Veteran Charles Ingram III known as Rich to his family and friends. Served in the U.S. Navy for seven years from 1985-1992. Ingram served his country honorably attaining the rank of chief petty officer, during his last years in the Navy he was at seas in the Persian Gulf. After service he went back to Egg Harbor Township, NJ to be with his wife and two kids. In March 2016 Veteran Charles Ingram took his life. Ingram was suffering from mental health issues. A year before that in 2015, Ingram was trying to schedule an appointment with a psychologist. The VA clinic continuously cancelled his previous appointments. He was told that he would have to wait 3 months or more before he could get another appointment. Ingram hadn't been seen by a psychologist for approximately 11 months prior to his death. The VA Healthcare left him without refills for prescribed medication and without follow ups. Ingram told his family and friends that the staff at the clinic "did not return calls and were rude." The VA was able to get him an appointment at a Non-VA facility but none of the staff contacted him. Shortly before his rescheduled appointment Ingram took his life by setting himself on fire outside of a New Jersey VA clinic. Ingram was only 51 years old when he passed away.

  A problem in my city/community is how the Veteran Affairs treat veterans when it comes to healthcare. I think that they need to improve the way they treat them. You have veterans who come back with mental health issues, musculoskeletal injuries and pain, chemical exposure, traumatic brain injuries and many more.

  A lot of veterans aren’t seen or treated right away. There’s such a long waiting time, and this plays a part in allowing their problems to get worse. In Los Angeles nearly one hundred veterans have died waiting for healthcare. Veterans have to wait hours or even days just see a doctor. Then on top of that they have to wait up to six days or more just to get their results back. Some veterans have to wait months or even years just to get an appointment and/or their results back. About 307,000 veterans might die awaiting Veteran Affairs healthcare.

  The veteran medical facilities are no better.  Most of the buildings are old and raggedy buildings from the past, that they’re trying to hold on to and utilize as much as possible. In Salt Lake City, Utah an Army Veteran took pictures of a filthy exam room in a VA hospital. The clinics and hospitals do not provide the proper care that veterans deserve. The VA isn’t keeping their promise to “ensure veterans are being taken care of efficiently.” By them not keeping their promise they are putting a lot of veterans lives at risk. Veterans aren’t given the opportunity to receive a different doctor if they don’t agree with the way their doctor is treating them. It’s hard for veterans get healthcare outside of the VA system.

  In conclusion, I believe that the healthcare for veterans should improve the way the VA treats them isn’t fair. They’ve done and been through so much to help our country. The least the VA can do is provide them with better healthcare.