VA’s Nicholson downplays troop injuries

February 28, 2007

Given the recent focus on troops wounded in Iraq, it was encouraging to see ABC’s Bob Woodruff explore the burdens on military families on a news special last night. It was discouraging, however, to hear Jim Nicholson, the secretary of the Veterans Administration, downplay the problem.

While the Department of Defense reports that there have been about 23,000 nonfatal battlefield casualties in Iraq, Woodruff reported — through an internal VA document — that more than 200,000 veterans have sought medical care for various ailments.

When Woodruff confronted VA Secretary Jim Nicholson about the disparity in the administration’s figures, Nicholson responded that Americans are probably “surprised to know that 200,000 come to the VA for some kind of medical treatment. That’s probably more than they think.” But Nicholson quickly downplayed the high numbers, claiming a lot of veterans simply “come in for dental problems.”

First, this is incredibly callous. Woodruff was pointing to an important discrepancy. Instead of offering an explanation, Nicholson characterized the problem as unimportant.

Second, Nicholson, who really ought to know better given his position as the VA Secretary, was completely wrong on the facts.

Newsweek reported in its cover story this week that many of the 205,000 Afghanistan and Iraq vets are treated at the VA for multiple medical problems.

1. Bone and muscle injuries (42.7% of troops diagnosed)
2. Mental disorders (35.7%)
3. Digestive diseases (30.7%)
4. Nervous-system disorders (30%)
5. Endocrine/metabolic diseases (17.8%)
6. Respiratory diseases (17.6%)
7. Injury/poisonings (17.4%)
8. Circulatory diseases (14.3%)
9. Skin diseases (14.1%)
10. Infectious/parasitic diseases (10.4%)

You’ll notice that “dental problems” didn’t make the list.

No wonder the Bush administration feels justified cutting healthcare for veterans; the Bush gang clearly doesn’t understand the scope and seriousness of the problem.

Remind me again why these guys are considered supportive of the troops?

“Dental problems”? Active service members get dental care, but retirees and discharged vets do not–unless the Department of the Navy’s been lying to me.

  • The part that didn’t make the final cut for the interview:

    NICHOLSON: “In fact, statistics prove that more GIs come back whole and healthy than injured. Snap! In your face, Woodruff! “

  • the Bush gang clearly doesn’t understand the scope and seriousness of the problem.

    In case you aren’t joking… Why is it that so many Democrats reflexively think that If They Only Knew, They Would Do The Right Thing? The GOP doesn’t care, they don’t want to know (why do you think the Right demonizes expertise and science), and they certainly aren’t going to do anything to help poor people – military or not. Remember: poor people are poor because they are not good enough.

  • Time for another Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference. To hear Jim Nicholson downplay injuries he himself has not had to suffer is a lot like listening to the lines the Black Knight spouts off in the movie. The “they’re just dental problems” line sounds an awful like the “It’s just a flesh wound” line after the Black Knight has an arm and a leg lopped off. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Knight_%28Monty_Python%29) Easy for you to say Jim.

    The Bushies are a form of politics imitating art. The Pythons should rehash their great old gags like the Black Knight and the “Every Sperm is Sacred” routine for a new Broadway musical called “Republicanalot.” It would be a hoot.

  • From Nicholson’s Bio:

    Prior to his nomination, Mr. Nicholson served as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, a position he held since 2001, where he became a well-known advocate in Rome for the elevation of human dignity, giving special emphasis to human trafficking, religious freedom, starvation and bio-tech food, HIVAIDS, and international terrorism. He was knighted by Pope John Paul II in October 2003 for this work representing the U.S. to the Vatican.

    …

    Mr. Nicholson earned a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York, and a law degree from the University of Denver. He practiced law in Denver, specializing in real estate, municipal finance and zoning law. In 1978 he founded Nicholson Enterprises, Inc., a developer of planned residential communities, and in 1987 he bought Renaissance Homes, which became an award-winning builder of quality custom homes.

    In January 1986, Mr. Nicholson was elected committeeman from Colorado for the Republican National Committee (RNC). In 1993 he was elected vice-chairman of the RNC, and in January 1997, he was elected chairman of the RNC, where he served for four years, through the elections of 2000.

    So we have:

    1. A lawyer/developer who becomes state RNC;
    2. is rewarded with an ambassadorship to the vatican;
    3. and is promoted to VA secretary.

    Clearly, the most qualified man to be the main advocate for our veterans.

  • Focality is correct- I am a Veteran and I do not get dental treatment… if the Secretary of the VA doesn’t know that then he’s the latest in the long line of cronies to get a sweet executive position ala”Brownie”. Though some blame must be placed at the feet of the congressional committees, who at least in my mind are charged with filtering out the idiots who have no idea about the services offered by the institution they intend to run, the primary guilt here is the patronage politics of the Bushittes..

  • I got out of the 10th Marines (Artillery) in the 60’s with serious hearing loss and it’s gotten worse. I qualify for VA hearing aids but buy my own ($6,500) because dealing with those people is just too frustrating.

  • “Remind me again why these guys are considered supportive of the troops? ”

    Because Republicans own & control all major media in this country.
    Because propaganda works.
    Because through ignoring stories to small insinuations to huge lies, the message becomes “conventional wisdom.”

    Don’t believe it? How much have you heard about Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, the guy who got indicted two weeks ago for trying to fund new terrorist training camps in Pakistan from the major media? How much would we have heard about him if he were a contributor to the Democratic party?

  • “How much would we have heard about him if he were a contributor to the Democratic party?”

    The WaPo’s John Solomon would have been all over it by now.

