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[Editor's note: The following is Part One of a multi-part series on post-service benefits. This covers VA-specific shits. Education is covered in another thread. Upcoming updates may include career assistance, transitioning from military to civilian life, PTSD management, Agent Orange/Gulf War Syndrome/Burn Pits/other era-specific issues that may arise, and anything else you're curious about.] Part One: The VA and General Veterans Benefits So you got out yesterday. Or 25 years ago. You served in combat, or in peacetime, or in an unnamed location, or did half your contract before your MOS became obsolete and you decided to hitchhike home. Congratulations, you’re now a veteran! What the hell do you do now? You’re going to have to deal with a monolithic organization called the Veterans’ Affairs Administration, or VA. The VA will be your best friend and your biggest frustration, but just remember it’s a bureaucracy like all the rest and with patience and persistence you can usually get what you need. Later on we’ll go into veterans service organizations (VSOs), and advocacy organizations that can help you learn the rules of the game, but for now let’s conquer the mystery of the VA. THE VA Who can go? va.gov posted:You may be eligible for VA benefits if you are a: Do you like telephones? The VA’s Benefits Assistance line is 1-800-827-1000. Do you like internets? Hit up the VA E-Benefits Online Portal. Do you like interacting with others live near a metropolitan area? Find a VA Regional Office near you and bother someone ‘til they help you. Why should I bother? Look, even if you don’t think you did a lot when you were in service, you still deserve some stuff. In the civilian world, when you have a cushy job and it includes a retirement plan, you will use the gently caress out of that bitch. Same thing here. VA benefits are your retirement plan. Use them. The VA offers disability compensation, preventative health care, emergency health care, transportation, job training, loans, and a ton of other stuff that you’d be a fool not to milk like there’s no tomorrow. Mommy I’m scared of the big buildings! Well, the good news is there are a lot of resources that can help you get what you need from the VA. Remember those regional offices we discussed earlier? They’re generally a lot smaller and friendlier. Otherwise, try: VA Vet Centers State Veterans Affairs Offices County Veterans Service Offices Or use this search tool to find a local VSO, vet-friendly attorney, or VA claims agent. I dunno…they’re gonna try to trick me… Well yeah. The VA is a government agency, and as such, they will try to keep costs down by making you go through a billion hoops before they give you any money or help you with anything. If you had decades worth of vets asking you for free stuff, and another several thousand OIF/OEF folks realizing free health care might help with that dislodged anus, you might be a little backlogged and clusterfucked too. So should you ask Crazy Uncle Jimbo who got his earlobes blown off in Saigon? Well, if you want terrible advice, yes. A better idea would be to find an advocate who has helped hundreds of other people in your situation through the process. They can generally guide you on who to ask what, what to say to whom, when to call where, and they best part is they can usually do all the ridiculous amounts of paperwork for you. Who will advocate on your behalf? Those smaller offices mentioned above may have a person or two to spare. If you live in a busier area, however, you may need to get help from an organization. They generally require membership, but it’s worth it if you qualify. Disabled American Veterans (DAV) offers national service offices. Find one here. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW - that includes WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm/Shield, OIF/OEF, and any service OCONUS) can give you crazy assistance with a lot of poo poo, including your VA benefits and transitioning back to civilian society. If you served CONUS, or anywhere else, you can join the American Legion and get this stuff. TL;DR – Once you’re out of the military, you can get stuff. However, it is your responsibility to either apply through the VA directly, through a regional office, or an advocate. Busket_in_Posket is an employee for a non-profit VSO. Busket welcomes your input on this thread and has access the resources to find you answers if needed.
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Mar 3, 2011 19:02
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This is the part where you respond with your experience, questions, requests for a specific Part Two, condemnations, etc.
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Mar 3, 2011 20:06
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Busket_in_Posket posted:This is the part where you respond with your experience, questions, requests for a specific Part Two, condemnations, etc. How do I file for disability benefits through the VA? I've got a piece of paper from the BN surgeon that says "Service Member was exposed to...a ton of poo poo...during this deployment." I assume I just fill out a VONAPP application for disability and go from there.
