Wounded Marine feels cuts (Paraplegic - Pay cut in half)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=7364

When Marine Lance Cpl. James Crosby was struck by enemy fire in Iraq last winter, his war duty came to an end, and so did the income that his family depended on.

Crosby sustained severe leg injuries from a piece of shrapnel that left him paralyzed from the waist down. After the March 18 incident, the Winthrop native who now lives with his wife in Saugus, underwent 14 surgeries.

He is continuing his physical recovery today, but now faces the equally daunting burden of a financial hardship, after his military pay was cut from $2,500 to $1,300 a month.

U.S. Rep Ed Markey (D-Malden) was joined by the Purple Heart honoree on Monday morning at a press conference at Avalon at Stevens Pond in Saugus. They were in Saugus to support a bill Markey is co-sponsoring that would ensure troops wounded in combat continue to receive full pay and benefits while they recuperate from their injuries.

[Pepperbelly]

1. this.is.so.f*cked.up.I.don't.know.what.to.say...nt

[progressivebydesign]

2. And Bush and the GOP controlled Congress supports the troops??

I can't believe ANY veteran who would vote for those crooks. That poor man's story is not unique. The Reservists who are injured are even worse off.. Bush is screwing over the military.

I feel awful when I read of the troops earning Purple Hearts, after the Republicans mocked them with the Purple Heart Bandaids... and tried to destroy the value of military medals, while trying to discredit Kerry. Shame on them.

[theHandpuppet]

9. Let me tell you...

I live in a town which has a large VA Hospital. It is a common sight to see paralyzed vets (and quite a few impoverished as well) several times a day, making their way on the city's streets in their power chairs. You wouldn't believe the number of Bush/Cheney bumper stickers I have seen on these chairs! I guess the incident that really got to me happened just the other day, when I was running an errand in the heart of town in a neghborhood where many homeless folk and disabled vets can be found hanging out on the street corners. What did I espy but two disabled vets in their chairs, chairs emblazoned with American flags, Bush/Cheney stickers and bright, anti-gay bumper stickers!

Go figure. Just thinking about it makes me sad and frustrated.

[saigon68]

18. Veteran's get the SHAFT from the NEOCONS

We used to say "USED UP THROWN AWAY"

This is what made a lot of us into anti-war protesters in the early 70's.

Nothing much has changed.

except draft dodgers like Cheney are "STRIP MINING" the taxpayers wallets.

[theHandpuppet]

3. If we do the math...

.. that means the Crosby family will be rewarded for their sacrifice by now living below the poverty line. 1,300/month comes to 15,600/yr.

There are no words to describe my utter disgust and outrage. I hope President Kerry will make rectifying this shameless treatment of our vets one of his first priorities when he takes office!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. In CT that is really worth about 5k at most.

very expensive state in which to live.

[sr_pacifica]

4. These veterans' hardships

I really hope Bush's hypocrisy on this issue is exposed in tomorrow's debate.

[Ernesto]

5. KICK n-t

[brentspeak]

6. Doesn't he realize that Halliburton needs to be paid, too?

That extra $1200/month covers the cost of Halliburton-provided meals that Cpl.Crosby won't be receiving. Just what is it with these paralyzed and/or limbless Iraqi vets? Why can't they just pull themselves up by their bootstraps? (Oh, that's right, they're no longer physically able to do so. No excuse.)

<heavy sarcasm>

[VegasWolf]

7. I thought 1200/month covered a Haliburtion meal.

[Judi Lynn]

8. It really shows you where their hearts are, doesn't it?

Really hope Rep. Markey can bring what's needed to Cpl. Crosby's situation. He'll need all the luck he can get.

[Ezlivin]

10. As a paraplegic veteran, this news pisses me off

When a soldier or sailor gets injured in the line of duty, he or she is supposed to receive VA benefits. These benefits enable a disabled veteran to support a family. It's not a fortune and if the living expenses are too high or there are too many dependents, it won't be enough.

But promises are promises.

When I joined, the military asked for complete control of my body, 24 hours of every day.

When I volunteered for hazardous duty (submarine duty), the gov't gave me an extra $135 a month because of the additional risk I undertook.

This was all in writing and agreed upon.

And when your service is prematurely terminated due to a disabling injury, the gov't is supposed to take care of you.

That's the deal. Absolute control of our bodies and our lives for health care if we survive the experience.

The gov't has reneged on its end of the deal.

The marine needs to contact one or all of these agencies:

• Paralyzed Veterans of America


• Disabled American Veterans


• Veterans of Foreign Wars

[Cleopatra2a]

14. My spouse is a disabled vet - 100%

The DAV helped him with this. His is related to PTSD from Vietnam and several wounds - knee and chest. He finally got some help. He said just because you are paralyzed or missing limbs won't qualify you for 100%, but the DAV is a great organization. Anyway from the story it seems he is still in. They must just be paying him his base salary. He has dependents, so he should be getting more for housing and for food. Base pay for an E-3 is 1495.00. You get more when you deploy, such as tax free, hazardous fire pay, family separation, per diem (only 3.50 a day). It's really not alot, but when you don't have anywhere to spend it it adds up. I've spent a total of 12 months deployed. Is this the money they want to keep getting?

[aquart]

15. That is absolutely the deal.

If a soldier is wounded, his support is the obligation of the nation that placed that soldier in harm's way, because he damn well wouldn't have been there otherwise.

I have no wounded family or serving members. It is not my ax to grind but this is one of the sacred obligations of a nation.

Bush is incapable of empathy for others. God must seek another path to educate him. As we must seek another path to protect ourselves from him.

[brooklynite]

11. This has been kerry's missing piece...

in the debates so far. How can a President who claims its essential to "support the troops" cut their combat pay and Veterans benefits, charge them for repatriation flights and make them pay for meals in hospitals? He should bring this up tomorrow as a "domestic" issu, given the impact on the soldier's families at home.

[Bluebear]

12. GOP version of "support our troops"-- buy a Toby Keith CD ....

and slap a cheap plastic flag on your pickup truck and that's the end of it. Bastards.

[struggle4progress]

16. kick

:kick:

[Karenina]

17. Kick!

:cry: