Veterans Administration Disability Claims

    Open e-mail to Sen. Cornyn:
    I have read your latest newsletter concerning your pressuring the Veterans Administration concerning applications for disability benefits. You say that in the last two years disability claims have doubled.
    I am a veteran of World War II. Although I have had no personal combat experience, I have several close friends who have and have discussed their experiences through the years.
    In my time in the service, I have noticed the presence of many of what we called "goof offs", which is a term established for those persons unwilling to perform their responsibilities and opportunistic to the extent of claiming as many benefits as possible. The service was not rampant with goof offs during World War II, anymore than the general population. I don't know how it is now, but I suspect it would be about the same.
    In these times of difficult employment, goof offs are more motivated to action, and I suspect that the doubling of disability claims in the last two years is one of the results.
    It is the responsibility of the Veterans Administration to make reasonable judgments on each claim of disability, and I have no reason to believe that VA employees would be especially biased in this regard, unless they are pressured by the Obama administration to grant excessive benefits in order to gain Obama votes in the forthcoming election.
    If you are concerned only with the question that VA may not be handling each disability application expeditiously, I am in full agreement. Otherwise, I suggest you let the VA do its job.