Military disability rating (1 Viewer)

[FarFromHome]

Love the site. The traffic is always too notch and figured a thread on helpful information and personal journeys in regards to Military injuries would be nice. A thread to help answer each other's questions.

Veterans disabilty rating is a great way to repay all veterans for sacrificing his or her body for serving. It's a tax free monthly payment for life once your rating is established.

I am an Army veteran with a 50% disabilty rating. I fought my pride for decades, convinced 10% was where I need to be. I had all my limbs and have functioned as decent law abiding husband and father. I was content with it.

As a civilian police officer attached to the Air Force, I had a heart to heart conversation with my Flight Chief about this topic. He helped me understand that I have gave my body to my country and any medical concerns that happened during that time is handled by Uncle Sam. 3 months later I was bumped up to 50%. 50% is the cut off for free health care for life. Not the easiest accessible health care, and I currently use my private insurance, but come retirement time will allow me to quit working fairly young.

Any veteran with medical concerns, start the process and let the journey unfold.

Recently I added a new claim in accordance with the new Burn Pit legislation. I spent 9 deployed months walking by burning garbage. Took my rotation of personally burning garbage and human waste. Guess what? Thats not good for the body. I should be getting a final verdict on that soon and will share.

Come to attention soldiers and chime in.

 

[The Z Machine]

Glad you are getting your due. Thanks for putting in the work.

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

Thanks for your service

 

[-OZ-]

Recently I added a new claim in accordance with the new Burn Pit legislation.

I’m curious about this. I registered but as far as I know I’m not going to get anything for it. Isn’t it mostly a hedge To make it easier to consider certain terminal illnesses / cancer service connected?

 

[BobbyLayne]

I have never filed a claim. It seems like such an uphill slog for what amounts to a pittance. Every time I have looked into it I quickly became discouraged and elected not to file.

I'm a combat veteran with PTSD and several associated comorbidities. I've spent more than four years in mental health treatment. I'm at 0% disability. But thankfully my medical care is covered bc I'm a pauper.

Sidebar for @FarFromHome or anyone else who knows: my DD214 has several errors. My Surface Warfare qualification is not on there, which is not super important but I devoted quite a few hours to earning it and passed a three hour oral board examination. More importantly and germane to the topic, it doesn't reflect I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. I don't have any award letters but www.history.navy.mil verified my shaky middle age memory. We engaged Libyan Nanuchka II missile boats, sinking one and damaging another. Anyway, seems like I would have to get that straightened out as step one before filing a claim.

 

[-OZ-]

I have never filed a claim. It seems like such an uphill slog for what amounts to a pittance. Every time I have looked into it I quickly became discouraged and elected not to file.

I'm a combat veteran with PTSD and several associated comorbidities. I've spent more than four years in mental health treatment. I'm at 0% disability. But thankfully my medical care is covered bc I'm a pauper.

Sidebar for @FarFromHome or anyone else who knows: my DD214 has several errors. My Surface Warfare qualification is not on there, which is not super important but I devoted quite a few hours to earning it and passed a three hour oral board examination. More importantly and germane to the topic, it doesn't reflect I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. I don't have any award letters but www.history.navy.mil verified my shaky middle age memory. We engaged Libyan Nanuchka II missile boats, sinking one and damaging another. Anyway, seems like I would have to get that straightened out as step one before filing a claim.

Obviously it’s a personal call, but you’d probably get much more than a pittance. Even my minor disabilities add up to a 60% rating which is more than our house payment plus utilities. It’s quite possible you’d get more than that.
But it’s really not about “getting something”, you served, in combat, getting these things corrected is simply what’s right.
Seriously consider getting a VSO, at least to discuss possibilities.

 

[BobbyLayne]

How do I get my DD214 corrected?

 

[FarFromHome]

50% is 1200 tax free a month.

 

[BobbyLayne]

I have never filed a claim. It seems like such an uphill slog for what amounts to a pittance. Every time I have looked into it I quickly became discouraged and elected not to file.

I'm a combat veteran with PTSD and several associated comorbidities. I've spent more than four years in mental health treatment. I'm at 0% disability. But thankfully my medical care is covered bc I'm a pauper.

Sidebar for @FarFromHome or anyone else who knows: my DD214 has several errors. My Surface Warfare qualification is not on there, which is not super important but I devoted quite a few hours to earning it and passed a three hour oral board examination. More importantly and germane to the topic, it doesn't reflect I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. I don't have any award letters but www.history.navy.mil verified my shaky middle age memory. We engaged Libyan Nanuchka II missile boats, sinking one and damaging another. Anyway, seems like I would have to get that straightened out as step one before filing a claim.

Obviously it’s a personal call, but you’d probably get much more than a pittance. Even my minor disabilities add up to a 60% rating which is more than our house payment plus utilities. It’s quite possible you’d get more than that.
But it’s really not about “getting something”, you served, in combat, getting these things corrected is simply what’s right.
Seriously consider getting a VSO, at least to discuss possibilities.

Is VSO a Veteran Service Officer?

I've met with social workers and VA personnel at the VA medical center. They referred me to third parties who played phone tag with me. Or referred me to website URLs for more information.

TBH the whole process seems overwhelming. I have a hard enough time managing daily life and living with mental illness. It just seems like more stress than I can handle.

At one point (maybe four years ago) I applied for Social Security disability. Went through an intake and interview process that took the better part of several days. Lengthy application. Then met with a psychiatrist who did an evaluation. My claim was denied. My understanding is their standard operating procedure is to initially deny 100% of mental health claims. There was an appeal process which I started but then the pandemic and lockdown happened. I think I exchanged about 15 voice mails with the lady who was assigned my appeal. Eventually it died on the vine.