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Mar 3, 2011 20:30
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Veins McGee posted:How do I file for disability benefits through the VA? I've got a piece of paper from the BN surgeon that says "Service Member was exposed to...a ton of poo poo...during this deployment." You can rock out with the VONAPP yourself, but if you are going for service-connected disability based on chemical/pollutant/burn pile/gross poo poo exposure, I would recommend using an advocate. Claims like yours generally require a lot more paperwork to backup the fact that you didn't have black lung/diabetes/oozing piles before you enlisted and there is reasonable cause to believe they were caused by the service environment. Having someone at your back to recommend which forms to attach to make your initial claim as complete as possible (versus submitting some stuff, adding more to appeal, adding even more you remember to appeal, etc.) will greatly speed up the process and increase your chances of getting a decent percentage. Use the links in the OP to find your local vet center, veterans service office, or if you have a VFW/American Legion membership they have awesome resources as well. If you want to post or PM your locality I could probably find you a contact name and number as well.
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Mar 3, 2011 20:59
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Speaking of percentages... WTF is up with disability ratings? Here's an excerpt that's incredibly enlightening: quote:When a veteran submits a claim to
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Mar 3, 2011 21:06
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What would be the best avenue to appeal orthopedic issues(limited range of motion, pain, etc) as well as PTSD? I currently have 0% for the former and I was told that I can "add additional information" up to one year from the date of filing my claim, after that I have to file an appeal. Problem is, I don't know where to get additional information, as most of it wasn't documented. So what are my other options? See a private doctor out of pocket? I'm thinking about stopping by the DAV and seeing if they can help me on my appeal. Apparently they can take up to 7 years though.
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Mar 3, 2011 21:13
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Roving Reporter posted:What would be the best avenue to appeal orthopedic issues(limited range of motion, pain, etc) as well as PTSD? I currently have 0% for the former and I was told that I can "add additional information" up to one year from the date of filing my claim, after that I have to file an appeal. It would be best to get a copy of your intake physical, which should be available to your DAV rep when he/she requests your medical records. If you get an advocate worth a drat, he/she should be able to show that if you passed MEPS you obviously had a good range of motion, and compare that to the demands of your particular MOS as far as orthopedic stress goes. That evaluation could then be submitted as additional information for your claim. When you talk to a DAV rep, he/she will have you sign a very specific Power of Attorney form (21-22). It seems scary, but it doesn't give them rights to your stuff, just the ability to look at your confidential records and act on your behalf only in your VA disability case. Then you just sit back, relax, watch TV, and call them the check up on your progress. I'll see what I can find out about using VA docs vs. out-of-system docs and how it would affect speed and veracity of claims. Definitely get a DAV rep behind you. They're pretty pimp. And while filing claims can seem to take forever, I seriously doubt it will be 7 years with the proper representation. Appealing PTSD has become easier with recent legislation that eased the burden of proof for psychological claims. While a year ago you would have had documentation from your unit leader that you were in traumatic circumstances, now it's pretty much a "we'll take your word for it" deal, as PTSD symptoms can show up months or years after the fact and sometimes commanders don't forward you their Christmas cards every year.
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Mar 3, 2011 21:57
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In case this wasn't apparent: If you are filing for, appending, or appealing a VA disability claim, your chances of success are much higher with an experienced advocate.
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Mar 3, 2011 21:58
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If you're from Ohio and deployed for OI/EF you can get free money: https://veteransbonus.ohio.gov/odvs_web/
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Mar 3, 2011 22:26
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You might want to strike Vet Centers off that list for people looking for general info. Vet Center provide a very narrow scope of assistance and are really just there to help treat PTSD or help you with your relationship problems etc. if you were a combat vet. If you call asking about health care benefits or anything else we'll just refer you to the nearest County Veteran Service Office or VA Medical Center. The name is very misleading and people come in for all sorts of stuff (including pet care) the VA needs to rename them.
