PROMISES MADE, PROMISES BROKEN

From the Oval Office, to the VA, to Darby in Waco,
Federal veterans' healthcare policies are a 'no go'!
America's Veterans earned and deserve.
Now the Department of Defense has such hypocritical nerve!
Promised healthcare for 26 million veterans plus
Is a painful, embarrassing bust!
Concurrent receipt
Is nothing more than bureaucratic deceit!
From Veterans' retirement pay,
Dollars for disability pay are taken away!
On this Congress does bluster,
But no votes to change does it muster!
Promised lifetime medical care
Went to space available; then that too vanished into thin air.
Now the VA pays a de facto bonus,
As only 4% processed claims is their "huge" onus.
The 'Court of Veterans Appeals' in 12 years and 170,000 claims,
Only 130 veterans received favorable settlement in VA 'games'!
Whether with the President, Congress, or even a court,
America's veterans always come up short!

©Copyright 2003 by Mark H. Wilson

Author’s Note: For Jack Hollinsworth, CPO, USN, (Ret), Thomas Segel, MGYSGT, USMC, (Ret), and countless other deserving but neglected American Veterans.