That was for SS disability. I have never filed a VA disability and don't even know where to begin.

 

[FarFromHome]

I have never filed a claim. It seems like such an uphill slog for what amounts to a pittance. Every time I have looked into it I quickly became discouraged and elected not to file.

I'm a combat veteran with PTSD and several associated comorbidities. I've spent more than four years in mental health treatment. I'm at 0% disability. But thankfully my medical care is covered bc I'm a pauper.

Sidebar for @FarFromHome or anyone else who knows: my DD214 has several errors. My Surface Warfare qualification is not on there, which is not super important but I devoted quite a few hours to earning it and passed a three hour oral board examination. More importantly and germane to the topic, it doesn't reflect I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. I don't have any award letters but www.history.navy.mil verified my shaky middle age memory. We engaged Libyan Nanuchka II missile boats, sinking one and damaging another. Anyway, seems like I would have to get that straightened out as step one before filing a claim.

I don't pretend to know your journey. I will say the VA is constantly changing due to upgraded technology. Have you began step 2 at:

VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs

www.va.gov

Once your registered, filing a claim is an easy online submittal. Submit online. They an informational packet. They assign your a medical place to confirm what your claim. Then they decide. It takes a few months, but there isn't a bunch of hoops you gotta jump through.

For my knee it as easy as submitting knee claim. Being assigned medical to confirm. I showed up with my medical records. He said yep. Then I waited for the rating to be assigned. Literally all I had to do was show up for doctor.

My latest Burn pit was the same. I applied for claim online at VA.GOV. They assigned doctor to visit. I went. Now I wait on a yes or no.

 

[FarFromHome]

A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

 

[FarFromHome]

I have never filed a claim. It seems like such an uphill slog for what amounts to a pittance. Every time I have looked into it I quickly became discouraged and elected not to file.

I'm a combat veteran with PTSD and several associated comorbidities. I've spent more than four years in mental health treatment. I'm at 0% disability. But thankfully my medical care is covered bc I'm a pauper.

Sidebar for @FarFromHome or anyone else who knows: my DD214 has several errors. My Surface Warfare qualification is not on there, which is not super important but I devoted quite a few hours to earning it and passed a three hour oral board examination. More importantly and germane to the topic, it doesn't reflect I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. I don't have any award letters but www.history.navy.mil verified my shaky middle age memory. We engaged Libyan Nanuchka II missile boats, sinking one and damaging another. Anyway, seems like I would have to get that straightened out as step one before filing a claim.

Obviously it’s a personal call, but you’d probably get much more than a pittance. Even my minor disabilities add up to a 60% rating which is more than our house payment plus utilities. It’s quite possible you’d get more than that.
But it’s really not about “getting something”, you served, in combat, getting these things corrected is simply what’s right.
Seriously consider getting a VSO, at least to discuss possibilities.

Yes sir. That the big thing a lot of veterans don't understand. You can claim many to equal one rating. I currently have my knee. Hopefully burn pits, which is ongoing, then I'll take a few minutes to start my back. My knee is so deteriorated that after time it caused me back pain, from overcompensating for knee. That counts. Back will be another separate aim to keep pushing rating up.

 

[FarFromHome]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

 

[BobbyLayne]

A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

 

[FarFromHome]

A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

So true. PTSD is arguably the hardest to tie to service related. Not like knee, back or physical ones.

 

[BobbyLayne]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

From January 2020 until January 2022 I was at a PRRC program. I re-entered on August 1 this year and am currently going to the VA 4 days a week (+ virtual on Fridays.)

 

[FarFromHome]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

From January 2020 until January 2022 I was at a PRRC program. I re-entered on August 1 this year and am currently going to the VA 4 days a week (+ virtual on Fridays.)

Dang. Without knowing specifics of your journey, I will say off the top of my head there is absolutely ZERO reason you have a zero disability rating if your having to use a VA facility 4 times a week. That link sent me to the VA.gov website so your in the system obviously. You need to start a few claims to get the process going.

 

[FarFromHome]

Recently I added a new claim in accordance with the new Burn Pit legislation.

I’m curious about this. I registered but as far as I know I’m not going to get anything for it. Isn’t it mostly a hedge To make it easier to consider certain terminal illnesses / cancer service connected?

For the most part, but Pact Act does have non termina preemptive options. Mine is specifically tied to internal non digestion issues. I'll update when I get verdict.

 

[-OZ-]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

 

[FarFromHome]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

Didn't know that.

 

[Caveman33]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

I wonder if it is easier for younger veterans to get big percentages. I know a bunch of people in their 20s with 60-100%. Most were in for a few years, no deployments and they still go to the gym and play sports. They schedule a lot of VA appointments, which is very important I think to supporting a claim.

100% is currently $3,621 per month tax free. Mental health alone can apparently get 100%. I'm tired of worrying about food. I miss eating at the DFAC. Once I've fully liquidated the GI Bill, I may try to go back into active duty. But I suspect my mental health file will cause problems.

 

[FarFromHome]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

I wonder if it is easier for younger veterans to get big percentages. I know a bunch of people in their 20s with 60-100%. Most were in for a few years, no deployments and they still go to the gym and play sports. They schedule a lot of VA appointments, which is very important I think to supporting a claim.

100% is currently $3,621 per month tax free. Mental health alone can apparently get 100%. I'm tired of worrying about food. I miss eating at the DFAC. Once I've fully liquidated the GI Bill, I may try to go back into active duty. But I suspect my mental health file will cause problems.

Dfac. Haven't heard that term in awhile. Interesting on the age thing. Hadn't thought about it, but I bet your on to something there. It's a generational thing. For example. I'm 49. For literally decades my ego and pride was satisfied with just 10%. Young kids right out of the gate go hard for it. It's an example where they understand it quicker.

