National Parks and DAV discounts

SkyKing:

I could not say it any better than you have said it.

I too am a disabled vet and I am thankful for everything that has been provided for me. Life is not perfect. In fact, life is hard, but the truly happy person deals with this fact.

I am setting at a campsite 100 yards from the Atlantic Ocean for $15 a night with no discount. Where else can you do that? For $40 a month I have better health insurance in TriCare Prime than I could ever hope for. I shop at the PX and commissary and save 7% off the top because I do not pay sales tax.

I do get discounts on many things but I do not think I deserve them, but I appreciate them when they happen. I accept the random acts of kindness that come my way when someone recognizes my service to the nation.

The biggest benefit that I receive is that I am a member of one of the most exclusive clubs in our nation. There is a fraternity of those who have worn the uniform and served when othersran the other way or hoped not to be called. When you are on a military post you a member of that exclusive group of people who were willing to raise their right hand and agree to make the ultimate sacrifice if called upon to do so.

But we are truly the fortunate ones because we are still here. Most WWII vets if you asked them if they were heroes, they will tell you that the heroes were the ones who never got to come home.

So we have the greatest benefit of all right now. We have served and are still serving but in a different capacity. Being able to serve is the greatest honor I will every be given.

My benefits whatever they maybe are the recognition of a grateful nation.

By the way, I never saw an addendum to any contract I may have signed that gave me a firm list of what to expect. Having now retired from both the Army and my school district, I know that what I receive today is far more than I could have in most civilian retirements. I do not know what I will receive tomorrow but I have not been disappointed in the past. I do not anticipate being disappointed in the future.

If you expect things in your life to be bad, that is what you will receive.

Ronald Reagan told a story that is most appropriate. He said the pessimist will see a pile of horse dung and see it as something bad that must be cleaned up. The optimist will see the same pile and will say that there must a pony around here somewhere. I prefer to go looking for the pony.

Is this a GREAT country or what!!!???

Curt

we too have the old card and have not been asked to turn it in. We camp in COE parks all the time. We have never been denied the discount in COE parks. We even asked a park ranger if we had to turn it in and get the new card and they said no.

I guess no question is as simple as it first appears...

Some seem to get me wrong here -- as I do absolutely appreciate the benefits I earned here and everywhere - and the key work here is "earned" like every other retired and DAV. But, once again, when someone (usually a civilian) says to me "You get free health care, how, lucky you are" ... I want to punch them -- because to tell the truth, I don't feel lucky. It is not free -- we, all of us veterans and DAV, paid for and earned each and every benefit ... and some of us paid more than others ... and as a 100% DAV for over forty years, most of that time would have been my prime earning years in the civilian world, and would have earned me a ton more money than I have now, and a lot larger pension.

But, you know what, I did it because I believe in it, and in the freedom we have in this country, and would do it again in a heartbeat, even if I knew that result -- and never complain about my condition, because that's the price some of us pay to serve our country. It's the nature of the game.

And during those forty years, the average raise have been pretty minimal -- the COA equal -- and over those same years, some of the benefits have been removed or cancelled. So, I do have a problem with any benefit - once given - then taken away. And that is my whole issue here ... take something away that says "entitled for life" -- like that means nothing. And when you take a tiny piece of "benefit" away, each a little at a time, then add it up, it becomes a much bigger pile ... even if it is dung.

So, it's not about whether the campgrounds survive or fail, or live up to the expectations of the private sector -- if the campgrounds need financial help, then raise the price for everyone, don't just subtract a discount from the DAVs ... it's about whether or not a promise means anything to the veterans.

"Let?s just thank God and be happy that we have all of our body parts" and are standing above the dirt to be able to complain about the issue.

"Some of us don't have all the body parts ..."

But aside from that issue - let me say that I absolutely and without a doubt appreciate the benefits and the pension ... and enjoy camping and RV'ing and all the things I do ... and I thought I was asking a pretty simple question here that has jumped into something much bigger -- as if by "stating a fact" (some read that complain) that I don't appreciate the benefits that remain -- nothing farther from the truth -- I do worry though that some of our benefits disappear as we move on through the years.

Cheldreth Quote: "The biggest benefit that I receive is that I am a member of one of the most exclusive clubs in our nation." And this is one of the most absolute truths that's ever been 'so well stated' ....

I'm the Disabled Vet here and the DH is the 24yr. Army retired....Skyking8 said it all....we have never been turned away from any VA Hospital while Rving and the military hospitals, if they can't help you, they have done a wonderful job referring to who will treat you well....we haven't done the Park system yet so only go by what others have told us.....the Golden Access/America the Beautiful card....we have used alot as there are still military CGs out there who honor them......yes, our benefits have been reduced, but like your personal Budget sometimes things have to change......What we don't do is go into places demanding stuff that we think we deserve.....great way to turn off the folks who are there to serve you as a retiree/DAV.....they have rules to follow themselves and try very hard to accomadate you.....I am probably rambling on here, but since we are camphosting this winter we see alot of this and of course, have heard it all......

RvGrammy

I hope no one is misreading me here -- this is never a demand on my part, demanding is not in my character -- if the park or facility says no, I simply go away and find another area. No big deal ... I'm out to have fun, not an argument in a "no-win" situation, but what this brings to light is whether or not the "size" of the benefit matters. Once agin, this has blown way up from what I thought was a simple question about NP discounts ... not so simple it seems -- and once again, all our benefits are appreciated, no matter what they are ...

And it seems few really care about a loss of a $6-$8 or so discount for a benefit you thought you could use ... but what happens if you suddenly lost your medical benefit ?? That gets pretty costly and of course, would be a huge fight in congress and everywhere else ... but it still "a benefit" you thought you had (have?) -- and it seems to me that the cost of what you lose suddenly becomes an issue -- rather than the fact that "a benefit" is lost -- and maybe the little benefits aren't worth the effort.

Most of us would probably rather be camping, I'm sure, than debating with the "structure" about it.