Harriet N. Brinker, RN, BSN, Consultant, is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. She knew at age 8 years old, after gifted a present from her parents of a play nursing kit and a doll nurse, she would be in the medical profession. She volunteered as candy striper in the local hospital after school hours and in the school clinic with the school nurse as her mentor. As experiences were realized she became focused on pursuing a career in public service and health where she would have the most contact and work with people. It was not until she married and had a child that she started back to college and obtained an ASN degree from the Columbus Ohio State College graduating on her birthday in 1980.
Due to an business opportunity offered her husband and she relocated to South Florida with an offer for a new position in the Public Health and School Health Nursing programs. Her desire to continue her education was then fulfilled. While working she received her Bachelor of Nursing Degree from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida in 2007.
Having been astute in caring for a community that required services for those less fortunate she became interested in Florida's veterans who are not qualified for medical care and services that our government has promised they would have. She became ever more enraged when she realized how many veterans from every war and age group were scraping the bottom of the barrel to live while waiting for services they earned after serving our country with honor. She learned after calling the Florida State Department Veterans Affairs of the increase in suicides due to the stress of waiting for the application process to take place. Congress reduced the wait time from 600 to 300 days until the initial application is reviewed. Unsatisfactory at best.
Research promoted by Harriet looked for any plan of action to help our veterans but she found none. The best that government promised was time to wait for the process. There are some education and job offers available but few can take advantage of them when the veterans needs health care and services in order to qualify for a job. Harriet's research verified the plight and fight for life concerns that brought her to write her first article on veterans being abused , neglected and financially denied their earned benefits from our federal government. She learned the more harrowing news of how many are dying daily without access to any benefits.
You are invited to copy these columns and share them with as many as possible. It will be by the voices of “We the People” that will change this travesty, if we are ever to be heard.