Romney pledges more health care options for veterans

The Republican presidential nominee took a break from his party's convention in Tampa to address the American Legion in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, one news outlet looks at geographic disparities in services for veterans.

The Wall Street Journal: Romney Pledges To Expand Programs To Help Veterans
Mitt Romney vowed Wednesday to expand employment and tuition assistance for veterans, taking a quick detour from the Republican National Convention to unveil new policy details in a speech here. ... "Right now the VA has a shortage of mental health care professionals. I'll hire more," Mr. Romney told the convention. "Any time a veteran is unable to receive timely health care from the VA system, he or she will be allowed to see a Tricare provider at the VA's expense." (Murray, 8/29).

California Watch: For Disabled Veterans Awaiting Benefits Decisions, Location Matters
If you're a Northern California veteran who has waited a year for a decision on a war-related disability claim, you might consider a move to South Dakota – where the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs typically responds in less than half the time. Returning home from Afghanistan to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or Atlanta? Veterans who live in Lincoln, Neb., and Fargo, N.D., get their benefits faster. The geographic inequity of VA wait times is fully detailed for the first time in an analysis by The Bay Citizen and its parent organization, the Center for Investigative Reporting (Glantz and Shifflett, 8/29).