When u say liquidate GI bill u mean use it for education? I ask because I went federal agency right out of military and no school. Because it was federal they actually paid me cash. Long time ago but if I remember I got 800 a pay check for 6 months and 600 a pay check for 6 months..

 

[Caveman33]

I injured myself at a burn pit on my deployment. It was pretty comical. My sergeant told me to get gas to burn the trash. I asked the Seebee for a can. He gave me diesel and said, "Use it all. Make sure it comes back empty." Once we were at the pit, my sergeant realized I had brought diesel but he didn't want to drive back to the base. We poured it all out and made a trail away from the pit. As he was lighting a match over the trail, I was worried about him so I walked behind and said "I don't know if this is a good idea." The match struck and for a moment we were engulfed in flames. I closed my eyes and ran backwards. My sergeant escaped the explosion just in time to see me run head first into the fork lift. Luckily, his burns were minor and I already had other scars on my face and the knee I banged was already damaged.

I am still occasionally haunted by something I did on this deployment. I was briefly in charge of filling the water truck. I've never been one to think. I'm like a drone when following instructions and I was taught to add a cap of bleach to the water after the truck was full. Then on the way back to the base, I would fill trash cans for the Ugandan soldiers. The truck took about 45 mins to fill so I became friendly with the Ugandan at the guard tower closest to the well. We conversed in a mix of English and hand gestures. Originally, I thought they were using the water to bathe but then I learned they were also drinking it. My friend had been at this post for over two years. He said the US paid the Ugandan president $1,000/month and he received $700 which was much more than he would normally get. He was an E6 with a wife and two kids at home. I was an E1 and I received more than $700/month as a per diem while having unlimited access to great food and drinks.

I saw the Ugandans hunting for rabbits, hogs and other wild game. Most of their diet consisted of junk food and snacks. My friend said the food was fine but drinking the trash can water made it feel like his stomach had rocks in it. I brought this up to the Navy team commander but he shrugged and said, "That's how this goes." I suppose I was lucky they were letting me eat their food for free without charging the per diem as happened with some other teams. I started bringing cases of bottled water to my friend when I went to fill the water truck. But when the Seebees replaced us, I taught my replacement the same routine. The replacement was kind of whack. He didn't seem to want to sit at the guard tower and pet the stray dog that my friend had adopted. Only years later did it finally dawn on me that it was probably not the Somalian well water that was causing the rocks in the stomach but the stupid bleach that I was adding. I was taught to put it in at the end. Putting it in the beginning would have more thoroughly dispersed it. And then my friend's trash can was the first one on my way back. So when I filled it from the top, it was likely receiving a heavy concentration of bleach. And I had passed this same stupid routine on, cursing him and the rest of the guys to suffer more. It sucks.

 

[Caveman33]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

I wonder if it is easier for younger veterans to get big percentages. I know a bunch of people in their 20s with 60-100%. Most were in for a few years, no deployments and they still go to the gym and play sports. They schedule a lot of VA appointments, which is very important I think to supporting a claim.

100% is currently $3,621 per month tax free. Mental health alone can apparently get 100%. I'm tired of worrying about food. I miss eating at the DFAC. Once I've fully liquidated the GI Bill, I may try to go back into active duty. But I suspect my mental health file will cause problems.

Dfac. Haven't heard that term in awhile. Interesting on the age thing. Hadn't thought about it, but I bet your on to something there. It's a generational thing. For example. I'm 49. For literally decades my ego and pride was satisfied with just 10%. Young kids right out of the gate go hard for it. It's an example where they understand it quicker.

When u say liquidate GI bill u mean use it for education? I ask because I went federal agency right out of military and no school. Because it was federal they actually paid me cash. Long time ago but if I remember I got 800 a pay check for 6 months and 600 a pay check for 6 months..

The cooks at the DFAC knew me as the tupperware guy. After eating dinner, I would go through again and fill up my tupperware so that I had a meal for later.

Federal agencies can be considered on the job training or apprenticeship and you receive a percentage of the housing allowance that decreases every 6 months like you described. I'm taking classes in SF, simply to get the highest housing allowance. I get 4,600 tax free. It was 4,900 but cost of living in SF has been coming down the last few years. I messed up by getting a bachelor's degree through TA while active duty. This prevents me from getting the free pell grants that my classmates enjoy. I was recently approved for VET TEC. It doesn't use your GI BIll and you still get paid housing allowance while the school is covered. Unfortunately, VET TEC funding has already run low for the fiscal year so I may never get to actually use it.

In regards to the generational changes, you would probably be surprised by the current military. Disability percentage is openly talked about and encouraged at every stage. In order to clear the base to ETS, there is a mandatory class that covers this topic in detail. Document everything, keep going to doctors until you get approval, your percentage should always be increasing, etc.

 

[FarFromHome]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

I wonder if it is easier for younger veterans to get big percentages. I know a bunch of people in their 20s with 60-100%. Most were in for a few years, no deployments and they still go to the gym and play sports. They schedule a lot of VA appointments, which is very important I think to supporting a claim.

100% is currently $3,621 per month tax free. Mental health alone can apparently get 100%. I'm tired of worrying about food. I miss eating at the DFAC. Once I've fully liquidated the GI Bill, I may try to go back into active duty. But I suspect my mental health file will cause problems.

Dfac. Haven't heard that term in awhile. Interesting on the age thing. Hadn't thought about it, but I bet your on to something there. It's a generational thing. For example. I'm 49. For literally decades my ego and pride was satisfied with just 10%. Young kids right out of the gate go hard for it. It's an example where they understand it quicker.

When u say liquidate GI bill u mean use it for education? I ask because I went federal agency right out of military and no school. Because it was federal they actually paid me cash. Long time ago but if I remember I got 800 a pay check for 6 months and 600 a pay check for 6 months..

