It's not even about whether he's fit to be president.

It's about the fact that he accepts the 100% disability payout even though he came home after Vietnam and was fit enough to command a Navy squadron until 1981, while many soldiers are coming home from Iraq today without a hope of flipping a burger at Mickey D's and aren't getting anywhere near 100% disability from the military...AND to add insult to their devastating injuries, McCain votes against them getting more in return for their service and sacrifice.

It's simple, and anyone who cares about our disabled vets should be outraged by this.

[crickets]

39. Yes. It's about his hypocrisy. It's also about his lack of empathy

when it comes time for him to vote on bills that affect others who have gone through situations similar to his. In today's media climate it might be almost impossible to impart the 'nuance' -almost. Since when do the military teach "I've got mine, screw everyone else" as opposed to "leave no man behind"?

Never.

[lpbk2713]

6. Jessica wasn't an officer and her Daddy and Granpap weren't flag officers.

She is not one of the military aristocracy. :eyes:

[LiberalFighter]

7. McCain gets $58k. How much does Lynch receive?

[rusty quoin]

9. And what does her 80% say about her care? n/t

[melody]

10. McCain is rich and powerful. Lynch is a middle-class kid and her life is therefore worth less

To these monsters.

[tularetom]

11. The real question is do you want a 100% disabled, 72 yr old president?

He may or may not be ripping off the taxpayers, but he attests that he is in fact 100% disabled in order to keep getting that 58k every year. Think about it. This old fart swears that he is not able to hold a job flipping burgers at Mickey D's yet he wants to be the chief executive officer of one of the leading nations of the free world.

[Alcibiades]

16. It is not his opinion that he's 100% disabled

His disability has nothing to do with his ability to flip burgers.

We can beat McCain without having to go there.

[tularetom]

17. By accepting the money he's admitting to a 100% disabllity

I'm not begrudging him the money. I'm just sayin I don't want a 70 something president who admits to being 100% disabled. He ain't up to the job and he knows it.

[Alcibiades]

19. He's absolutely not up to the job

But what disqualifies him is his kooky Republican ideology, not anything to do with his service.

It's a really bad idea to make this an issue. There are enough real issues that McCain is wrong on that we don't have to act like sleazy Republicans.

[tularetom]

22. I'm not saying he's disabled and I'm saying nothing about his service

He's saying he's disabled by accepting a payment for 100% disability. Now he is either defrauding the taxpayers by accepting the payments under false pretenses or he is 100% disabled. That's about as disabled as you can get. Do you want a president who says he is as disabled as it is possible to be? I don't.

[cynatnite]

24. A lot of vets are 100% disabled and accepting the money for it...

There is nothing wrong with that...at all. Some are able to hold down full time jobs because their disability doesn't preclude them from it. It doesn't mean they are defrauding anyone. This is what Vets are given for their service.

[tularetom]

25. And God bless 'em for it. They're entitled to every dollar.

But they aren't claiming to be up to the job of president of the US of A while accepting funds for a 100% disability. As far as I'm concerned McCain is entitled to the money. But the fact is he is disabled.

[cynatnite]

26. FDR was disabled and had no problem being president...

McCain was tortured and that's why he gets that money. Whether he's president or not he gets it and that's the bottom line. Period. His disability doesn't make him unqualified for the job. His wanting to continue the bush policies make him unacceptable.

So, I'm not understanding why this is a problem for you.

[tularetom]

27. He can have the f*#king money. I don't give a rats ass

And I feel bad for him if he was tortured. But he's 72 years old and he is 100% disabled. He shouldn't be president. That's why it's a problem for me.

But you are correct as far as his advocacy of the bush policies also making him unacceptable.

BTW, McCain ain't FDR.

[pnwmom]

31. Disability payments aren't for being tortured, other than the actual physical

or mental damage that was caused.

He has an injured shoulder, but supposedly no residual mental effects. So why the 100% disability?

[cynatnite]

34. The only way to know is by looking at his medical records and the reccomendations...

of the medical board. When I was a medic in the Army we readied a portion of the records for the medical board. It's a complex process and a lot of criteria are factored in before decisions are made. I imagine there are a lot of details we don't know.

[pnwmom]

30. Why should he get 100% for his disability and Jessica Lynch only 80% for

far worse injuries?

100% is supposed to mean that you can't do any meaningful work. Why has he been given that rating, when someone like Jessica Lynch, who lost bowel and bladder control and has two crushed legs, only got 80%?

