U.S. must honor its commitments to all veterans

To the editor:

In response to your Aug. 15 editorial, "Missouri, feds differ on signing up veterans," I want to thank you for recognizing that there is a problem with the system. But it is inconceivable to believe the federal government's answer is to "slow recruitment of veterans into the department's already overwhelmed health-care system." The federal government should not stop recruiting veterans for the VA health-care system. It should start recruiting doctors and nurses to fill the need.

The federal government should honor what it promised. If we have enough money to send our citizens out to protect our nation, then we ought to have the money to take care of them when they come home.

Last fall, my office and the Veterans Commission put together a task force to locate Missouri veterans who aren't receiving their benefits. There are 39,000 Missouri veterans eligible for benefits who are not accessing them. The major reason is a lack of awareness. I believe the hours invested by my office and the Veterans Commission are not wasted toward this goal.

It is up to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to take action and give priority to those "thousands who are waiting months for clinic appointments." If this program brings to light the abysmal services offered to our entire veteran population, then let the debate in the pages of this newspaper be the first step in correcting the problem.

JOE MAXWELL

Lieutenant Governor

Jefferson City, Mo.