  • 1. Bone and muscle injuries (42.7% of troops diagnosed)
    2. Mental disorders (35.7%)
    3. Digestive diseases (30.7%)
    4. Nervous-system disorders (30%)
    5. Endocrine/metabolic diseases (17.8%)
    6. Respiratory diseases (17.6%)
    7. Injury/poisonings (17.4%)
    8. Circulatory diseases (14.3%)
    9. Skin diseases (14.1%)
    10. Infectious/parasitic diseases (10.4%)

    What the Fuck ?? 5 of the 10 are diseases ??

    I added all the percentages, it came to 230.7, which means the average VA patient had 2.3 issues. And since half of the issues are diseases, pretty good odds almost everyone has a disease.

    So I want to know is did they have them before or after they arrived at the VA ?

  • I know a 64-year-old veteran who was never sent overseas and who was discharged with a disability called “anxiety disorder.” The VA hospital in the area in which he lives has been treating him for years for disabilities other than “anxiety disorder”, such as a heart attack, thyroid problems, hernia, arthritis, blocked arteries. He gets his medications (at one point he was taking seven different medications) at a greatly reduced rate. Why aren’t VA treatments limited to service-related injuries?

  • The GOP rewards it’s cronies but what’s really disturbing is they don’t put them anywhere where their skills match their job. Unless you consider not doing their job and just collecting pay and benefits is what they are most skilled at. Total free reign for the greedy for past 6 years and the main feature, the common thread to this administration is total incompetence and corruption. Nicholson’s attitude demonstrates his indifference to the troops. But of course, why should he really be concerned when all he really has to do is just “say” he is like the rest of the administration. “We care about our troops… isn’t that enough?” Yeah…there’s what we say…and then there’s what we do…and we see what you do.

  • Something else from Woodruff’s story that ought to be getting a lot more attention: 1.5 million Americans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Preliminary studies indicate that some 10% of returning vets suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while overseas. You do the math. Many of these closed-head injuries do not immediately manifest themselves, and may not result in a “casualty” recording at the time, which is one reason (but not the only one, for sure) why the VA statistics don’t match up with the DOD ones.
    Granted, TBI diagnoses cover a wide spectrum of injuries, from the graphically disabling, like the vets shown in Woodruff’s special, to far more “minor” and “manageable” conditions such as impaired memory, mood difficulties, etc., but that is still one hell of a lot of injured lives.

    The idea that so many have been injured for a catastrophic and unnessary mistake — if not an outright lie — is infuriating. (And I don’t even want to think aobut the toll on innocent Iraqis).

  • Scottw,

    Those are all diseases or groups of diseases so, if your math is correct, the vets who are coming in are ill. And this is the VA system which serves all vets if they qualify.

    There are still a large number of soldiers from the present wars who are on active duty in rehabilitation (or something) who are not represented by these numbers.

    As to the vet who has total care, he qualifies because he probably has 100% disability and meets the income guidelines. In my father’s day (WWII vets) the care was total no questions asked. Of course, it cost a lot less then.

  • “Why aren’t VA treatments limited to service-related injuries? ”
    -Fallenwoman

    Yeah, and what’s up with that “GI Bill”?? What does going to college have to do with military service? And VA loans? How does a home loan defend our country? And don’t get me started on GI insurance…

    Oh sure, these programs offered enormous opportunities for those brave Americans who had just defeated the Axis that previous veterans never had. And the programs helped lay the groundwork for America’s middle class. And are a smal price to pay to those who defend our nation.

    But wouldn’t that money be better spent on some uselees defense program which exists only to boost earnings for companies with strong ties to the government, thus guaranteeing politicians a nice job when they leave public office?

  • Really depressing program, and the dental care remark was bizarre. Good news that breaks your heart. The good news of Bob Woodruff’s miraculous recovery just underscores the tragedy of all the others who weren’t so lucky or privileged. If the Iraq war had been an honest response to a real threat, these terrible injuries and ruined lives — both American and Iraqi — would be the tragic price of fighting for freedom. But this war was based on lies, and there never was a real threat to our national security. This war was not a cause, it was a crime.

  • But Nicholson quickly downplayed the high numbers, claiming a lot of veterans simply “come in for dental problems.”

    What a lying sack of shit this pissant is. Let me tell you, as someone newly-enrolled in the VA health program, that the only people who can get dental aid are people who had wounds in their mouth in combat, or Purple Heart winners or ex-POWs.

    If somebody got wounded in the mouth, then goddamned straight they need to get help – and the VA needs to give it to them.

    I just want to say that the political administrators of the VA should not be confused with the career employees who work there. I have never had better medical care – those people go out of their way to answer my questions about prostate cancer, they act like they’re glad to see me and to be of service (try getting that at your standard issue American bureacratic death-nightmare masquerading as a hospital).

    But these scum-sucking bastard assholes like this jerkoff – well, what more do you need to know? “How can you tell a Republican is lying?” “Look and see if his lips are moving.”

  • Why aren’t VA treatments limited to service-related injuries? —
    Fallenwoman, @14

    Possibly because some people actually do give a damn about those who laid their lives on the line in the service of their country?

    I can’t really blame you for having a bad case of sour grapes. But the question you should really be asking is this: Why aren’t VA-type treatments (ie life-long, no matter what the cause) available to *all* citizens of this country?

  • Blow off Nicholson’s legs and let him lie in the hallway at Walter Reed waiting for treatment. Don’t empty his catheter bag for a day or two, and let his morphine drip run out and give him a couple Motrin tablets instead. With no water to wash ’em down. And throw in a few comments about how trivial his problem is – what does he need legs for anyway? Perfectly good VA wheelchairs out there.

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