Troop Strength.

This article discusses veteran reactions to the Bush administration's provisions for war veterans in the federal budget. Each February, after the president's budget is unveiled, a coalition of four veterans' groups--Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, and Paralyzed Veterans of America--releases a critique of the administration's spending priorities for vets. For months, Democrats have been salivating over the prospect that the anger of veterans' groups, the frustration of military families whose loved ones are away on extended troop rotations, and even the discontent of the troops themselves have combined to create a perfect storm of opportunity for Kerry(John Kerry) to win a large chunk of the military vote. Logistically, it's difficult to survey troops serving abroad, and, historically, exit polls at home haven't asked questions about military service. But Kerry advisers and outside academics who study the armed services divide the military vote up into four basic categories--current servicemembers, reservists and National Guard members, military families, and veterans--each with a varying degree of potential for the Democratic nominee this year. Finally, Kerry championed many of the entitlement issues veterans have been calling for in recent years--none more important than his call to remove veterans' health care from the discretionary budget process entirely and make annual VA budgets mandatory.