VA is OK with this veteran
I don't believe all the recent negative news media complaints about the supposed poor service being provided veterans nationwide by the Veterans Administration. I suspect its just a case of empire-building by bureaucrats and politicians who are attempting to leverage molehills into mountains.
Although I can't speak to administrative problems encountered by Alaska veterans living in the Bush since I live on the road system, my eight years of experience with the Alaska VA has uniformly been very positive. In fact, I rate its service as very good, and its JBER surgical element as outstanding.
This country provides outstanding medical benefits for its veterans, particularly for non-service related health issues. Frankly, I don't know how we can continue paying for such quality service. Gonna have to stop engaging in all these meaningless little wars, I guess.
-- Larry Slone
Homer
Mine would be a bad addition
When wildfires burn in Southcentral Alaska, we can see, smell and feel the smoke. What will happen if PacRim is allowed to destroy a salmon spawning river for one of the country's largest open pit coal export mines? This project, through the Chuitna River, is just 45 miles west from Anchorage. The export facility, man-made island and loading dock would be visible from here.
Gov. Walker has pledged to diversify our economy. Let's protect the fishermen whose livelihood depends on the Chuitna and Cook Inlet salmon. Say "no" to the proposed Chuitna coal strip mine and keep the water in the river for salmon.
-- Jane Gillespie
Eagle River
Better help for the mentally ill
The letter to the editor by Frank Prewitt was interesting. There is one premise we believe we could agree on -- "good government policy towards the mentally ill is an oxymoron."
If we were running the world, we would improve the grievance procedure for psychiatric patients and the disabled, so they can better protect themselves.
And the government should not mix criminals with a mental illness in with individuals with a mental illness who have not committed a crime. That is what forensic units are for in psychiatric institutions.
And last, the state should never have sold the old Alaska Psychiatric Institute hospital. The state could have refurbished the hospital and operated it as a 120-bed halfway house for the mentally ill, bring the children home and much more.
In an imperfect world we can still work toward better policies governing the disabled.
-- Faith Myers and Dorrance Collin
mental health advocates
Anchorage
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