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 Vallarta Living | Veteran Affairs | May 2006 
A Young Marine
 David Lord - PVNN
| | Joseph Ford Jr., left, comforts his father, Joseph Michael Ford Sr. as he kisses the flag that was given to him by the marines during a funeral service for his son Tuesday, May 9, 2006, in Onset, Mass. Lance Cpl. Michael L. Ford, of New Bedford, was killed by an explosive device in Iraq on April 26. (The Standard-Times/Peter Pereira) |
His time spent in recovery at the Army's Burn Center in Texas, he has been there over fourteen months now, with years of recovery yet to go. The twenty-year-old Marine is a resident at Brooks Army Hospital receiving the best treatment available. The best treatment available does not mean it will be successful or even come close to restoring him to a normal life.
The medical care given to our war wounded veterans is saving lives that would have been lost a decade ago. The eighteen thousand wounded of this war have endured (in some cases) the most horrendous scaring of any conflict in our history. Their hands and/or feet are often burnt off, in this case his face was melted away along with his hands, he is so scared you cannot tell his race, let alone what he once looked like.
When his father arrives in the hallway, a black man, he thanks me for coming to see his son. He takes from around his neck a Marine Corps I.D. strap and gives it to me, saying, "Thank you for supporting my son." I will remember this Marine and this father each and everyday.
When speaking to the young Marine, I was looking at his wounded face and was aware of the depth of his eyes, I thought to myself "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Jesus said that on the Cross, I say it to President Bush and Vice President Cheney for sending our soldiers into Iraq.
They made statements claiming ties to the (9/11) attack, they made it clear there were weapons of mass destruction, and they implied the weapons were going to be used against us. But they had no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
When the President visited this very hospital, he offered his support to a soldier by inviting a wounded, legless Veteran to run with him at the White House. The Soldier remembers his words as, "When you get your new high-tech titanium legs, it will serve as motivation to all those others that have lost limbs if you come and run with me on a White House Jog."
The President and those that surround him in the White House have no sons or daughters in this war. What if President Bushes daughters and Vice presidents Cheney's daughter had to enlist and serve in the combat in Iraq?
There are few if any children of Senators and Congressmen that will sacrifice for this war, but they will sacrifice yours and mine, and then invite them to run awhile, just to show the world it is not so bad if you have no legs - but they have new prosthetic devices, how kind of them, how Patriotic... how would they like to trade places?
The father of a Marine is at Brooks Army Burn Center today and will be for many more days to come. He will endure visit after visit, then go home night after night, living the pain of his son's uncertain future.
Today I celebrate my 38th birthday, I was born 57 years ago, but in 1968 on May 9th, I was just 19 and in battle. Just a few meters ahead was the machine gun and the enemy, the impact of a 50 caliber round took off my leg's right calf. Today, I
know I was so fortunate - it could have been my last day. Instead it's my birthday, a second chance at life, and when I see the young wounded Marines of today and what will be their life-long struggle, I know how blessed I am.
TOLL FREE NUMBERS FOR CONTACTING VA
The VA provides toll-free 800 phone service for Veterans to obtain information about benefits.
VA Benefits: 1-800-827-1000
• Burial
• Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA)
• Death Pension
• Dependency Indemnity Compensation
• Direct Deposit
• Directions to VA benefits Regional Offices
• Disability Compensation
• Disability Pension
• Education
• Home Loan Guaranty
• Life Insurance
• Medical Care
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
Education (GI Bill): 1-888-442-4551
Health Care Benefits: 1-877-222-8387
Income Verification and Means Testing: 1-800-929-8387
Life Insurance: 1-800-669-8477
Mammography Helpline: 1-888-492-7844
Special Issues - Gulf War/Agent Orange/Project Shad/Mustard Agents and Lewisite/Ionizing Radiation: 1-800-749-8387
Status of Headstones and Markers: 1-800-697-6947
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD): 1-800-829-4833
 David Lord served in Vietnam as combat Marine for 1st Battalion 26th Marines, during which time he was severely wounded. He received the Purple Heart and the Presidential Unit Citation for his actions during the war in Vietnam. In Mexico, David now represents all veterans south of the U.S. border all the way to Panama, before the V.A. and the Board of Veterans Appeals. David Lord provides service to veterans at no fee. Veterans are welcome to drop in and discuss claims/benefits to which they are entitled by law at his office located at Bayside Properties, 160 Francisca Rodriguez, tel.: 223-4424, call him at home 299-5367, on his cell: 044 (322) 205-1323, or email him at mophmx@@yahoo.com or david.lord@yahoo.com.
Click HERE for more Veteran Affairs with David Lord »»» |
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