Robert Kinney and his friend John Farnell share a lot in common. Both served in the Army, are Vietnam veterans and struggle with their health.
"We're having a very difficult time getting things that typically would be easy for anyone in civilian life to get accomplished," Kinney said.
It's just another thing they have in common: a frustration with Austin's Veteran's Affairs Healthcare system.
"My teeth, it took about a year to get them," Farnell said. "It's just impossible for them to be able to handle the massive amounts of veterans that are coming back from Iraq."
Since March of 2003, the Veterans Affairs Administration's Central Texas healthcare sytem gained more than 7,300 patients who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Last year the V.A. served 70,000 veterans in Central Texas alone.
"There are days about two or three days a week that you can't even find a parking spot," Farnell said.
But the V.A. says they have funds coming in from Congress to meet the need.
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Veteran's Affairs
Health care is a major concern for veterans, no matter how long its been since they've seen combat.
 
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"I think that we're pressed right now, but I think that we're doing a good job. I think our people in the V.A. are working as hard as they can and are doing our best to serve everyone who has needs," Dr. Abraham Delgado of Veterans Affairs said.
As it is, veterans can get care two years after leaving the military whether or not they were injured at war. Congress is trying to increase that to five years.
But these vets worry services aren't expanding at the rate that will protect them and future heroes.
"Care needs to be given to all the troops the ones who have served, the ones who are serving and the ones that will be serving," Kinney said.
