## LA Times finally reporting: Injured veterans getting screwed! ##

[ColbertWatcher]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but I'm going to post it again.

Injured veterans engaged in new combat
In a little-noticed regulation change, the Pentagon's definition of combat-related disabilities is narrowed, costing some wounded veterans thousands of dollars in lost benefits.
By David Zucchino
5:56 PM PST, November 24, 2008

The Pentagon said the change was consistent with Congress' intent when it passed a "wounded warrior" law in January. Narrowing the combat-related definition was necessary to preserve the "special distinction for those who incur disabilities while participating in the risk of combat, in contrast with those injured otherwise," William J. Carr, deputy undersecretary of Defense, wrote in a letter to the 1.3-million-member Disabled American Veterans.

The group, which has called the policy revision a "shocking level of disrespect for those who stood in harm's way," is lobbying to have the change rescinded.

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the armed services committee, said the Pentagon's "more conservative definition" limited benefits for some veterans. "That was not our intent," Levin said in a statement.

He added: "When the disability is the same, the impact on the service member should be the same no matter whether the disability was incurred while training for combat at Ft. Hood or participating in actual combat in Iraq or Afghanistan."

Yet another example of the GOP twisting the letter of the law to make more money off other people's misery.

January 20, 2009 can't come fast enough.

[ColbertWatcher]

1. Kick. n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

2. Kick #2. n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

4. Kick #3. n/t

[lonestarnot]

3. K & R!

[SpiralHawk]

5. Why do republicons HATE our honorable veterans?

The chickenhawk republicon 'leaders' and paid media propagandists parade around with their 'made in china' lapel flag pins, and like a pack of Pharisees they loudly proclaims their 'patriotism' then they go ahead and lie us into a phony war in Iraq, badly equip our troops, then treat them like shit -- absolute shit -- when they come back stateside and retire from the armed forces.

Why? I think its because virtually all the republicon 'leaders' are chickenhawks, and the same of their leading corporate media propagandists. They are ashamed of themselves, and project their well-deserved shame onto men and women who have, in fact, served with honor.

Ptoooooey on the vast cabal of republicon chickenhawks.

[ColbertWatcher]

7. The GOP-controlled media have covered up all their crimes.

I'm hoping they tell everything they know--even if it is after Dumbya is out of office--like they did after McCain lost.

I would prefer they had more integrity, but they've shown themselves to be very cowardly.

[SpiralHawk]

9. agreed

the corporate media is complicit, and has failed America tragically.

[katty]

6. Jan 20 is ages away--disgusting

[ColbertWatcher]

8. Yes. Now, I'm wondering how many more lives have been ruined during the interregnum? n/t