Have you read this? Roberts: Beyond shameful: veteran kicked to curb, then run over

2015-09-21T18:18:25-04:00

Have you read this - Roberts: Beyond shameful: veteran kicked to curb, then run over?

This is not a good story. It comes out of USA Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2015/09/21/veteran-phoenix-va-hit-by-car-lawsuit/72573128/

For more than a decade, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, working as an elite combat specialist before being honorably discharged in 2002.

Eleven years later, he was found in the middle of a Phoenix street, right outside the VA hospital. He was lying in a fetal position in a pool of blood, with tire tracks over his body.

A VA hospital bracelet still on his wrist.

Apparently, hospital staffers didn’t remove it when they refused him psychiatric help and kicked him to the curb.

You cannot read Dennis Wagner’s story on the treatment Jason Cooper received by the United States of America – by us -- and not want to throw up. Or throw something.

This? This is the way we treat a decorated Marine who served us for 11 years?

Cooper’s story was laid out in a federal lawsuit against the Department of Veterans Affairs, filed last Thursday on his behalf.

Veteran kicked to the curb then run over

Laurie Roberts: You cannot read of the Phoenix VA's treatment of Jason Cooper and not want to throw something. Or throw up.