As per instruction by Attorney Kabatchnick, please find below a short statement why I am working in this clinic....
In the beginning was George Washington who warned that, "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." Dick Durbin today concedes that "We owe our disabled veterans more than speeches, parades and monuments." At the very least, maybe decent health care and compensation for injuries and disabilities they suffer from as a result of serving our country. Certainly not an endless maze of bureaucratic hoops set up by an agency and administration whose motto seem to be "Delay, Deny, and Wait until they Die." It is incumbent upon all to help them get what they deserve, for indeed, they've already paid the price.
Michelle Al-Shishani
2L, NCCU
I signed up for the Veteran's Rights Project because I have genuine concern about individuals who have served on active duty. Often, people join the military at a young age looking for guidance and direction. If the young person leaves the military after only a few years served, he/she is likely to find the civilian world a strange and uncomfortable place to be. Military people serve our country 365 days a year. What would our nation be without the defense of the military? We must support our active duty members and veterans!
Melissa Kaufman Dear VFW
I volunteered for the Veterans Law Project because I was somewhat outraged when I learned of the difficulty veterans were having collecting benefits to which they are legally entitled. I think it is shameful that our government would nickel and dime citizens who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Awareness of the current situation is particularly painful for me in regard to the veterans of the ongoing conflict in Iraq. Because of the types of injuries from which these veterans are suffering due the nature of the conflict, and the means by which our country was led into this war, it is upsetting to hear from veterans that our government is not upholding its end of the bargain.
Matthew Schofield To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Guy Dawson Rouse III and I am a first year law student at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC. I was asked to send a comment to you by Attorney Craig Kabatchnick concerning what my motivation was for helping in NCCU's effort to establish a Law Clinic to assist veterans. First, before I list my comment, I want to make clear that I come from a very poor family and the only reason that I ever had a chance of succeeding in this world was because of the opportunities that enlisting for six years in the US Navy gave me. I love this country and love the people who chose to serve.
The reason I chose to help is this:
"As a former enlisted man in the Navy, I have a keen respect for those who have served and those who continue to serve our country. If helping these men and women who gave so much of their lives to protect this country helps them in any way at all, it will give me greater satisfaction than the years I served myself. I want these
veterans to know that they are not alone and that they now have a group of people who care about their sacrifices working to assist them. It's about giving back to those who have given a lot and out of respect for those that gave all."
Thank you,
Dawson Rouse I choose to help veterans receive the benefits they are owed by the government because I believe that supporting the troops means more than just wearing a pin or a ribbon. I am extremely disappointed at how politicians use "supporting the troops" in their photo ops and sound bytes and forget about them when it really counts. It is hard to believe that it is even necessary for us to have to fight the government to get benefits for the men and woman they send overseas to such horrific conditions. As an American citizen who does not serve in the military, I feel this is one way I can truly support the troops and do something important for my country.
-Justin Flores I served on active duty for ten years and continue to serve the Army National Guard. As a Non Commissioned Officer I am charged to provide for the health and welfare of the soldiers in my care.
The Veteran’s Rights Clinic is a natural extension for me to provide for the health and welfare of fellow veterans with the knowledge and skills I am developing as a law student at North Carolina Central University.
Robert Hogarth “We are a nation at war, and it is important not to forget those serving, past or present. America owes a debt a gratitude to our nation’s warriors. Assisting veterans in their legal matters is one of the ways I am able to express my gratitude.”
– Matt Modell, University of North Carolina law student
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