Candidate: Government not helping war veterans

Southeast Missourian

Congress needs to provide more funding to the Veterans Administration to improve medical services for veterans returning from the Iraq war, Democratic congressional candidate Veronica Hambacker said Wednesday in Cape Girardeau.

Hambacker and ex-Marine Cloy Richards of Salem, Mo., said veterans who were injured in the war are returning home to find that they can't get timely medical care at VA hospitals.

Richards is the son of Tina Richards of Salem, who is Hambacker's campaign manager. Hambacker, who also is from Salem, is challenging Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson in the 8th District race in Southeast Missouri.

Reached later by telephone, Emerson said her staff was working to address Richards' situation. But she suggested the problem shouldn't be one of money. "In the last four years we have increased veterans' health-care funding by 35 percent," she said.

Still, Emerson said veterans like Richards shouldn't have to ask for help from their federal lawmakers to obtain timely medical care.

Richards was twice deployed to Iraq. A rocket explosion in Fallujah gave him a concussion. He also hurt his left knee while helping to place a howitzer.

Richards said he asked to meet personally with Emerson, but the request was denied.

Emerson said she doesn't normally get involved in individual constituent matters and relies on her staff to handle such issues. She said she hasn't heard similar concerns from other veterans in Southeast Missouri.

But Richards said he has heard from other Iraq war veterans who have faced similar delays in getting medical treatment at VA hospitals.