Lingle urges focus on care for vets

Memorial Day services are held across the state yesterday

The military must do more to make sure that injured veterans and returning soldiers receive the best medical care, Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday.

Lingle, speaking during the annual Governor's Memorial Day Service at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery, said she was upset by recent reports of poor care for soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center near Washington, D.C.

"I was disturbed because no one who has ever served in our military should have to fight for benefits. It should be as easy to get benefits as it was to sign up," Lingle told the more than 200 assembled military officials and veterans in Kaneohe.

Speaking about the criticism that the United States was not prepared for the number of casualties coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, Lingle said it should not be something to debate. "I don't know if we were prepared or not prepared when we started. But we need to get prepared now, and we need to make certain that no one comes home to anything less than the very best medical care our very wealthy society can provide."

After her speech, in an interview, Lingle was asked if she had changed her opinion or support for the war in Iraq.

Lingle said she thought that "politics should not be playing a role" in the issues of national defense.

Lingle was critical of recent attempts by Democrats in Congress to restrict funding for the Iraq war when they did not have the votes to override President Bush's veto of the bill.

"I think you can make a point without wasting the time and money of the government and creating uncertainty for the families of the people fighting and uncertainty among our allies and uncertainty, in a good way, among our enemies," Lingle said.