Show M 1 f t. t T Rob Izi R t i J 4 T To 0 th the e Edit Editor or The most recent recent edition i of f Points West March 21 1978 contained an article under the heading Veterans Rap that in my opinion was something something something some some- thing less than competent journalism Applied specifically specifically cally tally this means incompetent S tent from the editorship of I editorship as the case may be right on to the theT T article itself and its inclusion in the paper without a by by- line The article is essentially a gross exaggeration without a redeeming syllogism While the lot lot- lotof of the Viet VietNam VietNam Nam war veterans has been less than ideal and the publicity publicity publicity pub pub- has been bad the fact fac sta stands ds that today's veterans I are not significantly different than their non veteran coun coun- The veteran student-veteran is with the possible exception of age not any different than other students for a substantial substantial sub sub- treatment of the S above see The Impact of Student Veterans Veteran's Needs Upon Secondary Post-Secondary Education Education Ed Ed- f by Andrew F. F Czopek Czopek pek PhD Ph.D. The articles exaggeration exaggeration exaggeration of the current state of veterans is exceeded only by the exaggeration of the ther r which means eligible young S men used to avoid the serS ser ser- vice As I recall the primary method of avoiding the draft was to go to Canada Until I Isee see absolute proof I refuse to accept that there were substantial substantial substantial sub sub- numbers who disfigured disfigured disfigured themselves to avoid ser ser- ser ser- vice The above criticism z covers the first three para para- graphs The remaining two better paragraphs are no There is specific mention I made of H. H R. R 2231 pending in inthe inthe inthe the House Veteran Affairs Committee The particulars of that bill are of little importance importance importance im im- im- im since it is highly unlikely that tha t it will ever reach the floor of the Ho House se Virtually everything in HR 2231 was passed in a qualified qualIfied qualified form in the GI Benefits Improvement Act of 1977 A Avet vet veteran ran can get additional time to use his benefits if it itcan itcan itcan can be justified under VA criteria The only Veteran Bills that get through Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress are those that are supported supported supported sup sup- ported by the Major Veteran organizations American Legion Legion Legion Le Le- Le- Le gion Veterans of Foreign wars and Disabled American Ameri Ameri- can Veterans While there have been some new veteran veter veter- an organizations come on the scene they have hav little or no success in sponsoring veteran veter veter- an legislation The fact is the Viet Nam veteran has not lobbied for his own benefits Like the author of Veterans Rap there ar are Viet Nam veterans who have not sought and have not received and now complain that someone else should have been doing it for them The right to i information information in in- formation is only available to those who seek it The Office of Veterans Affairs Affairs Affairs Af Af- Af- Af fairs can verify contacts or paperwork for more than cases per year The primary primary primary mary obligation of this office is to certify to the Veteran Administration the enrollment enrollment enrollment enroll enroll- ment attendance and status changes of the more than veterans and dependents receiving receiving receiving re re- re- re benefits while attending attending attending attend attend- ing The proposition that the Veteran Affairs is issing sing singularly responsible for providing information about legislation and lobbying for it itis itis itis is totally ludicrous If and when there are significant numbers of veterans who wish to participate in such activities this office will provide provide provide pro pro- vide as much support as pos pos- sible If any individual wants assistance or information it will be given in so far as the capability exists There have been several attempts in the past to sponsor sponsor sponsor spon spon- sor a Veterans Club They have failed from lack of par tion There was an attempt to lobby the Utah State Legislature last year The few who parti participated worked hard to get petitions signed I can cite several cases of persons coming in inthe inthe inthe the Veteran Affairs Office who would not even take time timeto to read the petition let alone sign it The only meetings that tha t have been attended in insubstantial insubstantial insubstantial substantial numbers have been those involving increase increase increase in in- crease in benefits after Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress gres's has passed the in in- crease The Veterans Affairs Office provides a quarterly news letter to veterans on the require requirements men ts of attending school and changes in in benefi bene bene- fi fits ts There has been little or orno orno 1 no response to the news let let- ter The charge of not providing providing providing provid provid- ing service was not to my knowledge investigated and andis andis andis is obviously totally without merit As far as proficiency is concerned this office recently recently recently re re- re- re underwent a compliance ance survey by the VA The results indicate that the Veteran Veteran Veteran Vet Vet- eran Affairs Office is in fact very ery proficient as well as ef ef- ef- ef The Veteran Affairs office performs the services required required required re re- re- re of it The services are performed in a credible man man- ner Given these propositions propositions propositions the allegations in the Veterans Rap column do not stand Without investigation tion lion innuendos and name calling have been used against the Veteran Affairs Office I hope that tha t in the future future future fu fu- ture the Points West Staff will be more careful to document document document doc doc- such claims The right to a free press bears with it the obligation of Signed Charles T. T Williams Coordinator tor Office of Veteran Affairs |