Video: Veterans Health Benefits

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STARKVILLE, Miss.(WCBI)–Men and women of our military having served honorably in uniform deserve to receive all benefits due them.

When Vietnam Veteran Earl Gillespie enters a VA clinic or hospital seeking health services, he is often viewed as being a sort of whining gripper by those he encounters. Not so says Gillespie, who has a problem with receiving service in a timely fashion. Physicians and nurses are great. Yet he says he always seems to fall through the cracks due to people he refers to as gate keepers.

“Those people that have been in place to serve, the first line of contact with the veteran when he comes in. These are the people that are creating the problems,” said Earl Gillespie/Military Veteran.

For the last 12 years Gillespie who suffers from numerous health issues has spent hours on the phone even contacting Washington. Now he is finally meeting with some success.

“There are problems I had with my medical supplies, I’ve been able to get that resolved and now they are coming on time,” said Earl Gillespie.

“I don’t care if its World War Two, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Iran, whatever you know, you are entitled to some kind of assistance,” said Charles Tolliver/Clay County Veterans Service Officer.

When it comes to health benefits and other assistance to veterans, there have been improvements over the decades. A veterans health choice card is available in an emergency, and satellite clinics have been set up in communities. Gillespie who uses the VA Hospital in Jackson, occasionally visits the Columbus facility, but still has a problem with those he calls…..the gate keepers.

“I go in at 12 o’clock and I get out at 4 o’clock and there is nobody in the waiting room. Why should I have to sit there that long?, ” said Earl Gillespie.

“I want to see that we as veterans get the things that we deserve,” said Charles Tolliver.

According to Tolliver they have met with a measure of success, one Clay County veteran who was homeless is now living in furnished housing and other elderly veterans have received financial benefits due them.