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Mar 4, 2011 04:25
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LauraCurtissPalmer fucked around with this message at 05:16 on Mar 4, 2011 |
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Mar 4, 2011 04:41
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LauraCurtissPalmer posted:Just came across this post and found it one of the best descriptions of the VA system. I worked for several years with a state level Veterans Affairs Office as the benefits admin and in charge of the state military records archives (VT's go back many eras). Our jobs with the state level VA is to assist veterans in gaining benefits with the help of nationally certified service officer reps. Due to being offered and taking a higher level position in the state I no longer work there but still do what I did on a volunteer basis and I push big time the importance of having an experienced veterans rep working with you or you will get lost in the system. It's the federal government and they are not going to give anything to anyone without going through the redtape and fighting for it. But I always encourage the vets too that once their foot is in the door life with the VA system, depending on the state is great (states shouldn't make a difference being fed but they are). "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." George Washington LauraCurtissPalmer fucked around with this message at 05:17 on Mar 4, 2011 |
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Mar 4, 2011 05:13
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Busket_in_Posket posted:You can rock out with the VONAPP yourself, but if you are going for service-connected disability based on chemical/pollutant/burn pile/gross poo poo exposure, I would recommend using an advocate. Claims like yours generally require a lot more paperwork to backup the fact that you didn't have black lung/diabetes/oozing piles before you enlisted and there is reasonable cause to believe they were caused by the service environment. Having someone at your back to recommend which forms to attach to make your initial claim as complete as possible (versus submitting some stuff, adding more to appeal, adding even more you remember to appeal, etc.) will greatly speed up the process and increase your chances of getting a decent percentage. Not going for anything related to burn pit exposure(although, I burned a lot of trash because it's loving awesome), just tinnitus and back/shoulder pain from body armor. From BSing with guys, and I don't attach much significance to the BSing, either should be a gimme for infantrymen.
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Mar 4, 2011 05:18
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Welp, I called my VA hospital today and was set up with an appointment for tomorrow with a case manager. Going to hit the high points of developing sciatica in my right leg and PTSD (all those years of going to the VA shrinks might help). The only problem I can see coming up is my own admitted use of weed, for personal pain and psychological reasons. It's really the only thing I'm worried about them grilling me over. And, I'll be harassing them over why the Post 9/11 GI Bill doesn't work with my union trade school program (IBEW) and see if there's a remedy for that. Montgomery GI Bill works, but not 9/11, for some reason.
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Mar 4, 2011 08:06
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Great thread. I practice Veteran's Disability law, I'll post some info this weekend.
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Mar 4, 2011 13:00
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General Probe posted:You might want to strike Vet Centers off that list for people looking for general info. Vet Center provide a very narrow scope of assistance and are really just there to help treat PTSD or help you with your relationship problems etc. if you were a combat vet. If you call asking about health care benefits or anything else we'll just refer you to the nearest County Veteran Service Office or VA Medical Center. The name is very misleading and people come in for all sorts of stuff (including pet care) the VA needs to rename them. Hmm...I've worked with the Vet Center here and they were pretty good at directing people to resources related to any of their VA benefits. But we'll add a caveat that not all Vet Centers are as helpful. Thanks for the heads-up. LauraCurtissPalmer posted:How you described the system is so accurate and if allowed I would very much appreciate if you allow me to copy and provide it to veterans here in VT. If you'd prefer to not have you attached no problem and of course I will not use it if you'd prefer I don't. Aww... If you think it's worthy, you have my permission. And if there's anything you'd like to add from your, your husband's, or your son's experience, feel free. Veins McGee posted:Not going for anything related to burn pit exposure(although, I burned a lot of trash because it's loving awesome), just tinnitus and back/shoulder pain from body armor. From BSing with guys, and I don't attach much significance to the BSing, either should be a gimme for infantrymen. Just remember that the VA system worships paperwork, so you're in for a lot of filing things and asking people for written copies of what they may have told you. Also, it never hurts to have backup copies of all these things in a fireproof safe. Wandering Idiot posted:Welp, I called my VA hospital today and was set up with an appointment for tomorrow with a case manager. Going to hit the high points of developing sciatica in my right leg and PTSD (all those years of going to the VA shrinks might help). The only problem I can see coming up is my own admitted use of weed, for personal pain and psychological reasons. It's really the only thing I'm worried about them grilling me over. Weed usage is an oddball thing. Even though it's been found in clinical studies to help alleviate some of the worst symptoms of PTSD without the rampant side effects of things like benzos, Ambien, trazodone, etc, it's still an illegal substance and it puts some case workers in a difficult spot. I've seen some soldiers get a big red (metaphorically) label of SUBSTANCE ABUSER in their file so they'll be medically restricted in the future, and I've seen some whose case managers are more like WINK WINK HOW'S YOUR HERBAL SUPPLEMENT WINK WINK. There are several points in between, but it's rarely a disqualifying factor. A lot of people enjoy full VA benefits after using much harder things recreationally. Dantu posted:Great thread. I practice Veteran's Disability law, I'll post some info this weekend. Please do! That is one area of expertise I admire but have little experience in. You will be our Harvey Birdman.
