Changing Promises to Vets

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Jim Strickland is a nationally known advocate for veterans and a member of the Stateside Legal Advisory Board. This column appears with his permission. Jim's opinions are his own.

NOTE: Letters in my Q&A columns are reprinted just as they come to me. Spelling and grammar are left as is and only small corrections are made to improve readability, ensure anonymity or delete expletives that may offend some readers. This is not legal advice. You should always seek the advice of an attorney who is qualified in Veterans' law before you make any decisions about your own benefits.

Jim,

Have written you before and thank you for all your help to all of us. My question this time is wasn't VA Health care promised to all of us when we went in the service during the 60's and 70's? I have sent you a copy of a list that listed time periods we had to receive certain services once we got out of the military. This list was laminated to the back of my DD214, both being in miniature size. Do you know of anything in writing being on the books of the VA back then stating health care for life? Or am I reading to much into all the benifits listed. I was separated from Ft. Lewis, WA in 1970 and this item along with copies of regular sized DD241's were mailed to me. Waiting to get your thoughts.

Reply:

Many laws change over time. The fact is that the card you copied and sent to me doesn't say that you'll have a benefit forever. It lists a few time limits and most of those are changed. It's a long way from being a contract with the federal government.

Until 2003 all honorably discharged veterans were eligible for free VA health care. The Bush administration changed the rules and cut out hundreds of thousands of vets.

You stimulated my interest on the topic so on the VAWatchdog dot Org site I published a full page about "Promises Broken". http://www.vawatchdog.org/Promises.html If you'll take the time to read that it may provide you with answers.