Veterans For Peace Statement by George McAnanama at Oct. 16 NYC Hearing on VA Hospital Closing
My name is George McAnanama and I am here on behalf of Veterans for Peace, New York City Chapter. We wish to add our voice to the growing number of veterans disrespected by the current federal Bush administration policies with regard to the Cares Commission, proposed realignment of the VA health care system.
The troubling rush to war with few facts in evidence to support this Iraq war, which is creating more dead and wounded service men and women every day. I am a Viet Nam Era veteran US Army 1966-1968 and my father served during WW II in the US Army for 5 years 1941-1946. My dad used the VA system extensively both at the First Avenue VA Hospital and the Brooklyn, VA Hospital due to insufficient health care coverage from his employer. I had surgery at the First Avenue hospital myself in the spring of 1973, while unemployed.
This is a system in need of reform no doubt but the reform should be in the nature of more doctors and health care services, so it doesn't take 6 months or longer to get an appointment. When David Cline our national president spoke so eloquently at a recent council hearing about learning that a referral to a podiatrist supposedly on another floor at the First Ave. VA hospital was actually now relocated to the Brooklyn VA Hospital. My question was why shouldn't both facilities have podiatry clinics at a minimum. That sounds reasonable to me. Why should Dave and other vets have to travel to Brooklyn ? Especially, when they are already in a VA facility right here in Manhattan .
I am likewise perplexed by the current debate over whether we should spend $87 billion in Iraq . Most of the funding going to military occupation and attached to limited or no bid contractors politically connected to the current administration. I am appalled at this gold rush, which doesn’t address the true needs of the Iraqi people and spits in the face of the troops and veterans. I think this behavior is down right unpatriotic!
I think we need an exit strategy, which includes bringing home our troops, and pays reparations to the long suffering Iraqi people. There are no facts in evidence supporting the claims of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, nor any links to Al Qaeda or any Iraqi in involvement in the horrific events of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center or the Pentagon.
-I support the Council Resolution 1027 calling on the US Dept. Veteran Affairs not to eliminate or reduce various vital services at the NYC Campus of VA NY Harbor Healthcare System.
-I also support Council Resolution 1067 calling upon the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to maintain current levels of inpatient and outpatient medical care at the Manhattan Veterans Affairs Medical Center .
n closing, thank you to the council committees, to Speaker Miller and Public Advocate Gotbaum and all the other elected officials for their support for this opportunity to speak out on so vital an issue to our city and its large veteran community.