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Mar 4, 2011 20:03
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Busket_in_Posket posted:
Ah, thank you. That's a weight off my shoulders. It hasn't prevented them from prescribing me lortabs and muscle relaxers, so I may be in the clear on that. My appointment was bullshit. Showed up, they handed me a pamphlet. The few questions answered were pretty glazed over. According to the case manager I spoke with, I need to talk to my primary care provider about beginning the process for appealing my disability, which sounds like bullshit to me. I know I'm going to need a physical, most likely an MRI on my lower back, and will probably have to see a psychologist again. However, the person I spoke to was not my medical case manager, who was out today (though she called this morning, and didn't know I had an appointment this afternoon with her office, odd). I'll speak to her after my PCP appointment regarding an appeal. Should I hit up a DAV rep just in case? Edit: Education question redacted. I'll take that to the education thread. Wandering Idiot fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Mar 4, 2011 |
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Mar 4, 2011 21:54
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Wandering Idiot posted:Should I hit up a DAV rep just in case? Yes. As far as everything else, I'm sorry they shuffled you through so quickly today. Don't give up though, you may have to bug people to get an appointment with your medical case manager. The system is well-designed to be a headache, but with enough tenacity you can get to see who you need to see.
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Mar 5, 2011 01:17
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Dantu posted:Great thread. I practice Veteran's Disability law, I'll post some info this weekend. Dear god yes
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Mar 5, 2011 02:27
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Thanks. I'll get in touch with DAV on monday, see what they can do. Probably won't speed up getting an MRI to prove the sciatica and recent disc damage, but all in due time.
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Mar 5, 2011 07:51
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As some background, I was medically discharged from the Army Reserve in 2009 after spending a little over a year on medical hold, specifically in the Community Based Healthcare Organization (CBHCO). I was paid, by the Army, a reasonable sum as a severence pay as a result of my Army determined disability rating. I'm not sure how this applies to the other branches, so unless someone that knows can confirm, assume that the following information applies only to the Army. Some things for soldiers looking at a medical discharge to be aware of: The disability ratings determined by the branch itself and those determined by the VA are completely separate and unrelated. In my case, if I remember correctly I was rated as 30% disabled by the Army and I know for sure at 10% by the VA. Because I was given a disability rating by the Army I was eligible for the severence pay, and other than that I do not know what benefits or compensation are offered for higher service determined disabilities, if any. The most important part of this is: You cannot simultaneously receive disability compensation from the Army and the VA. As a result of my acceptance of the severence pay, I will not begin actually seeing my monthly VA disability compensation in my bank acount until my severence pay is essentially paid back. I am, however, on file with the VA and will receive disability compensation in the future. As an example for clarity: If the Army determines that you are disabled and you are offered a $10,000 severence package, keep in mind this is a one time only payment and it is *not* mandatory. The actual amount of the severence pay is determined, IIRC, by rank and time in service. Now, let's assume that you have decided to accept the severence package from the Army and that the VA has determined that you are eligible for disability compensation. The amount received is determined by what percentage you are rated at, and for ease of explanation, let us assume that you are rated at 10% and will receive 100 dollars a month. You will technically be receiving $100 a month from the VA, *but* you will not actually see any of this money until the VA has paid out $10,000. Only after your severence pay is "paid back" will you actually begin to receive your $100 a month. If you are as lucky as I was to be sent to personnel that were actually knowledgeable and gave a poo poo, all of this should be explained in detail well before you have to make a decision. With the low disability rating I received from the VA it was more beneficial for me to accept the severence pay and wait to receive my VA compensation. I believe I will begin to actually be paid by the VA sometime in 2018. And if this seems kind of... hosed up, that's because it pretty much is. As I was going through the process I was told that there are ongoing attempts to change how receiving the two separate disability compensations is handled, but, of course, to not hold my breath. If any of this needs clarification or anyone has questions about my experience on medical hold and the CBHCO program, please ask. I will answer as best I can. If anyone has more recent information or can elaborate on anything I've said, please do so.
