Letter: Military health care can be among the best

Sunday, March 11, 2007 | 7:42 a.m.

I take exception to the March 9 letter from Lee S. Gliddon Jr., "Public health care mired in red tape," concerning what he sees as the inadequacies of government (and military in particular) health care. I have no dog in the fight over private or national health care, as my wife and I are fortunate to be eligible for the military-sponsored Tricare For Life medical care system.

Mr. Gliddon alleges in his letter that military health care is bogged down with "red tape," and adds, "Ask any Army brat how his/her medical care was while growing up." But as a 30-year retired military member whose three kids were all born in Navy hospitals and grew up supported by military medicine at stations all over the world, all I can say is that my family and I received the best care that one could ask for, with no more problems than we encountered in private health care situations later after leaving the military.

One local cardiologist in private practice diagnosed my wife with congenital heart failure, telling her that she "might" have two years to live. Later, seeking a second opinion from a doctor at the Nellis Air Force Base Federal Hospital, the doctor told her that her problem was an overactive thyroid, and that was 12 years ago. I don't know what Mr. Gliddon's personal experiences have been concerning military medicine, but for this family, it's been more than adequate.

Don Shirley, Las Vegas