Sunday, May 29, 2011

Aging and returning vets putting a strain on VA benefits system

Aging and returning vets putting a strain on VA benefits system

Philip Hamme, president of White Rose Chapter 1032 of Vietnam Veterans of America , said Vietnam vets like himself were frequently shunned when they came home. Some went untreated for PTSD, which manifested itself in broken families, substance abuse and difficulty holding down jobs.

In the late 1970s, Hamme said, there came a kind of nationwide acknowledgement that the veterans were treated unfairly.

"There were two stereotypes," Hamme said. "The crazy veteran or the pathetic victim."


Image courtesy Jennifer 'Emery' Bakken

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