Sanders County Ledger - Your Best Source For Sanders County News

Editor:

As a disabled U.S. Army veteran who relies heavily on VA for my health care, I respectfully take issue with Commander (Ret.) Thomas Humphreys’ laudatory remarks about Senator John Tester’s effectiveness in supporting veterans’ health care.

Tester has not fixed the problem as he claims he has. While I’m glad Tom finally got his hearing aids from VA, I am still waiting for VA to schedule a mammogram which I should have already had done several months ago. The horrible “Veterans Choice” program is still very much alive and well, but the name has now been changed to “Community Access” or some such thing. When I called last week to see what was happening with my overdue mammogram appointment, I was told I was on a long list of veterans requesting medical services, that there was only one person working on that list, and that they would eventually get to me. I asked, “When?” They said, “Unfortunately, we can’t give you any idea.”

Of course, if I developed a lump or some other emergent situation, they would probably get me in sooner. Let’s just hope it wouldn’t be too late at that point.

It irks me to hear Sen. Tester brag of how he has helped veterans. Frankly the only vet I know who says he’s benefited from Tester’s efforts is Commander Humphreys who, coincidentally, is also vice-chair of the Sanders County Democratic Committee.

As a veteran, I’ll be voting for Matt Rosendale for U.S. Senate in November. Hopefully he can actually get something done about the veteran health care debacle.

Major Jan Manning,

U.S. Army (Retired)

Trout Creek, Montana