Joe Violante

Hey welcome back Tom Finneran here welcome back to parents for money M 680 WRKO. He let me remind you this segment of the program is brought to you by. The people at alpha Omega -- you know there's a court authorized. Bankruptcy sale going on et al for Omega jewelers. Diamond -- diamond jewelry precious jams and famous made Swiss watches all that liquidation prices hustle on over to alpha Omega jewelers and they are bringing you this portion of parents for a he at this time we are delighted to welcome to parents forum. Joe via a lot day jovial I think Joe is that national legislative director for the DAV that stands for disabled. American vets Joe welcome to parents forum. Well thank you very much for having me. You're entirely welcome Joe are you understand you are taking a leadership role in the stand up for veterans campaign. We hear a lot of talk about it I love to have the -- can give us some specifics what's going on what you are trying to achieve in -- but not least how can we help.

It's the national grassroots initiative by the disabled American veterans and what we're attempting to do -- veterans. During -- educate both members of congress and the American public and healthcare challenges that are facing our nation's veterans. Particularly those that are returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In these challenges include getting copy mental health services to those immediate properly screening and treating -- pepper from traumatic brain injury adequately supporting -- caregivers to. Taking care of the Asia and -- and -- went -- and finally reforming. The budget process to provide BA with. On the net sufficient timely and predictable when the last nineteen years -- Italy seventeen times in the last five years -- It's been -- is much as five months so it create problems VA in prevents factions getting. Partly access to --

You know Joe from time to time will take calls -- office and commentary on these on this range of issues you described an oft times -- of the discussion -- you know revolves around the conditions at VA hospitals we hear about. Great doctors great nurses great health care providers in the end at at the same time we sometimes hear that they are trying to do hero work in in really kind of rundown and inappropriate conditions what -- take on. Really the quality all the conditions if you will that I VA VA hospitals around the country.

The first register at the quality of health care that these men women are getting from BA is is opt not to. The best -- NBA's been recognized that you are right I mean peacocks and an adequate budgets over the decades. A lot of these buildings are in drastic need repairs in eight minutes new facilities need to be built this year -- budget that was recently introduced by President Bush in early part of the month it's about one billion dollars short for major minor. Instructions so important to get that money into BA's that they keep the buildings and facilities up to date.

You know Joe when you hear that number it's a big number any time it is a word that begins with beat him with darkened money a billion. That's a lot of money but really in the scale of the entire eighty of the United States federal budget. -- the effort we have going underway in Afghanistan in Iraq active military operations. Really billion dollars is like you know like me Poland on a couple of bucks to help -- you know a guy who's really down and out. It sure what money I guess as one website and fourth sets cause that it seems to me everybody no matter where they are on the wall. Nobody seems to dispute. The need to recognized the sacrifice that's been made at the support the veterans who have come home how did subway mentally or physically or sometimes both.

Exactly and you know -- last year your listeners to do -- to go to our our web site we we've just unveiled the new web site. It's WWW dot stand up or -- dot org. And -- stand up that number four. That's dot org in our merit they can. Find out more information about this -- about this these initiatives. About the budget they consent prepared email messages to their members of congress in view our video.

So -- really simplified it for everybody out the who's listening who says you know I like which -- stand and -- for right -- with -- saying you know I IP -- citizen have all these emotions in these feelings but I don't know how pro vent them we're gonna make it easy for as a matter fact -- we're gonna put up that that we're gonna put the address you just gave us up on our link. We'll have a link right to it on our web page so that people while listening to parents for me in listening to the Saudi -- can go right to it upright to.

Well great we certainly appreciate that.

A quick question for you know we had major general Rick lynch shot a couple of weeks ago. And he was telling us that really is no way for him to measure or evaluate he said the words actually failed -- how -- returning vet feels when a citizen goes up to the -- train station -- it says. Hey thanks for your service appreciate your service what you just sense you know you're out -- with the guys and gals who do this. Unbelievable work I mean I take my hat off to them and everytime I think of it I get I get I really till I get all emotional but I'd like to hear from -- of the guys in the street.

Yet they they certainly do appreciate that it means a lot to then prevented no. That is the average Americans year understands what you're doing it appreciates what you're doing over there for them. -- it really doesn't need an awful lot to.

We'll show it sounds like you've got a -- in a great campaign goin' in the again will push will put up that website that he gave us that that -- it'll be linked right down in through we he had to you know we heard the president I think say in his state of the union address. That funding for veterans returning back it increased by 95% and then there was a little back and forth I think between the damage and that the jabs -- Republicans I get frustrated honestly by the politics. Who tries to stand up and take credit. It seems to be Joe that this is an issue that it's not liberal it's not conservative it's not democratic Republican it -- got. From -- in -- Sons and Daughters have cut the crap. Now well listen Joe you have been great appreciate the time that you've given us obviously our opportunity to help you comes through loud and clear here on the waves. New Hampshire Easton Massachusetts Rhode Island. That is just that is just have fabulous so with a light at two of welcome do you yet again you've been listening to -- that he is that national legislative director for the DAV and he is leading a campaign called stand up for veterans of the event they had the thought. That that young man a young woman in uniform is doing something. That impresses you and they might be coming home in a box -- awarded an ounce sometimes for the rest of their lives stand up and do the right thing make the call on this one. It do you go to -- end up -- that's dot org will post that up -- and will be back in a moment on AM 680 WRKO