Letters: Make veterans your top issue on Tuesday

As Concerned Veterans for America’s S.C. director, I am reminded every day of the sacrifices that these men and women made for a safe and secure future for generations to come. I believe our vote should be a vote for them.

Neglect and abuse are rampant at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Two years ago, it became clear that VA officials were manipulating wait lists; sadly, veterans died as a result.

This problem surfaced in VA facilities across the country, including here in South Carolina, where the worst place to get treatment was the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA in Columbia. One report from 2013 detailed at least six deaths caused by a patient backlog. Even today, thousands of appointments at Dorn still have wait times longer than two months.

At one point, VA officials even threatened to shut down hospitals across the state unless the VA received a funding increase. This won’t work. Our government has permitted the VA to be run like any other bureaucracy. That shouldn’t be permissible, especially when veterans’ lives are on the line.

On Tuesday, we should vote for those who are willing to figure out what’s wrong with the VA and commit to real reform for veterans.