US SOCIAL PROGRAMS

Three US Social programs

Three US Social programs

This discussion will seek to describe a minimum of 3 U.S. Social programs. In order to do so adequatly, the discussion will identify a beneficiary of each program, and discuss the help provided by the selected organizations. The paper will also evaluate the ability of each social program to provide adequate support to the intended beneficiaries, and present alternatives to these programs.

Veterans Benefits

One in nine Washington state residents is a veteran of military service. The census conducted in 2000 informs us that we have more than 670,000 veterans in our state. We also have more than 60,000 active duty troops stationed at our military bases and 28,000 members of the National Guard and Reserve living in our communities. Injuries and diseases that veterans hold as a result of military service can be visible, but often are deep and invisible. Many veterans who served during the Vietnam War are struggling with various forms of cancer, Hepatitis C, traumatic stress and disorder (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD).

The public's children may have congenital conditions, which have a direct correlation to Agent Orange, an agent used to defoliate the jungle during the Vietnam War. Other veterans, particularly those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, returning with conditions influenced by combat exposure and other environmental factors (McIlroy, 2003). These veterans are eligible for benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for medical care and other monetary benefits that depend on the nature of their injuries.

When veterans apply for and receive benefits through the VA, the cost of services is absorbed by the federal government by reducing the use of resources in the community. Pension dollars are invested in the VA typically in the local community, city, county, and state. These dollars contribute to the viability ...