has been formed by richard blumenthal (due to channel 8's reporting on ryan riddle). it's about time! we MUST take care of our veterans.
Blumenthal launches new unit to help veterans
by News Channel 8's Alan Cohn
New Haven (WTNH) _ A Team 8 investigation has resulted in the creation of a new department at the Connecticut attorney general's office.
Richard Blumenthal says he created the new unit after watching News Channel 8 report the difficulties Southington veteran Ryan Riddle faced after he was injured in the Iraq War.
Riddle was shot in Baghdad and still has a bullet lodged in his thigh. He was repeatedly denied combat related benefits because his medical records were lost.
Team 8 obtained statements from Riddle's comrades in Baghdad who were with him when he was shot. After months of pressuring the VA, the department finally reversed its decision and gave Riddle the benefits he deserves.
Blumenthal says he created the new office to help other veterans. ......
(my last posting on ryan riddle which includes links to other ryan riddle postings) and of course a wicked LOUD shout out to channel 8 wtnh
Showing posts with label ryan riddle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ryan riddle. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
another update on ryan riddle
and it's GOOD news
(oh and thanks for serving ryan and the VERY BEST to you)
Southington veteran returns to 'normal' life
by Team 8 Investigator Alan Cohn
New Britain (WTNH) _ News Channel 8 has been following the struggles of a Southington veteran since last spring as he fought to get the disability benefits that he deserves.
At this time last year, Ryan Riddle was waging a very frustrating and lonely battle. Today, he is just like any other student on the campus of Central Connecticut State University.
But there is a huge difference between this 25-year old Iraq War veteran and his classmates, including the battles he has waged to get to the New Britain campus.
"It feels like a big boulder, a big weight, has been lifted off my shoulder. Things are starting to look positive. I can begin to start doing great things with my life now," Riddle said.
A year ago, Riddle found himself lost in the sea of bureaucratic red tape. His military medical records were lost when he was discharged from the Army. He was shot at a checkpoint in Baghdad and x-rays showed a bullet still lodged in his thigh. But every time he applied for service related benefits, he was denied. ...........
previous postings: finally
update
this is how we treat our war wounded
(oh and thanks for serving ryan and the VERY BEST to you)
Southington veteran returns to 'normal' life
by Team 8 Investigator Alan Cohn
New Britain (WTNH) _ News Channel 8 has been following the struggles of a Southington veteran since last spring as he fought to get the disability benefits that he deserves.
At this time last year, Ryan Riddle was waging a very frustrating and lonely battle. Today, he is just like any other student on the campus of Central Connecticut State University.
But there is a huge difference between this 25-year old Iraq War veteran and his classmates, including the battles he has waged to get to the New Britain campus.
"It feels like a big boulder, a big weight, has been lifted off my shoulder. Things are starting to look positive. I can begin to start doing great things with my life now," Riddle said.
A year ago, Riddle found himself lost in the sea of bureaucratic red tape. His military medical records were lost when he was discharged from the Army. He was shot at a checkpoint in Baghdad and x-rays showed a bullet still lodged in his thigh. But every time he applied for service related benefits, he was denied. ...........
previous postings: finally
update
this is how we treat our war wounded
Friday, August 17, 2007
FINALLY
ryan riddle gets his benefits. WHICH of course are due him. being SHOT in iraq and all....
Southington vet to receive benefits
by News Channel 8's Alan Cohn
Southington (WTNH) _ The Veteran's Administration has reversed its initial decision to deny benefits to a soldier injured in Iraq.
For months, the VA stubbornly stuck to its decision that it could not find any evidence that Ryan Riddle was shot in Baghdad and deserved combat-related benefits.
Riddle received the call from VA's Director of Benefits and he could not be more relieved saying, "I thought it was about time. Thank God everything has been made right. It's a big relief off my shoulder, like someone came and picked up that boulder off my shoulder."
Riddle's military records were lost after he was discharged from the Army, and when he first applied for combat-related benefits, the VA told him for all they knew he was "shot on the streets of Hartford."................
Southington vet to receive benefits
by News Channel 8's Alan Cohn
Southington (WTNH) _ The Veteran's Administration has reversed its initial decision to deny benefits to a soldier injured in Iraq.
For months, the VA stubbornly stuck to its decision that it could not find any evidence that Ryan Riddle was shot in Baghdad and deserved combat-related benefits.
Riddle received the call from VA's Director of Benefits and he could not be more relieved saying, "I thought it was about time. Thank God everything has been made right. It's a big relief off my shoulder, like someone came and picked up that boulder off my shoulder."
Riddle's military records were lost after he was discharged from the Army, and when he first applied for combat-related benefits, the VA told him for all they knew he was "shot on the streets of Hartford."................
Friday, May 04, 2007
update on ryan riddle
(and yet ANOTHER shout out to news channel 8)
a soldier SHOT in iraq and denied benefits here, given the run around yet one of the men responsible for the run around is given a $33,000 BONUS? shite, that just is NOT right
why did wtnh channel 8 have to go out to find proof ryan riddle was wounded in iraq? why didn't
ronald aument find proof? isn't that part of HIS job?
shouldn't our veterans, ESPECIALLY the wounded ones be taken care of?
