John McCain: Townhall 08/07/08

John McCain
Townhall
Lima, OH 08/07/08

TRANSCRIPT:
AUDIENCE MEMBER: My son, having served two terms in Iraq, he [inaudible. We have multiple VA systems but its not very well equipped to handle a lot of things. He has to go to [inaudible], which is fine, but it takes 6 months to get in down there. Then they include papers and tests. What can you do or what will you do to expedite him getting help and other veterans getting help when you have to wait 6 months then another 6 months for the kind of help that he needs.

JOHN MCCAIN: Thank you sir. And I would argue this part of America has probably provided more men and women serving in the military in our wars than any other part of America. [...] We will never allow the scandal of Walter Reed to take place in country, we can never let that happen again. So I carry around with me quite often a quote from General George Washington, President George Washington, in 1789 he said the willingness in which young Americans will serve their country in a time of war is directly related to the treatment of to those who served in previous conflicts and that's true today as it was in 1789. Now here's the problem as I see it. That we have an increase in PTSD, we know that. This is a terrible, tough war. A terribly tough war. And we thank god that we will save more wounded because of the rapidity in which we can transport them from the battlefield to medical treatment and I thank god for that. But we have to focus our military medical care and our VA care, to those who need that care. Now you just pointed that out -- veterans now have to go down to the VA and stand in line to stand in line to get an appointment to get an appointment to get an appointment. I want to give everyone of these veterans a plastic card and you take that plastic card and you go to the doctor or healthcare provider of your choice and you get the treatment you need.

LABEL: JM OH 08-07 (LF#5) KG - ClipI

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• TRACKING
• John
• McCain
• VA
• system
• veterans