WEBVTT

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I just recently

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retired from

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the American Lake VA

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campus after

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24 years of

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federal service.

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I've been a nurse

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for over 30 years.

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We came to this rally

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to support our

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veterans, to make

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sure that he is

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aware that if

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benefits are to be

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cut, it's going to

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affect a lot of

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people.

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I worked as an RN

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care manager at the

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VA and personally

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know how long the

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referrals take to

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even get processed

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once an outside

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referral has been

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requested.

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And, sometimes it

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does a detriment

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to our veterans.

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And, I personally

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am a veteran.

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I have VA healthcare

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and recently it took

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me four months to get

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an eye appointment.

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They just canceled

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my eye appointment

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because that

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provider is leaving,

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no reason why.

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And my next

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appointment is

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in September.

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I refuse to go

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to the outside.

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I want to keep my

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care at the VA.