[Alcibiades]

56. Jessica Lynch should get 100%

Of course. 100% disability does not, however, mean that he's unable to do any meaningful work. It means he qualifies according to the DoD.

It would be better if this campaign were about the issues, not the intricacies of military disability payments. We win on the issues. If we make this about whether McCain deserves his disability payments, or whether any given vet deserves them, we lose.

[pnwmom]

29. Why is it a bad idea to use this as an issue when he has been voting against

increasing Veterans benefits for veterans who are significantly more disabled than he is?

[treestar]

47. You have a lot of faith in the voters

More than I have. I think this kind of thing will make them angry at McSame. All we have to say is that he is 100% disabled and get a hold of the government document where he attests to it.

It is relevant. How can you be President when you are 100% disabled? And he gets 58K? Even if legal, it will stir the resentment of every American who earns less than that at a job.

[pnwmom]

28. Why does he accept the payment then?

And 100% disability is supposed to mean that you aren't capable of meaningful employment. How can someone who is 100% disabled be fit enough to be President? Why shouldn't we go there?

[treestar]

50. Supposedly it's the opinion of the experts

The government requires people to prove their disability and doesn't just take their word for it.

[cynatnite]

20. If I remember my history, we had a disabled president before...

The disability doesn't make McCain ineligible for being president. It shouldn't for anyone. McCain's policies is why he'd be a bad president. Not this.

[pnwmom]

32. His policy is to vote against increasing benefits for veterans.

While he has been fine with receiving 100% disability for an injury that wouldn't warrant 100% for any soldier in Iraq today.

Unless, perhaps, that soldier had a father who was an Admiral or a General.

[Trekologer]

48. Its all about the framing

Its a much better message to say something along the lines of "John McCain served this country in Vietnam and we thank him for it. But while he has received the benefit of disability payouts for the injuries he suffered, he opposed extending the same level of benefits to our men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan".

This is a much more effective statement because it removes the ability for someone to retort and attack the message as being against military service.

[EFerrari]

13. "Why the Iraqis spared her remains a mystery."

No propaganda here. The Iraqis likely saved her life.

[tuckessee]

14. Who's Jessica's daddy?

A nobody.

Put some scrambled eggs on his hat and well, things will get done.

[cynatnite]

18. The process for determining it is long and complicated...

It took my uncle two years to get 40%. It changed three times befor they settled on a final figure. There is such a wide variety of factors that determine disability from the military that there is no way to compare two completely different cases such as these.

[pnwmom]

33. Isn't it obvious that Lynch's injuries are more serious than his?

How can his be 100% and hers less than that?

Unless he has mental injuries that they're not acknowledging.

[cynatnite]

36. It's not obvious because we don't know the details of his injuries...

or how they came to their decision.

This really shouldn't be an issue we should concern ourselves with. By passing judgment on this we're questioning the disability of all vets. This is not a good thing for us. It's too reminiscent of what was done to Kerry. I still carry a lot of hard feelings about that.

[pnwmom]

37. No, I'm passing judgment on McCain, who has been voting against

increasing benefits for veterans, while being willing to accept 100% disability for injuries that clearly do not limit his working potential. He is NOT 100% disabled.

[MattSh]

45. Well then, release the freakin' details...

and if he doesn't want to release the freakin' details, then he's hiding something.

And if he's hiding something, then let everyone here speculate. I've got no problem with that.

Case closed.

[sammytko]

54. It is a complicated process

I am retired Air Force and 60% VA disabled. You can't tell by looking at me. And even though I completed two deployments, my conditions are not war related (shot etc), but conditions I was treated for when I was active duty. Anything the military doctors treat you for, can be later put in for consideration as a disability. For example one of mine is Hypothroidism.

My husband is a Vietnam vet and 100% disabled due to PTSD. He has a bunch of other stuff, but you can't be more than 100% - lol! He is still "allowed" to work. Right now both of us are in college working on education degrees.

VA rehab is paying for that also.

You can't work if you are rated disabled and unemployable. They give that rating to people who are 70 - 90%, but quite can't get that 100% through their conditions, but the VA rates them as unable to work to give them 100% - and a higher payment.

There is a big jump in pay from 90- 100% - almost a thousand dollars.

It is a complicated system, but nothing a good service rep member cannot help with.

Please anyone who has a family member in the military, make sure they work with a service rep person before they put in any claims. These guys work for the DAV, Purple Heart veterans, VFW. They know the rules. It is hard to process a claim on your ow.

