Veterans Issues Platform

The Virginia Young Democrats recognizes that the sacred trust that all citizens have with the soldiers fighting bravely for our nation, and understand that we must do our utmost to repay their service. We are committed to providing the level of care and benefits our military men and women deserve.

We recognize that the federal government under Republican rule has failed to serve our veterans. We are committed to fixing a Veterans Administration left underfunded by the policies of George Bush, and fully support efforts to fully fund the VA. At the same time, we demand accountability from a bureaucracy which has in recent years, seen mounting error rates in benefits cases and declining standards at government-run medical facilities, most notably the Walter Reed Medical Center. We seek to reopen the door for middle-income veterans seeking care, enabling millions of veterans to receive benefits they've been denied under the Bush administration.

We believe that modern warfare requires a modern healthcare system for our servicemen and women, equipped to deal with new kinds of injuries, and that fulfilling our duty to veterans doesn't end the moment they return home. Veterans are returning home with record levels of combat stress, and not receiving adequate mental health services to treat them, which is why we support expanding and strengthening counseling for veterans and their families, to help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health afflictions. We advocate strongly for a healthcare system with improved care for veteran's suffering from traumatic brain injuries, vision impairment, and spinal cord injuries that have become all too common in the wake of the Iraq war.

We believe that the transition from military to civilian life should be as easy as possible. We commend the leadership and vision of Senator Jim Webb for his tireless efforts to secure educational funding for the men and women who have risked their lives in the fight against terrorism, and on the recent passage of his 21st Century GI Bill which will guarantee educational opportunities to young veterans seeking their college degrees. We support policies to prevent veterans from falling into homelessness, as well as those that provide economic opportunities to service members. In particular, we support the expansion of small business programs for veterans, and a credit score freeze and grace period for veterans making the transition back to civilian life. We vigorously oppose job discrimination against guardsmen and reservists.

Do you agree? If so, join the Veterans Caucus and Pledge to Vote for Democrats on November 4!