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Veteran's Affairs Is There To Help People. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

As most of you know, due to unfortunate circumstances, both my husband and I are unemployed (I MAY have work though, more on that later).

Today, because his disability is up to 40% he went to the VA's vocational rehabilitation program, which was set up about a month ago by appointment.

So he is told to fill all this paperwork out before he goes, with all the expenses we have, what he brings in, etc. They don't even GLANCE at the paperwork he brings.

EVERYTHING pertaining to finances, because this program is in place to help veterans with disabilities find stable, viable work that won't aggravate their disabilities.

He gets there this morning, and he is told the same thing I just said. That their job is to find him work. They test him, and bless his heart, he only got three hours of sleep so he didn't do well. From the MOMENT he walked into the office they were pushing the Post 9/11 GI Bill on him, which is just a new form of GI Bill starting soon, for those of us that were in the military after 9/11.

After all this testing, etc., they tell him he is better off taking the GI Bill I just mentioned, and to go to his county career center.

So THIS is the letter I wrote to our state representatives, senators, and Governor Riley, as well as the actual COUNSELOR that did nothing to help him.

"My name is Krystal Dailey, and I am the wife of Aaron C. Dailey, who went into one of your offices in Birmingham, AL for vocational rehabilitation. He was approved, however, I am sending this to YOUR office because I can find no other contact information.

My husband went in and tested, and didn’t do very well, according to him, however, from the moment he stepped through the door he was offered no real “help”. He was told over and over that the Post 9/11 GI Bill was his best bet, and then rushed through the process. We completed ALL the applicable paperwork, including expenses, bankruptcy information, etc, which was never even glanced at. My husband is the father of three children. We currently bring in $478 a month, and our living expenses alone, not including things like television is around $2600.00.

I myself am a veteran of the Army. My husband served for eight years in the Army, and has given most of his children’s childhood, as well as his health for this country. Now, when HE NEEDS THEM MOST, he is told to go somewhere else.

I certainly, for one, am appalled at the way he was treated. NOT the fact that we got no help. But how he was treated. He was told that he was not there for education, he was there for help in finding a viable, stable, steady job.

He was seen at the VA Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment at 950 22nd Street North, Ste 777.

His appointment was at 8 am, today. For a man who has given as much as he has, and now cannot do the work that he has been doing due to a military injury, they sure rushed him out the door mighty fast.

Please rest assured that I have forwarded this email to our representatives, as well as our senator, and our governor. I do expect an answer from someone within the veterans affairs system with authority soon, as my husband is more than willing to work in any field he can, without aggravating his disability.

I am including my husband’s information, so please do NOT send this to any unsecured email. I will be expecting a reply by Friday, May 22, 2009.



In my opinion, based on the treatment he has received today, and in the past, the Veteran’s Affairs offices, with the small exception of some branches, is nothing but a PR stunt to make sure that everyone knows the government is “taking care of their veterans”. As far as I am concerned, that is nothing but a bunch of garbage.

I am disappointed in what I thought was an excellent program, livid, mortified that someone would do SUCH a shoddy job without thinking of the consequences, and basically costing us more money than he will get help out of the VA."


A Saddened Veteran,
Krystal Dailey
US Army

I sure hope that they respond. Because if they don't, I will go higher up. I will write letters until my fingers rot off. They WILL change this insane system. Period. I refuse to let it go on like this, and if any of you have loved ones in the military, you would do well to do the same.

That's what has happened today. I put in two applications today, in person, since I am receiving no response through the internet. I have an interview Thursday for a position as a server. We will see. I want the other position. The front desk receptionist that I applied for. But we will see what God has in store.

"For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses." - 2 Kings 18:6

~K~

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