Thank you for not only hiring a vet but also for trying to understand where he is coming from and what his issues are that he has to deal with. Many employers give lip service to it but don't actually follow through.
Our battlefield medicine has gotten good enough that many grievous injuries that previously would never have survived now do, but out treatment of those same soldiers when they get home has not improved and they just flounder in society.
The VA is staffed by folks that are over saturated with workload, overburdened with bureaucracy and the staff becomes desensitized to those they deal with and there is little accountability; thus the problems that they have bloomed in to the system that exists.
Appointments are months into the future not even close to the guidelines for medical care that are published as the minimum acceptable. Remind you of the stories that were told about socialized medicine? We used to joke that if you want government healthcare and how it would be run all you have to do is look at the VA health system. There it is in all its government run glory.
More money would help but just like the public school system, throwing money without a near complete overhaul of the system is not in itself a solution either. It would help a lot however to better fund the treatment of our vets. The problem is folks can't relate to them. I saw a statistic that is very telling. Less than 5% of American know of an individual who has ever served in uniform.
Some years back, I put on my "formal" military uniform for a civilian function that my wife and I felt it appropriate (as well as legal under the uniform rules) to wear. (called "mess dress" at the time). I never heard the comments but my wife heard many folks, who did not know who she was or that she was connected to me, talking to others folks and wondering if I had found the uniform and the the ribbons/medals at a costume store. Stupid folks, maybe maybe not, but disconnected from the realities that uniformed service members live on a daily basis, absolutely and that is part of the problem.
The belief that if it is not my problem then it does not exist. The "me generation" could be blamed but the problem has existed longer than the "me generation" has, so can't just blame them.
Any way thank you for your understanding and your attempts to help this individual.
He appreciates it and so do others, I among them. Just hope that you are successful in giving him an understanding ear to bend at times and that it works out.