Soldier denied benefits, cutting through the red tape
(Southington-WTNH)_An Iraq War veteran and Southington resident is a living example of the red tape that is bogging down the Veterans Administration.
While soldiers like Ryan Riddle struggle to get medical coverage for war wounds there is word that some VA officials in charge of their paperwork are getting huge cash performance bonuses. Team 8 Investigator Alan Cohn recently confronted, Ronald Aument, one of the bureaucrats who received one of those bonuses.
"The question is, how could a TV station from Connecticut reach out to people in Baghdad and confirm that this private was shot and the VA can't?""Frankly, I don't know the facts, but I'll be happy to look into it," Aument said............
a soldier SHOT in iraq and denied benefits here, given the run around yet one of the men responsible for the run around is given a $33,000 BONUS? shite, that just is NOT right
why did wtnh channel 8 have to go out to find proof ryan riddle was wounded in iraq? why didn't
ronald aument find proof? isn't that part of HIS job?
shouldn't our veterans, ESPECIALLY the wounded ones be taken care of?
Soldier denied benefits, cutting through the red tape
(Southington-WTNH)_An Iraq War veteran and Southington resident is a living example of the red tape that is bogging down the Veterans Administration.
While soldiers like Ryan Riddle struggle to get medical coverage for war wounds there is word that some VA officials in charge of their paperwork are getting huge cash performance bonuses. Team 8 Investigator Alan Cohn recently confronted, Ronald Aument, one of the bureaucrats who received one of those bonuses.
"The question is, how could a TV station from Connecticut reach out to people in Baghdad and confirm that this private was shot and the VA can't?""Frankly, I don't know the facts, but I'll be happy to look into it," Aument said............
Thursday, May 03, 2007
this is how we treat our war wounded: ryan riddle a connecticut horror story
they (the va) says there is NO proof of a wound? ryan riddle WAS SHOT in iraq (friendly fire, but shot none the less). why should he have to do a whole dog and pony show to get the benefits HE DESERVES?
and a GIANT shout out to wtnh, news channel 8 for attempting to do what SHOULD have been done all along.
this is bull shite
Injured Connecticut soldier denied service benefits
Southington-WTNH)_A presidential task force has announced new measures to improve what it describes as unacceptably poor coordination between the veterans administration and the defense department when it comes to helping wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan prove their disability claims.
Just last week veterans affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said "these heroes should not have to fight bureaucratic red tape for benefits earned by their courageous service." Ryan Riddle is a Connecticut veteran who has been fighting through that red tape ever since he was wounded in Iraq............
.............It was an accidental shooting which left very real scars from shrapnel wounds to Riddle's wrist and legs. Doctors were unable to remove part of the bullet in his leg because it was too close to an artery.
Riddle received a commendation for his service at the checkpoint; the soldier who shot him got a reprimand. Riddle was discharged and moved home to Southington. He filed for service related benefits for the gun shot wound, and doctors at the Newington Veterans hospital told him there is no proof of his injury..............
...........That was almost a month ago. News Channel 8 turned over a letter written on Army stationary by Riddle's sergeant who was with him when he was shot. We even offered to give the VA the x-rays that show the bullet lodged in his thigh, but as of right now, Riddle's claim is still denied.
The VA said the documents help but it is still trying to get a hold of the soldiers that we had no trouble contacting to corroborate their story.
Rep. John Larson, (D, who has been following the case said it's ridiculous.........
and a GIANT shout out to wtnh, news channel 8 for attempting to do what SHOULD have been done all along.
this is bull shite
Injured Connecticut soldier denied service benefits
Southington-WTNH)_A presidential task force has announced new measures to improve what it describes as unacceptably poor coordination between the veterans administration and the defense department when it comes to helping wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan prove their disability claims.
Just last week veterans affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said "these heroes should not have to fight bureaucratic red tape for benefits earned by their courageous service." Ryan Riddle is a Connecticut veteran who has been fighting through that red tape ever since he was wounded in Iraq............
.............It was an accidental shooting which left very real scars from shrapnel wounds to Riddle's wrist and legs. Doctors were unable to remove part of the bullet in his leg because it was too close to an artery.
Riddle received a commendation for his service at the checkpoint; the soldier who shot him got a reprimand. Riddle was discharged and moved home to Southington. He filed for service related benefits for the gun shot wound, and doctors at the Newington Veterans hospital told him there is no proof of his injury..............
...........That was almost a month ago. News Channel 8 turned over a letter written on Army stationary by Riddle's sergeant who was with him when he was shot. We even offered to give the VA the x-rays that show the bullet lodged in his thigh, but as of right now, Riddle's claim is still denied.
The VA said the documents help but it is still trying to get a hold of the soldiers that we had no trouble contacting to corroborate their story.
Rep. John Larson, (D, who has been following the case said it's ridiculous.........
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