For the first time since I got out of the military 34 years ago, I visited the Dallas VA hospital to get some work- ups done.

I've gotta say that with all of the negative press about the facilities, I was impressed by the service and the quality. The building would stand up to any local hospital. Once you get past the long lines, of course.

Anyway, I'd give it a "Thumbs up"

My father lives just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. He retired after 20 years in the Army, and he is alive now only because of the excellent work done by the VA hospital.

Last spring, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor after he woke up one night and was unable to say most of the words that he wanted to. A tumor the size of a golfball had formed behind his left eye, and it was effecting his speech. Anyway, a top neurosurgeon from U of Wisconsin performed the 8-hour surgery with no ill affects whatsoever. Call it a miracle or a job well done, but he wouldn't be alive without the VA hospital.

He also had a minor heart attack around Thanksgiving for which they put in 2 stints. Imagine the medical costs if he were not service-connected and able to use the VA.

amndouglas

Whether the VA hospital is good or not may depend on which State or part of the country it is located in ! They killed me years ago when they told me i only had allergies ! But then Agent Orange does give you an allergic reaction from the Dioxin in it ! I was just told by a VA rep. that the average life expectency for a Viet-Nam vet is 57 years ! I have used the VA hospitals a number of time at the almost loss of my life !JAGG

My father has been very pleased with the care and attitude of the VA hospital in Hot Springs, SD.
Andy

Whether the VA hospital is good or not may depend on which State or part of the country it is located in ! They killed me years ago when they told me i only had allergies ! But then Agent Orange does give you an allergic reaction from the Dioxin in it ! I was just told by a VA rep. that the average life expectency for a Viet-Nam vet is 57 years ! I have used the VA hospitals a number of time at the almost loss of my life !JAGG

Thx for that information. I'm 57 years old!
I sprayed D42T also up and down the canels North of Soc Trang back in 1967.

I've got to think that we are looked at a little different now, and the VA techncians tested me for everything. There's sure been a lot of publicity about it over the years.

When I came back, I had big white spots all over my skin from that stuff, after about a year it went away.

I try to stay optimistic about it all.

Good Luck

I can say that I have no complaints about the VA Hosp in Omaha. They did a god job taking care of my dad and did their best to help him. I'm greatful to them for all they did for him. I have been going there since I got out in 88 and have no complaints on the care I have gotten. I think they have done an outstanding job. They system its self has its problems, but the people I have delt with have all cared and took pride in what they do.

It is not true that their doctors have to kill at least two people to work there.

I have had both good and bad luck with the VA hospitals over the past 15 years. From a horrer story that almost ended my life to the opposite end of keeping me living when I thought it was my time to go.

I presently go to the Spokane WA. VA and have had pretty good luck with them. I spent some time in Pheonix AZ and would go for an 8 am appointment and wait til five thirty to see a doctor, at times I never gid get to see the doctor.

I know that I have seen a lot of changes for the better over the last five years or so.

For a lot of us vets the VA is the only health care we can afford. You flips your coin and takes your chances.

I've had good and bad luck with my nearest VA hospital. I'm still waiting for a operation on my ankle but they say sometime in March. They seem to be barely keeping up now and I wonder what's going to happen when these recent soldiers start coming home for the on-going war. I'm 57 and will make out some way but heaven help all those new injured coming home.

Bill

kingfish

I know over the last year or so they have been doing a lot of updating the Spokane VA in preperation for the added load from the "new wars" I'm 58 and totally disabled now. I hope the sevice there expands to meet the new load.

The problem is the idiots we have in the congress. They have down sized the Va to almost nothing. Many Hospitals and clinics have closed, making the load for other facilities even greater. The did the same thing with our active duty forces, they now rely too much on the gaurd and reserve to carry the load. When will they learn. It is one thing to make a mistake and learn from it.....but congress doesnt learn.

TPV ! Which did you spray Agent Orange , Agent White or Agent Purple ? I have met 40 VMVets in different hospitals 38 have died since 2000 ! Oldest was 63 chopper pilot ! Door gunner where the sprayers were was having the flesh eaten away on his legs ! Keep getting checks ups it is better to find the cancers as soon as they start ! I have 3 ! JAGG

OH by the way G.B.JR is making cuts to the VA to help the economy ! So i guess you will have to go back to carving out your own wooden leg like back in the Civil War ! The good old days are coming back i guess ! You have to be carefull as the Bean counters run the VA ! JAGG

TPV ! Which did you spray Agent Orange , Agent White or Agent Purple ? I have met 40 VMVets in different hospitals 38 have died since 2000 ! Oldest was 63 chopper pilot ! Door gunner where the sprayers were was having the flesh eaten away on his legs ! Keep getting checks ups it is better to find the cancers as soon as they start have 3 ! JAGG

Jagg, This is TPV. I can't seem to get through on my password, so I'm on my son's.

I don't know what color (white or purple) it was. I just know that we came in at the end of the day with the stuff sticking to our skin and clothes like coca-cola residue. After a few months, they would rotate us. No one would spray more than one week at a time.
They must have known something, right?
I get checked often.

By the way, since 1500 WW2 vets die a day by some reports, Because of that,the budget is shrinking for the veterans services. As you'll know, with any government entity, if the money budgeted isn't spent that year, you usually get cut the next year. Its not given to a department in order for that department to show a profit.

Hopefully, services will improve for us guys that are left!