VA Data

The Charlotte Observer has a highly critical article on the VA. I won't defend the VA...like any large Government Organisation it adapts to new realities very slowly.

Some facts one won't find in most articles about the VA and "War Wounded"

Living WW II Veterans (as of 9/30/2006): 3,151,000 Percentage of Veteran Population 65 or Older: 38.4% Number of OEF/OIF Amputees (as of 07/03/07): 636 Number of Veterans Receiving VA Disability Compensation (as of 06/30/07): 2.8 M Number of Total Unique Patients Treated (FY 06): 5.5 M

Selected 2003 Statistics

Number of Veterans Receiving Heathcare 4.5 Million
Number of Vererans Receiving Compensation and Pension 2.89 Million

Selected Amputation Statistic

In FY2003, an overwhelming majority of (80%) all amputations performed in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) occurred in veterans identified as having diabetes. 2,997 veterans experienced an amputation in fiscal year 2000.

The primary patient load for the VA is diseases related to aging...not war wounds.

Re: Finest Army

That explanation would perhaps explain why they keep attempting to recruit me into the Chaplain Corps. (No, not the TV show...)

The guy on the phone sort of gurgles a little when I ask if they have my preferred insignia...

The Finest Army Money can Bi

MTV's got a new reality show: "A Shot at Love with Tia Tequila" in which 16 guys and 16 girls compete to be Tia's "love partner":

Are you ready for the ultimate battle of the sexes? Well, you better be 'cause there's about to be an all-out war over cyber hottie Tila Tequila!

Although Tila has racked up more than 2 million MySpace friends, she still hasn't found "the one," and she's ready to do anything to find him -- or her! This self-proclaimed "bisexual freak" has had her heart broken by men and women, and she's tired of being alone. With our help, she's inviting 16 luscious lesbians and 16 sexy straight guys over to her place for A Shot of Love With Tila Tequila. Yes, it's time for Tila to unfurl her freak flag and find true love.

At first, the guys and girls won't know about each other. But once Tila narrows the field down to a few of her favorites, she's going to tell them all that she's bi. And when the two sides learn they have to vie for her affection, all hell breaks loose. There'll be hair pulling, sucker punching, ball-busting and, er, even some butt waxing. Oh, and let's not forget threesomes. There's bound to be at least a few of those. But all is fair in love and war, right?

Even though Madonna has milked it, Angelina Jolie embraced it and TV shows like The O.C. and One Tree Hill have flirted with it, bisexuality is still the stuff of winks and nudges. But with A Shot at Love, Tila Tequila hopes to thrust the taboo into the spotlight and prove that flaunting your sexuality can be -- and should be -- fun. While Tila is dead serious about finding someone to get serious with, she's just not sure if she wants a relationship with a man or a woman. Who will win her heart?

Most of the advertisers are movie companies and MTV's own programs. But amid the voyeuristic fare pops up a taxpayer-funded pitch from the U.S. Army Reserve touting "a Different Kind of Strength" and being "Army Strong."

And double ouch:

Now that the U.S. Army is over its ill-advised "Army of One" campaign, perhaps it's time to switch to an "Army of Three."