Protesters seek better health care for veterans

Veterans of the Iraq war marched at the head of a protest on Beacon Hill Saturday calling for an end to the war and full funding of veterans' health-care needs.

About 200 protesters chanted, "Fund the wounded, not the war!" as they walked along South Columbian Way past the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center.

TThe demonstration drew some members of the union that represents local VA workers as well as veterans from several earlier wars.

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson announced his resignation earlier this month amid complaints about his agency's treatment of veterans' health complaints. The agency also was under fire for failing to correctly estimate how many vets would seek care, a large backlog in disability payments, the theft of 26 million veterans' personal data, and bonuses paid to officials responsible for a $1.3 billion budget shortfall in 2005.

Iraq veterans sued the VA last Monday, saying the agency was providing care only for a small portion of the hundreds of thousands of returning vets at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder. Chanan Suarez Diaz, president of the Seattle chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War, said Saturday that soldiers suffering from PTSD are often told by the armed forces that they actually have personality disorders.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder is a big, very real danger, and the military is trying to curb the benefits servicemen get," said Suarez Diaz, whose tour of duty as a Navy medic in a Marine unit in Ramadi was shortened by wounds suffered from a rocket-propelled grenade attack in 2005.

"This war is for oil, at the cost of Americans' lives and innocent Iraqis' lives," Suarez Diaz said.

Evan Knappenberger, an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq, said he enlisted at the start of the war when he had "no idea what was going on." He became disillusioned when he clashed with superiors who weren't happy with his reports on civilian casualties and downplaying of armed clashes.

"I used to think it was good that we went in and deposed Saddam," Knappenberger said. "I've come to realize that nothing we've done there is good."

John Metcalf, a World War II Navy veteran, said he marched to end the war and help veterans.

The demonstration was organized by the Troops Home Now Coalition, which also held marches in January and March.

Material from The Associated Press is included in this report. Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com

Information in this article, originally published July 29, 2007, was corrected August 19, 2007. American Federation of Government Employees Local 3197 did not support a march and forum Saturday advocating an immediate end to the war in Iraq and full funding of veterans' health-care needs. Some members of the union local, which represents Department of Veterans Affairs Workers in the Puget Sound area, participated in the demonstration. A story Sunday incorrectly reported that the local supported it.