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Editorial: Treat veterans with great respect
Op-Ed · November 05, 2015


If half of what veteran Patrick Reed and wife Deborah told about the disrespectful and frustrating dealings with two Veterans Administration hospitals, we would still be appalled.


The Reeds spoke Oct. 21 to the West Branch Lions Club and members of American Legion Chauncey Butler Post 514 about Patrick’s 25 years of military service, how he rose up the ranks from support duties to active field operations and combat.

Patrick had been blown off a military truck by a rocket in 2008, sustaining serious injuries from shrapnel to his head and chest. While the doctors did great work saving his life, the “support” staff at two Florida VA centers made the aftermath very difficult.

First, Deborah was not informed of her husband’s injuries in Afghanistan until after surgery, and even then the aide who took Deborah’s phone calls did not know how to read the notes and military abbreviations. Further, the aide did not have any more information other than that he was injured, and rudely insisted Deborah not call back for at least eight hours. When she did call back, the aide still had no new information, and kept putting her off, again and again. At one point, Deborah asked point-blank if Patrick was still alive and the aide laughed at her, saying that he just told her Patrick had been “injured.”

It was not until one of Patrick’s army buddies went to the hospital and snapped a “selfie” of the two and sent it to her that Deborah finally knew for certain her husband was alive.

To make matters worse, the VA sent medical bills to Deborah and insisted that she pay them with her personal insurance because the VA did not have proof the injuries occurred in combat. Why did the Reeds need to find a lawyer to wrangle the hospital board into a room for hours of questioning to wear them down until they admitted Reed was injured during military service and deserved full military medical benefits?

We remember the days of when soldiers returned from Vietnam only to be spit upon and insulted by citizens and hoped those days were over. But how can it be that people employed to help care for injured soldiers could become so callous and disrespectful to put the burden of proof on the family, and not have in place a means to verify independently the source of injuries. Where is the paper trail? Why is it that the Iowa City VA treated Patrick Reed so much better?

Just a few weeks ago, the West Branch football team hosted Armed Forces Appreciation Night with a host of flags, the Legion color guard, patriotic songs and skydivers with red-white-and-blue streamers and smoke.

It was a gala affair that saluted the men and women of the military, those currently serving and veterans. In a spirit of sportsmanship and gratitude, organizers even reached out to fans of the opposing team and asked that their military men and women stand up for recognition.

That’s how you treat those who put their lives on the line for our freedom — you go out of your way to help.

Veterans Day is next week. We want to show our gratitude for all those who have sacrificed, in so many ways, to protect our liberties and our lifestyles. We hope that everyone will realize to value of each and every veteran, and treat them accordingly.