Disability percentage is openly talked about and encouraged at every stage. In order to clear the base to ETS, there is a mandatory class that covers this topic in detail. Document everything, keep going to doctors until you get approval, your percentage should always be increasing, etc.

Appreciate the sharing. Absolutely crazy. Disability rating was something that never even began to cross my mind at the time.

 

[Ron Swanson]

I injured myself at a burn pit on my deployment. It was pretty comical. My sergeant told me to get gas to burn the trash. I asked the Seebee for a can. He gave me diesel and said, "Use it all. Make sure it comes back empty." Once we were at the pit, my sergeant realized I had brought diesel but he didn't want to drive back to the base. We poured it all out and made a trail away from the pit. As he was lighting a match over the trail, I was worried about him so I walked behind and said "I don't know if this is a good idea." The match struck and for a moment we were engulfed in flames. I closed my eyes and ran backwards. My sergeant escaped the explosion just in time to see me run head first into the fork lift. Luckily, his burns were minor and I already had other scars on my face and the knee I banged was already damaged.

I am still occasionally haunted by something I did on this deployment. I was briefly in charge of filling the water truck. I've never been one to think. I'm like a drone when following instructions and I was taught to add a cap of bleach to the water after the truck was full. Then on the way back to the base, I would fill trash cans for the Ugandan soldiers. The truck took about 45 mins to fill so I became friendly with the Ugandan at the guard tower closest to the well. We conversed in a mix of English and hand gestures. Originally, I thought they were using the water to bathe but then I learned they were also drinking it. My friend had been at this post for over two years. He said the US paid the Ugandan president $1,000/month and he received $700 which was much more than he would normally get. He was an E6 with a wife and two kids at home. I was an E1 and I received more than $700/month as a per diem while having unlimited access to great food and drinks.

I saw the Ugandans hunting for rabbits, hogs and other wild game. Most of their diet consisted of junk food and snacks. My friend said the food was fine but drinking the trash can water made it feel like his stomach had rocks in it. I brought this up to the Navy team commander but he shrugged and said, "That's how this goes." I suppose I was lucky they were letting me eat their food for free without charging the per diem as happened with some other teams. I started bringing cases of bottled water to my friend when I went to fill the water truck. But when the Seebees replaced us, I taught my replacement the same routine. The replacement was kind of whack. He didn't seem to want to sit at the guard tower and pet the stray dog that my friend had adopted. Only years later did it finally dawn on me that it was probably not the Somalian well water that was causing the rocks in the stomach but the stupid bleach that I was adding. I was taught to put it in at the end. Putting it in the beginning would have more thoroughly dispersed it. And then my friend's trash can was the first one on my way back. So when I filled it from the top, it was likely receiving a heavy concentration of bleach. And I had passed this same stupid routine on, cursing him and the rest of the guys to suffer more. It sucks.

How many gallons of water in the truck?

 

[FarFromHome]

I injured myself at a burn pit on my deployment. It was pretty comical. My sergeant told me to get gas to burn the trash. I asked the Seebee for a can. He gave me diesel and said, "Use it all. Make sure it comes back empty." Once we were at the pit, my sergeant realized I had brought diesel but he didn't want to drive back to the base. We poured it all out and made a trail away from the pit. As he was lighting a match over the trail, I was worried about him so I walked behind and said "I don't know if this is a good idea." The match struck and for a moment we were engulfed in flames. I closed my eyes and ran backwards. My sergeant escaped the explosion just in time to see me run head first into the fork lift. Luckily, his burns were minor and I already had other scars on my face and the knee I banged was already damaged.

I am still occasionally haunted by something I did on this deployment. I was briefly in charge of filling the water truck. I've never been one to think. I'm like a drone when following instructions and I was taught to add a cap of bleach to the water after the truck was full. Then on the way back to the base, I would fill trash cans for the Ugandan soldiers. The truck took about 45 mins to fill so I became friendly with the Ugandan at the guard tower closest to the well. We conversed in a mix of English and hand gestures. Originally, I thought they were using the water to bathe but then I learned they were also drinking it. My friend had been at this post for over two years. He said the US paid the Ugandan president $1,000/month and he received $700 which was much more than he would normally get. He was an E6 with a wife and two kids at home. I was an E1 and I received more than $700/month as a per diem while having unlimited access to great food and drinks.

I saw the Ugandans hunting for rabbits, hogs and other wild game. Most of their diet consisted of junk food and snacks. My friend said the food was fine but drinking the trash can water made it feel like his stomach had rocks in it. I brought this up to the Navy team commander but he shrugged and said, "That's how this goes." I suppose I was lucky they were letting me eat their food for free without charging the per diem as happened with some other teams. I started bringing cases of bottled water to my friend when I went to fill the water truck. But when the Seebees replaced us, I taught my replacement the same routine. The replacement was kind of whack. He didn't seem to want to sit at the guard tower and pet the stray dog that my friend had adopted. Only years later did it finally dawn on me that it was probably not the Somalian well water that was causing the rocks in the stomach but the stupid bleach that I was adding. I was taught to put it in at the end. Putting it in the beginning would have more thoroughly dispersed it. And then my friend's trash can was the first one on my way back. So when I filled it from the top, it was likely receiving a heavy concentration of bleach. And I had passed this same stupid routine on, cursing him and the rest of the guys to suffer more. It sucks.

Wow. What an experience that was. By far my most hated detail was burning trash and human waste. Back when Army had white pts. Never seen anyone have that experience. Crazy. Your damn lucky man.

Interacting with other countries was always interesting. We pulled shared gate duties with Poland once. They were allowed to drink. Armed and drunk.

