Title: VA Backlog Threatens Veterans

" A disability check from the US veterans administration can be the only thing standing between an injured veteran. And homelessness destitution. Or worse. What's troubling news that veterans are increasingly buried by bureaucratic red tape. Many of these vets -- for our country and other fighting again this time. For their benefit yeah."

" A lot explosion and I get. Cost up against the uphold the vehicle. And now -- I -- I remember the bridge shaking him on the thinking to bring that average was coming down."

" John would Kaczynski was a navy corpsman a medic assigned to marine unit that are heavy fighting all over Iraq."

" I can hear my platoon sergeant I can hear him screaming now corpsman up corn up Christina so is all the guys I want the scouts from my vehicle. That journal -- had. In blood porn on his face."

" Since returning home to -- memories of Iraq are still hard to shake. It's personal photo shows some of the carnage he witnessed."

" Welcome July comes near the fireworks. And near Big Bang I can still see faces. And I can still see things that I will. Picked -- agree with me."

" Diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and other ailments with Kaczynski found it impossible to return to his old job as an anti. September 2007 he filed a claim with the US veterans administration. For disability benefits. You didn't know it then but he was beginning a new battle a battle that would be tough does anything he faced in the Iraqi desert."

" VA's -- dragon -- did it did just dragging this -- and dragging you know. It's got to the point will want IC a letterhead that senses. JFK federal building and the NBA's logo on it I arranged I don't know what they want tax."

" With it says the VA -- the first claim filed in November the following year he started over with a new claim ultimately what do you want from the I would like to be compensated. Clearly from my disabilities that -- I mean I didn't have a before when and what do you think is going to happen if you don't get some relief from the but what an older house. When a real -- And I would get worse. It's not just with Kaczynski whose claim is the late. Nationwide there are nearly a half million veterans waiting for the VA to act a Boston BA which covers nearly all of Massachusetts. Has more than 4000 claims pending the bad blood is serious the -- is that -- John homer of Quincy. Is a past national commander of The American Legion. Who still travels around the country speaking about veterans' issues why is there such -- back."

" Well backlog I think -- got a lot to do with the with the intricacies of the law and and the alleged laser which the they negative putting laws into effect. To try to help the thing but sometimes it hurts is somewhat."

" After fighting for America that you should not have to fight over paperwork. Are you the benefits that you --"

" Earlier this summer President Obama promised to reduce the VA backlog. Already the VA has more than 4000 new employees to help speed up the process. That's little comfort to Reggie price has been tried for ten years to get the VA to recognizes disability."

" I started trying to get benefits. In 1999. And I got to not the first and can I got discouraged. In 2006 every applied. And the -- is not welcome all the documents it needed. And I can go through cross assisted."

" As price kept going through the process is -- began to unravel. He suffers from GSD and mental illness and even did a stint in prison for domestic assault. What are we spoke to him he was broke and about to become homeless out of desperation -- turn to attorney."

" David banner. How difficult is that for a veteran to navigate the system. It really getting to the point of being almost impossible do you see things getting worse not better than. They're going to get worse they're going to take longer prison is that many more patients who served our country. I think it has life. And now I'm sitting here destitute. Eighty cents in my pocket I felt good work of cornered -- in my country. And it but what countries not to kill me."

" In the end the VA did take care of both veterans we interviewed after we started asking the VA questions about the case is the agency agreed that both men are completely do able because of their military service. And entitled to a full disability pension as for the VA the second biggest agency in the federal government. No one would go on camera to talk about this story a department official did tell us the agency is trying to earn back the trust the veterans and reduce the backlog. Coming up Monday at ten a story about a stayed home for veterans conditions are so -- some residents say they'd rather be homeless. She. Got an idea for -- fox undercover investigation get a call 1800 TV Fox25. A Mike Beaudet for fox undercover."