Panel of Contributors: Local impact of Iraq war at the VA Panel of Contributors: Local impact of Iraq war at the VA (October 06, 2004)

By Henry Organ

In February of 2003, I asked the Menlo Park City Council to adopt two resolutions. One was to oppose military aggression against Iraq, and the other was in opposition to the Patriot Act and Patriot Act II. Since both issues are still being hotly debated, they remain worthy of comment.

When I appeared before the council, most of the members did not think the council should be taking a position on these subjects, for a variety of reasons. I responded that the subject was germane to the city, given the presence of a Veterans Hospital in Menlo Park, within biking distance of the City Council Chambers.

Residents of Menlo Park work at this hospital. Patients of this hospital live in and transverse the streets of Menlo Park. Menlo Park provides services to the hospital.

On September 28, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, reported that his department is projecting an increase in the number of veterans with mental illnesses and posttraumatic stress disorders. Please note that the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is in Menlo Park.

In an article published by Knight Ridder on September 29, the director of the Center in Menlo Park, Fred Gusman, is reported to have said that "...his staff had not seen a large number of Iraq veterans, but is expecting significant numbers of soldiers looking for help when they return home."

Several months ago, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Atherton, reported at a town hall meeting in Palo Alto that the VA hospitals were woefully under-budgeted.

Whether of relevance to the council or not, this was and is of real relevance to those who live in the Willows and neighboring communities.

Henry Organ is a member of the Almanac's Panel of Contributors and lives in Menlo Park.

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