Reports of delays and possible deaths tied to horrendous administration action in the delivery of health care from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are a stark reminder that veterans deserve better treatment than they are getting. That’s according to Thomas White, the clinical director of the Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic at The John Marshall Law School.
According to media reports, the VA has come under fire among lawmakers and the public amid allegations that administrators at some VA centers created delays in providing service to veterans that resulted in lack of treatment or in some cases, death.
White, a retired Army JAG officer and former assistant professor at West Point, called the allegations a sad reminder that U.S. servicemembers often face steep hurdles in receiving the care they have been promised and need.
White said: “The VA story is a reminder that those among us most worthy of our pride, appreciation and thanks still lack the proper health benefits they so richly deserve. As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, let’s not forget that we have a continuing obligation to care for those who have sacrificed for our freedom. We must fulfill our most sacred promise to serve those who have served.”
John Marshall’s VLSC is the largest veterans law school clinic in the country. Law students work under the supervision of practicing attorneys and professors assisting veterans in resolving benefits claims and other legal problems. The clinic first opened in 2007 and was among the first in the United States aimed at assisting veterans.
Since the VLSC’s inception, law students have fielded on average more than 1,000 calls for assistance a year. From the color of paint on its walls to the open feel of its work areas, the 5,300-square-foot space was designed to focus on the needs of veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
For more information about John Marshall’s Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic, visit www.jmls.edu/veterans