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Mar 6, 2011 06:09
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Busket_in_Posket posted:REMEMBER, if the claimed disability is not I know you specifically mentioned PTSD, but would a much more minor thing, such as Tinnitus, count as a condition under this rule? I know it's really easy to prove that you developed it through working on the flightline. EDIT: Also, I can say VA medical effing rules. I haven't gotten too terribly far into it yet, and my tune may change, but so far, I have had no worries at all, and it's pretty drat cheap. The paperwork and wait time can be a bitch, but I think it's worth it, especially since my employer doesn't provide me with insurance. TylerReksNEffect fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Mar 6, 2011 |
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Mar 6, 2011 06:37
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My GF is an Audiologist at the VA. from what her impression is, tinnitus is too hard to prove(along with PTSD). Due to recent lawsuits and how it can be ambiguous, the people on the C&P ruling boards tend to be very generous with giving out tinnitus and PTSD ratings. YMMV.
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Mar 6, 2011 09:54
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I filed my claim within 30 days of getting out of the USAF, because of this it took them about a month to decide on my claim. If you have the ability to file your disability claim as soon as you can possibly get out, do it. According to the VA rep I was dealing with, when you file within 90 days of getting out you go to the top of the pile, behind only special cases. On tinnitus; they checked my ears with one of those beeping machines and that was it. Also, reading the decision sent back to me by the VA was really interesting. They had taken into accounts statements I had made to my various doctors from the very beginning of my career, things I didn't even remember saying. So if you're still in, mention every gripe ever. One last thing, VA labeled me 60% disabled, which puts me at over 50%, so it gets me the free health care forever. I know at 100% you get base access for life and free dental.
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Mar 6, 2011 12:59
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TylerReksNEffect posted:I know you specifically mentioned PTSD, but would a much more minor thing, such as Tinnitus, count as a condition under this rule? I know it's really easy to prove that you developed it through working on the flightline. As our bear-suited reported pointed out, tinnitus is generally pretty easy to get compensated for. Also hearing loss. I haven't heard from anyone who's had either of these claims denied or had to provide outrageous proof, but then again they may not have understood what I was asking them... Very awesome hearing the personal stories and histories in here, keep em coming! I'll be hammering out Part 2 on Monday since I work weekends. Don't weep for me.
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Mar 6, 2011 17:36
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Alright, I got a question for you: I'm switching jobs. I had benefits with my old one, but I'm moving to a contractor to possibly hire position, so I loose my benefits. I'm also a Veteran of OIF, served in the National Guard for 6 years, Honorable Discharge, 20% disability, whole nine yards. I know nothing about VA health care stuff. I finished my IRR this past April, and wanted to look at if there's possibly a Tricare or other VA Health Insurance I could sign up for myself and my wife, for the interim. We were planning on going to COBRA, but everyone keeps telling me that it's expensive as gently caress. Is there a way to check eligibility? Is there any plan I could pay for, or no?
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Mar 6, 2011 17:41
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kombatMedik posted:Alright, I got a question for you: Step one is to go fill out your VONAPP. Step two is to read this mess. Essentially, if you're approved and at 20%, you're in Priority Group 3, meaning you still get health care without copays for you and your dependents. It's only if you're 0% rated that you would have to suffer through paying $15 to see a doctor.
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Mar 6, 2011 17:52
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Busket_in_Posket posted:Step one is to go fill out your VONAPP. drat, is this free? Because holy crap I'd be saving like 400 bucks a month doing this.
