I am currently at the VA medical center on a cardiology rotation. I am always amazed by the people I meet there. For those who don't know, the VA system was set up by President Lincoln "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." The VA's of the country perform research, and have medical education training (e.g. med students and residents). Currently as I understand it (which could be flawed) there are those who receive active duty related benefits (e.g. took a bullet and had lasting medical problems) and those who are destitute and have no where else to turn. For the most part I believe that the system is full of the later rather than the former. Most of the patients are men. The majority are quiet people who have seen things that many would consider to be a nightmare, and they live with these challenges each day. They smoke a lot, eat way too much, and many have or have had drug and alcohol problems. As a result they suffer from the physical results of living this way. However, they still have a little hero in them. I have seen on more than one occasion someone fall and a swarm of people rush in (oxygen tanks and all) to help that person up and take them to the nearest bench. In another way they are continuing to be heroes as they are one of the primary educators of past and current medical practitioners. Yes, we see an abnormal amount of COPD and prostate cancer, but they teach us with quiet reverence. Next time you are at the doctor, ask him or her if they trained at a VA, and I'm willing to bet they had at one point or another. Please consider this the next time you see a flag, and take a moment to consider the blessed state that we are in because of them. Thank you gentlemen. One more reason why you have made this country great.
