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Chicago VVAW: Jamming The V.A.

By VVAW

"What's it to you?" demanded the V.A. counselor. A Chicago VVAW member replied, "We're here with this vet to make sure he gets his benefits and to help him cut through the red tape that's keeping his check out of his hands!"

VVAW was at the Chicago Regional V.A. Office, handing out leaflets on Agent Orange, when one vet ran his rap on the V.A. runaround he was getting with his checks, and how he was tired of the constant screwing.

He'd been in the Army in 'Nam and come back less one kneecap. In the time since his discharge, he'd been in the situation of getting a job, work towards a better paying position, but just before-paying position, but just before moving up, ending up in the hospital for another operation. After tow years of the work-hospital-find a new job routine, all he had to show for his efforts was a plastic kneecap and unpaid bills. Finally he started back to school to get some education and to use the GI Bill so he could scrape by. He was getting an education, all right, but most of it was on the inefficient VA system that doesn't give a damn about the vets its supposed to be serving.

The V.A.'s multi-million dollar computer consistently refused to spit out his checks; after three months of waiting, it was time to act. The landlord was on his back for the rent, the electricity in his apartment was turned off, and he needed something to keep his wife and four kids fed. Countless phone calls to the V.A. resulted in empty promises and meaningless waiting. Finally, he cut classes for a day (and we all know the V.A.'s feelings on attendance) to pay the V.A. a visit and straighten things out.

After four hours of waiting, the V.A. still owed him over $1000, and all he had accomplished was to get a good jacking around from the red tape menace and Mr. Hearn, the V.A.'s supervisor of counselors. His records showed one emergency check mailed, but since it never arrived, it was "probably lost in the mail. Hearn didn't give a damn about anything except the required paperwork to b e filled out and tossed into the V.A. shuffle system.

The vet just wanted his check and was determined to get it that day; he asked for our help. So, we went along with him to check out the big holdup. Hearn was no help; he had already sent the paperwork on for approval, and that's damn well all he planned to do. So, we went to the official who had to approved it—the office of the Regional Director!

Even though we were unexpected, and certainly uninvited, the secretary asked us to wait for the Regional Director to finish a short meeting. We sat in the plush office which looked just like what it was—the office of a corporate executive, with plastic plants and all.

The Regional Director finally got out of his meeting to talk with us, said there shouldn't be any problems with the check, and that the vet could expect it in the next day or two. We explained that he needed it today, so finally the Regional Director grudgingly sent his secretary prancing off to hunt down the check request. The next two hours were a real circus. When the secretary wasn't sitting at his desk twitching and fidgeting, he was off running to various offices channeling the check. Security, not exactly sure what was going on, hung around to protect everyone from the group of crazy vets.

Finally, after the Regional Director had already gone home, the check appeared. Old Buddy Hearn was no longer stonefaced. Instead he bubbled with excitement and smiles, glad to have been of help to the vet. With the check Hearn also gave some free advice. He explained how the vet would have gotten the check today, and that the only reason VVAW helped was to get their hands on the check. He went on to blabber how VVAW was just a bunch of trouble-makers no one really needed and that the V.A. certainly didn't want them hanging around their building. Proud of the V.A. timely service (under much pressure), Hearn also asked the vet to sign a statement saying that VVAW had solicited him in the lobby. Hearn's smooth tongue and slick speech didn't get over as the vet walked away, check in hand, to run down Hearn's proposition to VVAW.

Well, we've got a message for the V.A. and other loyal system men—the same one we gave to Hearn. VVAW wants to put our hands on something, but not vets' checks—rather, right around the throat of the system that uses us once and then throws us away. We sure aren't afraid to shakedown the system and jam the V.A. every step of the say to fight for decent benefits for vets. Going through the V.A.'s system produces long waits and few results, exposing their don't give-a-damn attitude toward veterans. As long as the rich and their faithful servants, the bureaucrats, keep cutting our benefits, VVAW will be there to fight.