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Mar 6, 2011 18:25
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kombatMedik posted:drat, is this free? Because holy crap I'd be saving like 400 bucks a month doing this. Despite what the other guy said, your dependents generally aren't eligible for VA health care benefits. So if that $400 includes health insurance for your wife, you'd still have to find something to cover her.
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Mar 6, 2011 18:48
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Axolotl posted:Despite what the other guy said, your dependents generally aren't eligible for VA health care benefits. So if that $400 includes health insurance for your wife, you'd still have to find something to cover her. Better than nothing, I guess.
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Mar 6, 2011 18:50
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Busket_in_Posket posted:Step one is to go fill out your VONAPP. I really don't think that's right. http://webgla.alsa.org/site/DocServer/2006VeteransBenefitsChecklist.pdf?docID=29061 Priority Group 1, or 50% and over, is when "VA fee basis outpatient medical card (all conditions requiring treatment, whether SC or not, except dental)" begins appearing. I have a friend who is 30%, and he only has no copay on SC issues.
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Mar 6, 2011 23:37
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Argh that's what I get for slapping down a reply while distracted. Won't be doing that again. But still, apply for benefits and the results will tell you what kind of health care you'll be eligible for at 20% and whether or not it will cover dependents. Shame on me.
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Mar 7, 2011 02:56
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Busket_in_Posket posted:As our bear-suited reported pointed out, tinnitus is generally pretty easy to get compensated for. Also hearing loss. I haven't heard from anyone who's had either of these claims denied or had to provide outrageous proof, but then again they may not have understood what I was asking them... Hearing loss is NOT easy to actually get paid for unless I guess you cheat the system like a motherfucker on the speech recognition portion. The charts for hearing loss compensation % are online and well your hearing has to be pretty hosed up to actually be compensated. IIRC they do it by the average of total levels of hearing lost so if your hearing is terrible(like mine) in only 1-2 decibel ranges you won't get paid but it does help your case for tinnitus quit a bit which is pretty easy to get compensated for with documented hearing loss and working in loud environments. edit: I've been tested like 3-4 times in a row before because they couldn't figure out why one ear and one range was so bad so its probably pretty difficult to cheat on the tone tests and be consistent Found the link with guidelines for ratings: http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/bookc.asp might be good to throw in the OP Hearing impairment section: http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/docs/regs/38CFR/BOOKC/PART4/S4_85.DOC genderstomper58 fucked around with this message at 10:17 on Mar 7, 2011 |
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Mar 7, 2011 10:01
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moker posted:Hearing loss is NOT easy to actually get paid for unless I guess you cheat the system like a motherfucker on the speech recognition portion. The charts for hearing loss compensation % are online and well your hearing has to be pretty hosed up to actually be compensated. IIRC they do it by the average of total levels of hearing lost so if your hearing is terrible(like mine) in only 1-2 decibel ranges you won't get paid but it does help your case for tinnitus quit a bit which is pretty easy to get compensated for with documented hearing loss and working in loud environments. I meant to correct this earlier but yes, this is entirely true. Tinnitus is one thing but hearing loss is definitely scientifically easy to test. I was unsure if I had it but filed anyway. I'm not sure what the threshold is for hearing loss but the C&P board won't give it unless it's more than X%. Like I said earlier, PTSD and Tinnitus are ambiguous but hearing loss is pretty much a science. My hearing(despite my thoughts) is good, probably because of being a self-Nazi with either foamies or Sordins at the range, etc.
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Mar 7, 2011 10:24
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Free healthcare for 5 years for any bad rear end war hero like me (anyone that has ever received tax free for being in a country that hits you with the tax free flag, even if it was just a single hour). http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3359684
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Mar 7, 2011 15:19
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Completely off-topic and not intended to derail, but if it seems like I was speaking directly out of my rear end the last two posts I apologize. One of our regulars/old volunteers was found dead under mysterious circumstances Thursday and the brunt of it kinda hit me this weekend when I didn't see his goofy face around. So kinda foggy for the last couple days; I shall refrain from posting today to let the cobwebs clear.
