Ill veteran of 2 wars waiting for treatment

PANAMA CITY — Capt. David Holt Smith was wheelchair-bound when he arrived in Bay County in February. He’s homeless, terminally ill and seeking veterans’ medical assistance.

But he’s still waiting for his first medical appointment with Veterans Affairs.

Smith, 77, had served during two U.S. wars in Korea and Vietnam when he encountered dangerous chemicals like Agent Orange. He now suffers with prostate cancer and, like several thousand others across the country, is stuck in the slow-grinding gears of the Veterans Affairs’ health care system. But the fight for Smith is not over yet.

“It’s unacceptable,” Smith said. “We need to get all these congressmen to get in there and preach for all of us veterans who need help. Get on the ball, don’t just sit there; we need the help.”

Smith has seen some aspects of his life improve since arriving in Panama City: he is mobile, has acquired an indispensable friend and has a job at the Panama City Rescue Mission helping other homeless veterans begin the process of getting VA assistance.

But appearances are often misleading. Smith said, after seeing his health improve, the momentary hope for treatment slipped away and his health began to rapidly degenerate over the past few weeks.

Smith received a letter from the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System March 21 that told him an initial exam would be scheduled in two weeks. Nearly two months later, Smith has not seen treatment or positive signs of his health returning.

Representatives of the Gulf coast VA headquarters in Biloxi, Miss., confirmed Smith has been scheduled for an appointment in July, but said they were unable to comment further.

Heather Birch, a Utah-native who befriended Smith after a chance encounter, has assisted him with the task of seemingly never-ending VA phone calls.

“We are a country that is not taking care of the ones who deserve it,” Birch said. “It’s crazy the walls you come up to over and over. It’s been hard and it makes me sad and so angry because it’s not fair.”

The scandal surrounding long wait times within the VA system has garnered national attention recently. One third of homeless Americans are veterans so the Rescue Mission is where they turn to locally. As horror stories pour in from across the country about VA care, areas like Bay County — which court military service members to become residents — are not immune to their reach.

“This is a real problem and it does affect the veterans of Panama City,” said Amanda Bawn, director of the mission’s developmental programs, speaking about delays in VA benefits. “The mission is limited to the services we can provide.”

Though the Rescue Mission is where homeless veterans are directed to initially get help, it isn’t equipped to handle serious health issues or mental health issues from which combat veterans often suffer.

The Rescue Mission is mostly geared to treat people struggling with chemical or alcohol dependence. Rescue Mission policy allows veteran medical holds of up to 24 months.

Smith still resides at the Rescue Mission. He was given a date of July 27 for an appointment the VA. Though his health continues to deteriorate, Smith hoped his assistance at the Rescue Mission would help younger veterans receive much-needed medical and mental treatment.

“A lot of doors have opened, but the right door hasn’t opened yet,” Smith said. “I can’t do enough, but I want to open more doors for our veterans — the younger ones out there need our help.”