 

[FarFromHome]

I injured myself at a burn pit on my deployment. It was pretty comical. My sergeant told me to get gas to burn the trash. I asked the Seebee for a can. He gave me diesel and said, "Use it all. Make sure it comes back empty." Once we were at the pit, my sergeant realized I had brought diesel but he didn't want to drive back to the base. We poured it all out and made a trail away from the pit. As he was lighting a match over the trail, I was worried about him so I walked behind and said "I don't know if this is a good idea." The match struck and for a moment we were engulfed in flames. I closed my eyes and ran backwards. My sergeant escaped the explosion just in time to see me run head first into the fork lift. Luckily, his burns were minor and I already had other scars on my face and the knee I banged was already damaged.

I am still occasionally haunted by something I did on this deployment. I was briefly in charge of filling the water truck. I've never been one to think. I'm like a drone when following instructions and I was taught to add a cap of bleach to the water after the truck was full. Then on the way back to the base, I would fill trash cans for the Ugandan soldiers. The truck took about 45 mins to fill so I became friendly with the Ugandan at the guard tower closest to the well. We conversed in a mix of English and hand gestures. Originally, I thought they were using the water to bathe but then I learned they were also drinking it. My friend had been at this post for over two years. He said the US paid the Ugandan president $1,000/month and he received $700 which was much more than he would normally get. He was an E6 with a wife and two kids at home. I was an E1 and I received more than $700/month as a per diem while having unlimited access to great food and drinks.

I saw the Ugandans hunting for rabbits, hogs and other wild game. Most of their diet consisted of junk food and snacks. My friend said the food was fine but drinking the trash can water made it feel like his stomach had rocks in it. I brought this up to the Navy team commander but he shrugged and said, "That's how this goes." I suppose I was lucky they were letting me eat their food for free without charging the per diem as happened with some other teams. I started bringing cases of bottled water to my friend when I went to fill the water truck. But when the Seebees replaced us, I taught my replacement the same routine. The replacement was kind of whack. He didn't seem to want to sit at the guard tower and pet the stray dog that my friend had adopted. Only years later did it finally dawn on me that it was probably not the Somalian well water that was causing the rocks in the stomach but the stupid bleach that I was adding. I was taught to put it in at the end. Putting it in the beginning would have more thoroughly dispersed it. And then my friend's trash can was the first one on my way back. So when I filled it from the top, it was likely receiving a heavy concentration of bleach. And I had passed this same stupid routine on, cursing him and the rest of the guys to suffer more. It sucks.

How many gallons of water in the truck?

Most were 400 gallons.

 

[FatMax]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

California is one of them. My father-in law is a Vietnam combat vet. He has been in fair to poor health in the 25 years that I've known him. At the urging of his vet friends, he finally filed a disability claim. Within a couple of months, he was deemed 100% because of chemical exposure in Vietnam. It was a revelation to my wife's family, and explained (to an extent) why he was in pain all the time. This man literally worked until he physically could not do it anymore. And now at about 70, he is broken. Kidneys failed, dialysis, some odd arthritis that is crippling.

Point being ... he should have filed years ago, but pride got in his way. Not only for him, but his family as well. I hope all you guys get what you have coming.

 

[Ron Swanson]

I injured myself at a burn pit on my deployment. It was pretty comical. My sergeant told me to get gas to burn the trash. I asked the Seebee for a can. He gave me diesel and said, "Use it all. Make sure it comes back empty." Once we were at the pit, my sergeant realized I had brought diesel but he didn't want to drive back to the base. We poured it all out and made a trail away from the pit. As he was lighting a match over the trail, I was worried about him so I walked behind and said "I don't know if this is a good idea." The match struck and for a moment we were engulfed in flames. I closed my eyes and ran backwards. My sergeant escaped the explosion just in time to see me run head first into the fork lift. Luckily, his burns were minor and I already had other scars on my face and the knee I banged was already damaged.

I am still occasionally haunted by something I did on this deployment. I was briefly in charge of filling the water truck. I've never been one to think. I'm like a drone when following instructions and I was taught to add a cap of bleach to the water after the truck was full. Then on the way back to the base, I would fill trash cans for the Ugandan soldiers. The truck took about 45 mins to fill so I became friendly with the Ugandan at the guard tower closest to the well. We conversed in a mix of English and hand gestures. Originally, I thought they were using the water to bathe but then I learned they were also drinking it. My friend had been at this post for over two years. He said the US paid the Ugandan president $1,000/month and he received $700 which was much more than he would normally get. He was an E6 with a wife and two kids at home. I was an E1 and I received more than $700/month as a per diem while having unlimited access to great food and drinks.

I saw the Ugandans hunting for rabbits, hogs and other wild game. Most of their diet consisted of junk food and snacks. My friend said the food was fine but drinking the trash can water made it feel like his stomach had rocks in it. I brought this up to the Navy team commander but he shrugged and said, "That's how this goes." I suppose I was lucky they were letting me eat their food for free without charging the per diem as happened with some other teams. I started bringing cases of bottled water to my friend when I went to fill the water truck. But when the Seebees replaced us, I taught my replacement the same routine. The replacement was kind of whack. He didn't seem to want to sit at the guard tower and pet the stray dog that my friend had adopted. Only years later did it finally dawn on me that it was probably not the Somalian well water that was causing the rocks in the stomach but the stupid bleach that I was adding. I was taught to put it in at the end. Putting it in the beginning would have more thoroughly dispersed it. And then my friend's trash can was the first one on my way back. So when I filled it from the top, it was likely receiving a heavy concentration of bleach. And I had passed this same stupid routine on, cursing him and the rest of the guys to suffer more. It sucks.

How many gallons of water in the truck?

Most were 400 gallons.