[JCMach1]

21. There was/is a classism that exists in the military- Officers and flyboys to the front

everyone else to the back of the line.

I strongly suspect there are elements of that in this difference.

[pansypoo53219]

23. lynch was injured during georgee

midass. therefore, she got pooped on.

[Jim Sagle]

40. Because he's a Republican.

[crickets]

41. There's a better way. Don't even try to attack his 100% disability benefits.

That dog won't hunt. He was a POW. It's useless to argue about his conduct as such or who his daddy was, or that he's getting money for injuries incurred while captured, money he doesn't need when he's obviously able to work and take care of himself financially. To attack him on his service or directly attack his benefits is a BAD IDEA.

Focus on his VOTE that DENIES others the care and payout he has gotten. Show that he's denied his brothers and sisters in arms. Do it loudly, without talking about his service but his lack of empathy for others in the military who have served since his time. Because his service is well known, the rest will follow. His hypocrisy will be evident. Let him hang himself on his own petard.

[Emit]

42. I think you are confusing McCain's 100% tax-free pension with Lynch's 80% disability rating

It's complicated, but, a disabled Vet's military rating (under Title 38 Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities) is different than the pension received. IOW, McCain may not actually have a 100% disability rating -- he may have less than that, but he receives a 100% tax-free pension.


Also:

Differences Between Military Disability Ratings and VA Disability Ratings

While both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) use the Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities, not all the general policy provisions set forth in the Rating Schedule apply to the military. Consequently, disability ratings may vary between the two. The military rates only conditions determined to be physically unfitting, compensating for loss of a military career. The VA may rate any service-connected impairment, thus compensating for loss of civilian employability. Another difference is the term of the rating. The military's ratings are permanent upon final disposition. VA ratings may fluctuate with time, depending upon the progress of the condition. Further, the military's disability compensation is affected by years of service and basic pay; while VA compensation is a flat amount based upon the percentage rating received.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/a/medseparation_2.htm


I also think his POW status may have come into play with the pension thing.

[pnwmom]

43. Thank you, Emit, for the clarification. n/t

[Emit]

44. No problem, pnwmom

I'm not even sure I'm fully correct, or if I explained it well enough, but that is how I interpret his situation, having worked with many disabled vets -- And, for the record, I think it's shameful what Vets have to go through to get services, to finalize service-connected disabilities, to get Voc Rehab services, etc., etc. I don't currently do VA work any more, but I did after the first Gulf War and it was frustrating what some of these kids were going through. I even worked with an older gentleman who was still fighting to increase his service-connected disability rating for agent orange exposure during Vietnam.

[pnwmom]

52. I've read about many such nightmarish stories,

so it galls me that McCain seems so unwilling to make things easier for our Vets.

He's not the only hero.

[Thothmes]

51. Finally, someone that understands how the

system is wired. McCain would receive $58,000 a year based on be a Captain (O6) with 27 years of service. The 100% disbility rating from DOD, makes that $58,000 tax free.

[sammytko]

59. NO, only the amount of disability is tax free

When you receive military retired pay and disablity pay, your military pay is offset by the amount of your disabilty pay. You get 2 checks, but both add up to the retired pay.

The only benefit is that the retired pay is now lowered by the amount of disability pay and that disabilty pay is not taxed.

For example:

I get 2000 a month in retired pay. My disabilty pay is 1000.00 - total should be 3000.00 - wrong.

I would get 2 checks - disabilty full 1000.00 - retired - 1000.00 minus the taxes on the 1000.00.

But, there is a new law that is slowly removing the offset. If you served more than 20 years and are at least 50% disabled, by the year 2012, all pay will be restored. I would then get the full 3K.

[Thothmes]

60. His disability is 100 %.

The entire amount is tax free.

[Freddie Stubbs]

49. Probably because physicians determined those levels

[Kingofalldems]

55. Wow! That reads just like this post:

http://democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2528288&mesg_id=2545087

You are so consistent!!111!!!

[tuggle]

53. how can you have a job and get 100% disability?

Is this true? I do not understand...

[Emit]

57. I posted about this last night

I have read he receives a 100% tax-free military pension -- I don't think that's his disability rating -- it might be, but as I understand it, it's not. It only applies to his pension. He could receive a 100% tax-free pension on a rating that is less than 80%, for example.

More here at post #42:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3409307&mesg_id=3409845

[Kingofalldems]

58. Might be an officer vs enlisted person decision

Usually officers come out better from what I saw.