Before you begin reading, you should know that I am VERY biased when it comes to the government dealing with its fighting soldiers and veteran.

As a Vietnam veteran myself, I can personally vouch for the fact that an unwelcome homecoming is not something to be treasured.

I am not suggesting for a minute that our government does not appreciate the services of our fighting forces...NO.

But it infuriates me that our empty suits in DC are unfairly treating our returning veterans.

A column in USA Today's Op/Ed section has me boiling.

I couldn't believe that returning veterans were having trouble getting information and action on the Veterans Administration's stated benefit of tuition and living expenses assistance.

The editorial says that calls to the VA hotline yielded frustrating taped messages warning of weeks of delay in claiming that benefit.

I couldn't believe it, so I called the hotline myself a few minutes ago...and sat through that very message!

"Thank you for your patience...please wait six weeks after your claim is submitted before checking on its progress." - - Are you kidding me?

Many veterans are confronted with mounting bills, including unpaid tuition...with no VA check in sight!

Late last week, with heat from the media forcing some action, the VA went into "emergency mode" to clear some of the backlog...too little, too late for my liking.

How did that situation get to such a critical point...and when will this appalling situation get under control?

Keith Wilson, chief of the VA's education service, recently said that he knows delayed tuition payments to schools and late living allowances for students have left many veterans disappointed and some very angry.

He cautioned, however, that things may get worse before they get better!

Too bad the VA doesn't appear to be able to be as proficient in delivering its promises to our fighting men and women as our government is in sending the back into battle, time after time.

A few dollars of help on a timely basis for valiantly serving one's country doesn't seem to me to be too much to ask.

Apparently, at the moment, it is.

P.S. We're putting together some fantastic Veteran's Day offers as a way to say "Thanks" to our active military and veterans. Stay tuned for details!