Then @Caveman33 can relieve himself of his burden over this. A capful of bleach into that much water, no matter top or bottom applied, would not be harmful.

 

[FarFromHome]

My PTSD has always been manageable. Typical wake up at night and hear artillery or think I gotta make sure room is clear. I dealt with it. This past year my wife went through cancer recovery. She's fine now. That journey of life and death triggered something inside of me. Can't explain it. Now I'm at work and at times drift off to the sound of Chinook helicopters. Apaches. It's weird. I find myself reaching for my rifle. Not like psycho stuff but more like muscle memory things. The VA now recognizes PTSD, it's a real thing. I'm gonna start that claim also. Get it going.

So within a few months I'll have separate claims for:

Knee
Burn pits
Back
PTSD

The goal is to get my rating to 100%. All our finances are different in life so we value money differently . 100% is roughly 2600 tax free a month depending on dependents and family. Plus. 100% is full health coverage and full dental.

In some states, 100% gets kids to college for free. That’s almost more important than the money for us. But there’s basically zero chance of 100 for me. Which isn’t a complaint.

Point being ... he should have filed years ago, but pride got in his way. Not only for him, but his family as well. I hope all you guys get what you have coming.

That was me. I waited 20 years due to my pride and missed out on over 20 grand.

 

[flapgreen]

I work for the VA

 

[CGRdrJoe]

I have never filed a claim. It seems like such an uphill slog for what amounts to a pittance. Every time I have looked into it I quickly became discouraged and elected not to file.

I'm a combat veteran with PTSD and several associated comorbidities. I've spent more than four years in mental health treatment. I'm at 0% disability. But thankfully my medical care is covered bc I'm a pauper.

Sidebar for @FarFromHome or anyone else who knows: my DD214 has several errors. My Surface Warfare qualification is not on there, which is not super important but I devoted quite a few hours to earning it and passed a three hour oral board examination. More importantly and germane to the topic, it doesn't reflect I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. I don't have any award letters but www.history.navy.mil verified my shaky middle age memory. We engaged Libyan Nanuchka II missile boats, sinking one and damaging another. Anyway, seems like I would have to get that straightened out as step one before filing a claim.

Obviously it’s a personal call, but you’d probably get much more than a pittance. Even my minor disabilities add up to a 60% rating which is more than our house payment plus utilities. It’s quite possible you’d get more than that.
But it’s really not about “getting something”, you served, in combat, getting these things corrected is simply what’s right.
Seriously consider getting a VSO, at least to discuss possibilities.

Is VSO a Veteran Service Officer?

I've met with social workers and VA personnel at the VA medical center. They referred me to third parties who played phone tag with me. Or referred me to website URLs for more information.

TBH the whole process seems overwhelming. I have a hard enough time managing daily life and living with mental illness. It just seems like more stress than I can handle.

At one point (maybe four years ago) I applied for Social Security disability. Went through an intake and interview process that took the better part of several days. Lengthy application. Then met with a psychiatrist who did an evaluation. My claim was denied. My understanding is their standard operating procedure is to initially deny 100% of mental health claims. There was an appeal process which I started but then the pandemic and lockdown happened. I think I exchanged about 15 voice mails with the lady who was assigned my appeal. Eventually it died on the vine.

That was for SS disability. I have never filed a VA disability and don't even know where to begin.

Bobby things have changed in the last 2 years and everything has gotten easier to file so the VSO's actually help instead of pointing towards member responsibility. With all the files being transferred online it's easier to get access to all your older records and have them sent over to your VSO.

Print out your VA Welcome Kit | Veterans Affairs

Whether you’re just getting out of the service or you’ve been a civilian for years now, the VA Welcome Kit can help guide you to the benefits and services you’ve earned.Based on where you are in life, your VA benefits and services can support you in different ways. Keep your welcome kit handy so...

www.va.gov

 

[FarFromHome]

I work for the VA

Nice. As a what? My wife was a nurse for VA for a bit.

 

[FarFromHome]

I have never filed a claim. It seems like such an uphill slog for what amounts to a pittance. Every time I have looked into it I quickly became discouraged and elected not to file.

I'm a combat veteran with PTSD and several associated comorbidities. I've spent more than four years in mental health treatment. I'm at 0% disability. But thankfully my medical care is covered bc I'm a pauper.

Sidebar for @FarFromHome or anyone else who knows: my DD214 has several errors. My Surface Warfare qualification is not on there, which is not super important but I devoted quite a few hours to earning it and passed a three hour oral board examination. More importantly and germane to the topic, it doesn't reflect I was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. I don't have any award letters but www.history.navy.mil verified my shaky middle age memory. We engaged Libyan Nanuchka II missile boats, sinking one and damaging another. Anyway, seems like I would have to get that straightened out as step one before filing a claim.

Obviously it’s a personal call, but you’d probably get much more than a pittance. Even my minor disabilities add up to a 60% rating which is more than our house payment plus utilities. It’s quite possible you’d get more than that.
But it’s really not about “getting something”, you served, in combat, getting these things corrected is simply what’s right.
Seriously consider getting a VSO, at least to discuss possibilities.

Is VSO a Veteran Service Officer?

I've met with social workers and VA personnel at the VA medical center. They referred me to third parties who played phone tag with me. Or referred me to website URLs for more information.

TBH the whole process seems overwhelming. I have a hard enough time managing daily life and living with mental illness. It just seems like more stress than I can handle.

At one point (maybe four years ago) I applied for Social Security disability. Went through an intake and interview process that took the better part of several days. Lengthy application. Then met with a psychiatrist who did an evaluation. My claim was denied. My understanding is their standard operating procedure is to initially deny 100% of mental health claims. There was an appeal process which I started but then the pandemic and lockdown happened. I think I exchanged about 15 voice mails with the lady who was assigned my appeal. Eventually it died on the vine.

