Hi Catherine Linda Michel,
I am new here and your post caught my eye as I too am a Vet, retired from the AF about 4 years ago and have had many frustrating dealings with the VA as well. I though am so fortunate to have the VA Center only a few blocks from my house. But, oh my I know the frustration with their ways, the strange rules and long waits, the being shuffled from on floor and building to the next. They always use the excuse that they are undermanned and overwhelmed. But, much of the problems me and even my son who is a vet has noticed is that like everywhere lately is people just dont do their jobs very well.

I have noticed a very blase' attitude by many in the work place, so few really seem to want to be professional and courteous or even caring in what they do. I see few taking pride in what they do, or try to do efficiently in their jobs, its like many seem to be in the mindset "This is just what I am forced to do right now, I don't care and I don't want to care, I have better things to do, why aren't I the star of my own reality show?" I think it is a sad reflection in our current state of image in our society, it has disastrous potential for the future of this Great Nation and its peoples, and I am very disturbed by it. It displays a selfishness and loneliness that does not bode well for future generations if it is not corrected.

One can blame all sorts of things for it but, we know the fault is really everyone's. All of us who just take it without speaking out against it, calling a boss or manager and reporting it, or mentioning our displeasure to those that can do something about it, the squeaky wheel gets the grease after all. Nothing else gets fixed and the machine breaks down. The service industry is rampant with ill trained, uncaring people now, sadly most of them under 35 it seems.

Every time I deal with the VA or another govt. agency I laugh and comment to someone usually my wife or sons, and they think they can handle a National health care system with 380 million people!!! HA!! That is just a cluster f@$%# and huge whole of bureaucracy for people to steal tax dollars and that is all it will be. Look at the UK for example, their health care system is the single largest single employer in the WORLD! They spend more money on bureaucrats and paper pushers than anything else to keep it going and it is bankrupting them, and they have only 60 million people!! I have looked at the figures its shocking, and yet the politicians etc never talk about any of that, which shows their ignorance or crookedness. I dont want to turn this political but that is what it all boils down to, that and money and there is never enough.

Anyway, I am happy to hear they got your eye sight to a place where you are feeling better and happy, your very lucky in that! So thank God, or the VA or whatever! Losing ones sight would be a horrible, scary thing, I know my uncle went through double cataract surgery a few months back and he is much better now, he still cant drive at night but he said at least now he can see the football now on his big screen TV so he is happy with that. I am sure as your sight gets better and heals more you too will see much more and can forget the awful experiences and find something to laugh about dealing with the VA, until the next time that is, lol. Of that I feel your pain, too many deployments to the desert and many years asking my body to do things it was never built to do have taken a very painful toll on me, too have those 21 years back and do it differently. Oh well.

Peace and happiness, enjoy your clearer vision, go look at something pretty!! You deserve it!!

Hugs,

Nikki Thong

"Be loving, forgiving, open, happy, sharing, thoughtful, musical, cry a little everyday, but for goodness sakes be honest with yourself!"
"Satin makes me sooooo happy! Giggles!"