“Back Off Social Security” was the message on hundreds of placards held high by a standing room only crowd in an auditorium of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC on Monday, March 28th at a rally facilitated by Social Security Works.

I was the only veteran who was part of a panel of 10 speakers, each of whom talked briefly yet passionately about how Social Security programs have helped them and others to survive.

For my part, I started working when I was 16 years old, so when I incurred my spinal cord injury nearly seven years later while in the military, I applied for and received Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Those monthly payments helped me to meet my expenses while I attended a local college part-time to obtain a degree. Four years after I started receiving SSDI, I was able to return to work and enjoy a fulfilling career.

Thirty-six years later at age 63, I was laid off due to the 2008 recession. Once more, because of a worsening of my spinal cord injury, I turned to Social Security to apply for SSDI benefits. At that time, I was newly married and I had a 14-year-old stepdaughter. I was granted SSDI benefits that included a payment for my spouse until our daughter turned 16 years old, and a continuing payment for our daughter until she graduates from high school a little more than a year from now. My SSDI helps to cover life’s expenses and enables us to save for our daughter’s college education.

Besides my own experience, I told the gathering that there is a misperception out there—and among some Senators and Representatives, too—that when veterans leave the military the VA takes care of all their needs. That’s not true. Many veterans, especially those who served honorably during peacetime and did not incur a disability during their service, may not be eligible for any VA services. Often, these veterans rely on Social Security benefits to live out their retirement with dignity and respect.

I also stated that Americans like me work hard, pay money into the Social Security system and it rewards you modestly for your work when you retire. I concluded that now that I’m retired, I’ve earned my Social Security benefits and no Senator should try to take them away.

After all the panelists spoke to the packed room, we were joined by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

Majority Leader Reid emphasized that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 1, which includes a $1.7 billion cut in Social Security benefits. He stated with emphasis that the U. S. Senate will never agree to this cut. Senator Harkin recalled how many years ago Social Security helped his mother, his two brothers and himself when his father was killed in an automobile accident. And Senator Sanders remarked that he believed the 75-year-old Social Security system may be the most successful government program ever.

VetsFirst agrees with everything that the distinguished gentlemen said. And so, we urge our members, other veterans and all Americans to tell all Senators, regardless of political affiliation, to “back off Social Security.” Tell them that it did not cause in any way, shape or form the current federal government deficit, and that in fact, Social Security is a benefit that hard-working Americans have earned.

Terry Moakley
Chair of the VetsFirst Committee