Veterans Call for Swifter, Bolstered Care in White Plains

Every Monday, Ken Kraetzer—a White Plains resident and the son of a World War II veteran—uses his weekly radio show on WVOX to discuss issues facing the region's veterans.

While lighter topics sometimes come into play, like Army sports, Kraetzer often focuses on the more pressing problems—like the countless local veterans battling Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and a related treatment system plagued by bureaucracy.

This Monday morning, Kraetzer had company on his soapbox. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) and a group of local veterans, the gathering called for improved care for soldiers returned home.

"Too many of our veterans are not receiving the care and benefits they deserve," Lowey said, speaking in front of the Veterans Affair Community Clinic on South Broadway. "We can and must do better for the men and women who have bravely served our country."

Kraetzer, Lowey and others noted veterans—many of whom call White Plains and Westchester home—face staggering delays in claiming their benefits due to clogs at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"The [department's] care is well done, but accessing it can be a nightmare, and the backlog has quadrupled in four years," said Jerry Donnellan, the director of Rockland County's Veterans Service Agency.

"Navigating that system is like putting socks on an octopus," he added.

According to data culled by http://cironline.org, some 12,500 veterans in New York State alone were waiting on compensation for a military-related disease, injury or illness in February of this year.

The group also underlined a striking statistic, noting around 22 veterans commit suicide each day, and up to 20-percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from PTSD. And delays in tracking down the proper care and treatment are unacceptable, Lowey said.

Currently, veterans have a five-year window to seek treatment for mental health issues—once the 60 months have passed, veterans lose their "high priority" status, Lowey said.

Dr. Heather Cereste, and Armonk resident, physician and Iraq veteran, said she suffers from PTSD, and is forced to simultaneously feud with the system's pitfalls.

"Not only do I have to live with PTSD, a direct result of my military service, but I must also struggle with the current system of care to have its symptoms treated. There are simply not enough resources available to veterans living with PTSD to live well with PTSD."

Lowey is a sponsor of the bipartisan Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act, which aims to expand that five-year window.