Thread: The Cost of War

There are all kinds of social and cultural issues that come together and must be considered when discussing veterans and the country's treatment of them. For the record, the current VA budget is $150 Billion/year to provide all benefits and care to about 25 Million living veterans of all eras and their families...including some things you haven't discussed like GI Bill education benefits, home loan support, adaptive housing for the severely disabled, etc. That comes out to about $6,000/year/veteran, which of course is not representative of how the money is spent. It is estimated that 35-40% of US citizens are "potential" beneficiaries of the VA system depending on their circumstances (which includes families of veterans). Is that expensive for what the country asks people to do in the military is a question for much debate. Is it equitably distributed? It depends on your politics/beliefs and other opinions. Are there people who fall through the cracks? Yes, some by choice, some by mental illness, some by where they live and what they believe their relationship with the government ought to be.

I know more about VA and the military than most people, having worked for, with and around both military and VA for the better part of 30 years. Staying clear of the politics and other opinion related parts of the discussion, let me try to clarify some of the concepts, based on the laws that exist.

If you are in the military for 20 years or more you can "retire" get a monthly check, based on your rank/pay and length of service. That also entitles you to some medical care (not VA, but through the military system and contractual extensions of it). If you die, your military retirement checks stop, unless you elected and paid for SBP (survivors benefits program).

On the other hand, no matter how long you serve, if you are disabled by an illness or injury while on active duty, when you get out you can apply for and get VA Disability Compensation, which is based on the % of disability as adjudicated by the law that governs VA. If you die of your service related disability, your spouse (or eligible dependent child) can receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). If you served in wartime and are indigent (make less than the federally defined poverty level -- now about $20,000/year), you can apply for and receive VA Pension, which pays a monthly payment to bring you up to the feral defined property level... in other words, it pays the difference only.

VA health care (for veterans only, no dependents) is among the best in the world, once you're in the system. It is also the largest system in the US, with about 100 places where care is provided. Getting enrolled in the system is complicated and has 8 priority levels from the highest (like former prisoners of war, medal of honor and purple heart recipients), and the service disabled to the lowest level which is veterans who put in their time, and got out with no disabilities and who have means above the federal property level.

It's a large, comprehensive issue, and a large system, but even with the massive cost of caring for veterans, it pales by comparison to the personal costs to service members and families (as others have pointed out) and the direct cost of maintaining a military and furnishing the "tools of war". Look at the price of a fighter plane, and its maintenance if you're so inclined.