That was for SS disability. I have never filed a VA disability and don't even know where to begin.

Bobby things have changed in the last 2 years and everything has gotten easier to file so the VSO's actually help instead of pointing towards member responsibility. With all the files being transferred online it's easier to get access to all your older records and have them sent over to your VSO.

Print out your VA Welcome Kit | Veterans Affairs

Whether you’re just getting out of the service or you’ve been a civilian for years now, the VA Welcome Kit can help guide you to the benefits and services you’ve earned.Based on where you are in life, your VA benefits and services can support you in different ways. Keep your welcome kit handy so...

www.va.gov

Yes sir.

 

[flapgreen]

I work for the VA

Nice. As a what? My wife was a nurse for VA for a bit.

Physical therapist

 

[belljr]

I injured myself at a burn pit on my deployment. It was pretty comical. My sergeant told me to get gas to burn the trash. I asked the Seebee for a can. He gave me diesel and said, "Use it all. Make sure it comes back empty." Once we were at the pit, my sergeant realized I had brought diesel but he didn't want to drive back to the base. We poured it all out and made a trail away from the pit. As he was lighting a match over the trail, I was worried about him so I walked behind and said "I don't know if this is a good idea." The match struck and for a moment we were engulfed in flames. I closed my eyes and ran backwards. My sergeant escaped the explosion just in time to see me run head first into the fork lift. Luckily, his burns were minor and I already had other scars on my face and the knee I banged was already damaged.

I am still occasionally haunted by something I did on this deployment. I was briefly in charge of filling the water truck. I've never been one to think. I'm like a drone when following instructions and I was taught to add a cap of bleach to the water after the truck was full. Then on the way back to the base, I would fill trash cans for the Ugandan soldiers. The truck took about 45 mins to fill so I became friendly with the Ugandan at the guard tower closest to the well. We conversed in a mix of English and hand gestures. Originally, I thought they were using the water to bathe but then I learned they were also drinking it. My friend had been at this post for over two years. He said the US paid the Ugandan president $1,000/month and he received $700 which was much more than he would normally get. He was an E6 with a wife and two kids at home. I was an E1 and I received more than $700/month as a per diem while having unlimited access to great food and drinks.

I saw the Ugandans hunting for rabbits, hogs and other wild game. Most of their diet consisted of junk food and snacks. My friend said the food was fine but drinking the trash can water made it feel like his stomach had rocks in it. I brought this up to the Navy team commander but he shrugged and said, "That's how this goes." I suppose I was lucky they were letting me eat their food for free without charging the per diem as happened with some other teams. I started bringing cases of bottled water to my friend when I went to fill the water truck. But when the Seebees replaced us, I taught my replacement the same routine. The replacement was kind of whack. He didn't seem to want to sit at the guard tower and pet the stray dog that my friend had adopted. Only years later did it finally dawn on me that it was probably not the Somalian well water that was causing the rocks in the stomach but the stupid bleach that I was adding. I was taught to put it in at the end. Putting it in the beginning would have more thoroughly dispersed it. And then my friend's trash can was the first one on my way back. So when I filled it from the top, it was likely receiving a heavy concentration of bleach. And I had passed this same stupid routine on, cursing him and the rest of the guys to suffer more. It sucks.

How many gallons of water in the truck?

Most were 400 gallons.

Then @Caveman33 can relieve himself of his burden over this. A capful of bleach into that much water, no matter top or bottom applied, would not be harmful.

We put a scoop of chlorine into every new water line we install in the city I lived. SoP

 

[flapgreen]

A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

As stated by someone above, things are always changing in the VA. I see guys regularly in their mid 20s who have never seen combat and have a high PTSD disability rating.

 

[FarFromHome]

A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

As stated by someone above, things are always changing in the VA. I see guys regularly in their mid 20s who have never seen combat and have a high PTSD disability rating.

Wtf. That's absolutely offensive to me. I have a zero rating for PTSD. I have 3 combat tours and those don't come close to equaling one Vietnam combat tour. Zero combat? PTSD from basic training? I could go on a horrible mean rant here, but I'm older and nicer now. Good for them. Ha ha

 

[CGRdrJoe]

A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

As stated by someone above, things are always changing in the VA. I see guys regularly in their mid 20s who have never seen combat and have a high PTSD disability rating.

Wtf. That's absolutely offensive to me. I have a zero rating for PTSD. I have 3 combat tours and those don't come close to equaling one Vietnam combat tour. Zero combat? PTSD from basic training? I could go on a horrible mean rant here, but I'm older and nicer now. Good for them. Ha ha

you have no idea what they’ve done so don’t be so fast to get upset. we see 0 combat but respond to natural disasters where peoples entire lives have been destroyed (katrina) pick up bodies from suicide jumpers and one migrant patrol is enough to devastate anyone. war isn’t the only place to get ptsd

 

[FarFromHome]

A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

As stated by someone above, things are always changing in the VA. I see guys regularly in their mid 20s who have never seen combat and have a high PTSD disability rating.

