It seems like President Obama has to deal with one problem after the other. From ISIS, to a border crisis, to vanished IRS emails... the list goes on and on. As Americans wait for something to be done and people to be held accountable, another story steals the spot light and major problems become distant memories.
Among the many problems plaguing the Obama administration, there is one in particular that I hope the American people and President Obama will especially seek justice for. The VA Scandal that broke headlines in June has left thousands of American veterans without the health care they deserve, even letting some die in the process. And now, another vet has become a victim to the broken system.
Edward Laird is a 76 year-old Navy veteran and had to wait two and a half years to get a biopsy for a spot on his nose. Once he finally saw a doctor, the cancer had already spread and had to be removed.
A physician at the Phoenix VA confirmed to CNN that he sent Laird to the VA's dermatology clinic repeatedly to get a biopsy of his nose, but the biopsy was repeatedly delayed. Laird said 70% of his nose was removed to fight the cancer that spread as he waited for care. After complaining about the delay, Laird received a letter from the then-interim director of the Phoenix VA that said, "I regret that you are dissatisfied with the care. The dermatologist that you saw did not identify any of the signs of a reoccurrence," referring to the spread of cancer.
Cue another promise from Obama:
President Obama pledged last week at the American Legion conference in North Carolina to "get to the bottom of these problems," calling them, "outrageous and inexcusable."
Let's hope that he is sincere about making our vets a top priority in health care. In the mean time, hero's like Laird are proud of their service to America.
"There's always lines at the VA but when you go, there you feel like you're walking along with a bunch of champions," Laird said. "It'll jerk a tear from you sometimes."