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Mar 7, 2011 15:33
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I Know there'd is a one year time limit on claiming injuries with the VA when you return from a deployment, but I seem to recall something about that not applying to PTSD stuff. I am curious because I got back from Iraq about 2 years ago now, and recently I have been having... Issues with both anger and that nervous hyper alert sensation that makes you just feel scared all the time. Anyone know if you. An still claim PTSD after the one year time limit? Even if it is just to get treatment?
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Mar 7, 2011 17:03
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ReverendCode posted:I Know there'd is a one year time limit on claiming injuries with the VA when you return from a deployment, but I seem to recall something about that not applying to PTSD stuff. I am curious because I got back from Iraq about 2 years ago now, and recently I have been having... Issues with both anger and that nervous hyper alert sensation that makes you just feel scared all the time. Anyone know if you. An still claim PTSD after the one year time limit? Even if it is just to get treatment? You should have no trouble. Talk to a VA doctor and tell them whats going on. They ask you a series of questions when you go, designed to probe for PTSD, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts, among other things. One of those questions is literally "Do you feel safe inside your home?" If you really do feel scared all the time, you need to answer truthfully. It's important.
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Mar 7, 2011 17:39
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I'll be working on getting a PTSD rating (wife is pushing me to do so) and I've been out for five years. I rarely sleep at night, have bad anger spells, anxiety, and have had horrible swings of depression for the past few years. I have a record built up from seeing psychiatrists and psychologists since from when I was about a year out, have been put on meds, so it will probably come up in my favor (just a guess). I think they're more flexible on it because people have problems with admitting their mental illnesses. That and the media that's circled around it the past 5 years. And I don't believe there's a time limit on claiming service connected disabilities, but you have to have built up documentation of the problem in your medical records, pretty much from the time you were in the service or immediately after discharge. E: Sorry to hear about your friend, Busket. Best wishes and all. Wandering Idiot fucked around with this message at 18:01 on Mar 7, 2011 |
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Mar 7, 2011 17:43
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I have posted some of my experience here with the VA and am willing to share again. I was an army infantryman. I did two tours in Iraq, and one in Desert Shield/Storm. I was in the active army as well as the Army Guard. Yep, I am old and worn out. I am rated at 100% disabled from the VA (Individual Unemployable (IU)). I am also receiving disability from the Social Security Administration. I am only 39 years old and will never be able to gainfully be employed again. As I type this there is a ‘There is Strong, and then there is Army Strong’ commercial playing in the other room. Anyway, that is enough angst. I am rated 50% Traumatic Brain Injury (Migraine w Aura), 40% TBI Visual Loss, 10% Tinnitus, 70% PTSD, and Special Monthly Compensation. I used the American Legion as my Veteran’s Service Office. It has taken me over 3 years to receive IU status through a series of appeals and various exams. It took me less than two months to receive Social Security benefits, thanks to my completed VA paperwork. Overall my VA experience has been positive. Remember that there are two parts to the VA, the care portion and the benefits. The two are separate. My primary care is done through the local Traumatic Brain Injury clinic. The staff there is fantastic and very attentive. The TBI clinic has a dedicated social worker that coordinates my transportation (I am unable to drive), is working to get me a service dog, and facilitates my other clinical appointments. My experience with other clinics has been OK. It has been about what one would expect with any place really; there’s been some good and some not so great. There’s never been any clinic or doctor that I was not able to see someone else if I didn’t like the first doctor. As far as the benefits portion, I am now satisfied. I am not happy, who would be? I’d rather be healthy and productive. I recently found out I have colon cancer, and I am fairly certain it was environmentally caused; there’s no hereditary trace of it. The tinnitus rating is weird and a bit of a joke. It just came through and was backdated. It was weird, I originally claimed hearing loss, because, well I was infantry and a lot of things go boom. It was denied, the TBI was approved, no problems. I appealed, and the appeal was denied. So, the VA conceded that I was I blown up but it must have been silent explosions. All of a sudden, two weeks ago, tinnitus comes back approved. Thanks VA. Feel free to ask any questions, and I will answer if I can. A good resource is http://vets.yuku.com/directory
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Mar 8, 2011 04:35
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