Wtf. That's absolutely offensive to me. I have a zero rating for PTSD. I have 3 combat tours and those don't come close to equaling one Vietnam combat tour. Zero combat? PTSD from basic training? I could go on a horrible mean rant here, but I'm older and nicer now. Good for them. Ha ha

you have no idea what they’ve done so don’t be so fast to get upset. we see 0 combat but respond to natural disasters where peoples entire lives have been destroyed (katrina) pick up bodies from suicide jumpers and one migrant patrol is enough to devastate anyone. war isn’t the only place to get ptsd

Fair enough. Thanks for sharing

 

[rustycolts]

I have 10% for tinnitus I got when I was in the infantry back in the 70s. I waited until 2 years ago to file for it because of the same pride thing. I suffer from insomnia and migraines my doc seems to think it's related to the tinnitus. I'm wondering if I should file for a secondary disability and how difficult it would be. The tinnitus claim was accepted pretty easily.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

I have 10% for tinnitus I got when I was in the infantry back in the 70s. I waited until 2 years ago to file for it because of the same pride thing. I suffer from insomnia and migraines my doc seems to think it's related to the tinnitus. I'm wondering if I should file for a secondary disability and how difficult it would be. The tinnitus claim was accepted pretty easily.

people get their stuff reevaluated all the time, from what I understand it's pretty easy to have done.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

I have 10% for tinnitus I got when I was in the infantry back in the 70s. I waited until 2 years ago to file for it because of the same pride thing. I suffer from insomnia and migraines my doc seems to think it's related to the tinnitus. I'm wondering if I should file for a secondary disability and how difficult it would be. The tinnitus claim was accepted pretty easily.

sorry, forgot the link https://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/how-get-increased-disability-compensation.html

 

[FarFromHome]

I have 10% for tinnitus I got when I was in the infantry back in the 70s. I waited until 2 years ago to file for it because of the same pride thing. I suffer from insomnia and migraines my doc seems to think it's related to the tinnitus. I'm wondering if I should file for a secondary disability and how difficult it would be. The tinnitus claim was accepted pretty easily.

For sure file. It's easy and online. Worst thing that can happen is they decline. My knee was 10% for decades until I got it reevaluated and it went to 50%. That difference is like 1000 dollars a month.

 

[FarFromHome]

I recently have moved to the Chattanooga area. One of the reasons I chose the area is due to a newer large medical VA facility. I made a basic apt to start the ball rolling and get in the system. If your 50% they say you have full coverage. I've always used my private insurance. Gotta say I was pleasantly surprised by the care. They took labs, filled a prescription for me. All prescriptions are by mail, which I didn't know, so that's awesome. They called me back today to formulate plan from lab results. That was also the time to start the paper trail on thing I plan on claiming in the future. PTSD and lower back issues due to my knee. My first experience overall, went way better then I thought it would.

 

[Max Power]

I played this game the long and hard way. I left the military at 25 and didn't file my first claim until I was 38 for the same reasons as mentioned. I didn't feel like I deserved it. Then over time I started hurting in more and more ways.

Filed the first claim myself and got a 20% for the slam dunk stuff. I had my ankle plated back on to my leg after a training accident.

Had a friend help on my second claim and got to 30%.

Hired a firm that assists vets in filing and they got me up to 50%. That firm was highly recommended at the time, but has gone way downhill.

I finally reached out to a legal firm who represents veterans for claims. That process was as simple as can be and I had an interview with them, they submitted me for about 20 different injuries. I went to medical for each one which was a time consuming process, but worth it. Ended up at 98% which is rounded to 100%. But one thing to know is that the PTSD part can be evaluated by the VA periodically.

One of the biggest changes was that my PTSD evaluation doctor was outsourced from the VA hospital to a private doctor based in California. When I gave her a rundown of all the things I've been through and seen while serving, she was visibly horrified by what I was saying. She gave me a very high rating on PTSD. I feel like when you tell your war stories to the VA doctors they've heard it all before and probably minimize it as much as a civilian doctor might overstate it.

Bottom line: Get a lawyer, they know the correct way to proceed and pay for themselves after a couple months. Get a civilian doctor as often as possible.

 

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A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

As stated by someone above, things are always changing in the VA. I see guys regularly in their mid 20s who have never seen combat and have a high PTSD disability rating.

Wtf. That's absolutely offensive to me. I have a zero rating for PTSD. I have 3 combat tours and those don't come close to equaling one Vietnam combat tour. Zero combat? PTSD from basic training? I could go on a horrible mean rant here, but I'm older and nicer now. Good for them. Ha ha

Oh I'd bet far more vets have high PTSD ratings in their 20s and no combat than those older with. No doubt it. They are trained what to say.

 

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A PTSD claim takes under 5 minutes to start online.

One of the challenges with a PTSD claim is getting service connection. PTSD is not presumed to be related to service, so a veteran needs more than just a current diagnosis. The veteran must show that the stressful event that caused PTSD occurred during service.

I have friends at the VA who have been fighting that uphill battle for 5+ years. Unseen disabilities are a lot harder to obtain benefits for than physical disabilities.

As stated by someone above, things are always changing in the VA. I see guys regularly in their mid 20s who have never seen combat and have a high PTSD disability rating.

Wtf. That's absolutely offensive to me. I have a zero rating for PTSD. I have 3 combat tours and those don't come close to equaling one Vietnam combat tour. Zero combat? PTSD from basic training? I could go on a horrible mean rant here, but I'm older and nicer now. Good for them. Ha ha

you have no idea what they’ve done so don’t be so fast to get upset. we see 0 combat but respond to natural disasters where peoples entire lives have been destroyed (katrina) pick up bodies from suicide jumpers and one migrant patrol is enough to devastate anyone. war isn’t the only place to get ptsd

That's true, but that's more of the exception in my experience. You just have to know what to say. Combat experience isn't the only way a person can get it.

 

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I have 10% for tinnitus I got when I was in the infantry back in the 70s. I waited until 2 years ago to file for it because of the same pride thing. I suffer from insomnia and migraines my doc seems to think it's related to the tinnitus. I'm wondering if I should file for a secondary disability and how difficult it would be. The tinnitus claim was accepted pretty easily.

people get their stuff reevaluated all the time, from what I understand it's pretty easy to have done.

Yes, you just have to be willing to go through the process and roadblocks over and over until you get where you want to be.