Stressing Over Entitlements

[Anglesachse]

Hi guys,..... did you have a hard time admiting that you are having problems working in the civilian world? .........

Even after I was tagged with the Beast, It has taken me the last few years to understand and be able to admit that I have big problems with the Civvy world.

Hey Med5.......I'm sorry for you that you have to deal with such jerks, someone that's served their country deserves better than that. Unfortunately, those that don't think it's all for nothing and a big joke. Too bad, they miss the point. You'll always be a better person then they will ever be.
Semper Fi
JarHed

So damn right Jar mucker. we realy do deserve more. But those who haven`t been there can`t understand, But I think that is exactly why we all have problems in a Civvy world. We know we are Better than they will ever be, simply because we were willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice to save those worse off.

 

[JarHed]

We know we are Better than they will ever be, simply because we were willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice to save those worse off.

Hey Angle

I really like that statement. I think because it's so true. Just like when Tho dove in the pool to save his friend, he didn't even half step, just dove right in. A civvy wouldn't have done that. It's more than training also. It's the kind of people we are. It's not an elitist kind of thing, I just think it's what make us who we are.

Jar

 

[Wagon]

"Bread and Circuses". Look at that on Wikipedia and you have the answers to allot of shit.

 

[Bill Simmons]

True...we sigh up for stuff. Just who we are. We also pay a price, but for me it is worth it. Is PTSD a bitch...yes it is. That's OK with me...I know I done good once or twice in my life and it is a small price to pay when you get to make the world a better place to live in.

 

[Anglesachse]

We had discusion going on one of the other threads Bill. Along the lines of "Even knowing today that we are going to get PTSD, would you still have joined" I seem to remember the general consensus was a very loud and proud "YES"

I think most of us on here have all at one time or other stated, we would go back today if the military would have us.

Guess it kind of shows who we are.

 

[Wagon]

It is who we are. It's who I am anyway. And sometimes I kind of like me. Just have to learn to behave a bit better. And not freak out at inopportune times. Easy as pie....lmoa.

 

[Jimmy1]

I have only just caught this thread, must be getting old. Nah, my bucket has been a little full of late.

I can see your point Angle about the whole % thing, but I can see the other side too. It's all about the VA acknowledging the disability whether it be a missing limb, a broken leg, shrapnel inside you, or PTSD.
Now it has changed as of late that is why I am going to do the courses so I know what the f*$k I am talking about, but this is how it works over here.

There is a saying in the military over here which is, 'I hope I am not telling anyone to suck eggs here', in other words I hope I am not treating you like you are dumb. Anyway.

Once you have discharged, but hopefully before you are discharged, you have a permanent injury recognised with the VA. Once you have provided the proof and they have accepted that the injury or illness happened as part of service, they issue with a white card for that injury. This means that all medical expenses for that injury are covered after discharge. Now, if you have multiple injuries then they wack them all on the same card. With each injury the VA's all over the world give a percentage for each injury. Once they have worked up enough, they can be classed as 100%, which gives them a gold card for all injuries and any other ailment they may have. Now if the injuries are severe enough, lets say a veteran with an arm or leg missing, or both, is incapable of work then they class him as totally and permanently impaired and unable to work. They issue him with a Gold Card and a look after him financially.

The whole fight over here is with PTSD and TBI. The VA will fight tooth and nail to accept a veteran with PTSD. They will try and pull things from childhood or try and say that a soldier did not see combat. The other thing is that they are not accepting TBI at this stage.

So, Angle, Mucker, old mate, to some veterans the fight for 100% means they won't have to work and all their psych fee's can be paid and all their medications.

I personally don't give a shit about the money. You can't take it with you. But if 100% opens up avenues for better therapy then go for it. For some veterans they never win that fight. That is why I am doing the courses, so I can help those that need it.

I hope I have not talked in circles here.

 

[Anglesachse]

LOL na never in circles Jimmy.

Yeah I get what you are all saying about the % so as to be sure to get the Help, I find its just sad that we/you have to go down the road of what is basicaly "My PTSD is worse than his" to be sure that the help is given that is needed.

God that sounds worse than what I wrote originaly. I just can`t seem to get it down in type what I trying to say.

I think if the % was thrown out totaly it would come down to "You have it, you get........" or " you don`t have it, you ain`t getting nothing" You know, the Either your in the club or you ain`t then help could be given to the needy, and we would all be better off, because you wouldn`t be hunting the % target. You would be getting the fees and all meds paid.

At the end of the day, we didn`t go and get the f*cker because it looks cool. It is a price we paid for a service we gave, and we should get better help without all the leg work. You could concerntrate on getting better and not on getting a higher %.

F*ck I realy hope you guys know what I mean, I just can`t explain it.

 

[Jimmy1]

I know what you mean. Mate, down here, you only get total impairment if you lose a limb, are crippled, or have PTSD. Pretty sad hey. That's why it's so hard to get.
Some Nam vets look physically fine, but can't prove where they were when shit happened, and there PTSD cripples them, same with younger veterans. If a psych makes a poor judgement on a young soldier he is screwed for a year

 

[JarHed]

For me it's the convoluted method that the VA uses to 'compute' your total disability that is really screwy. If I added up all the percentages for each of my 'rated' wounds and for PTSD it would come to something like 185%. But the method they use to compute the total has me below 100%. It reminds me of the way that the IRS uses to compute certain aspects of your taxes. It's done so that it favors the grantor, in this case the VA, and not the grantee or veteran. I wish it were a bit more straight forward.

I was a programmer for a few years; mostly desktop apps and some web apps also. There was a contest every year sponsored by some company for the most 'obfuscated' code possible. What that means is like this: 2 + 2 = 4 OK, simple enough to understand. But what if your stated it like: 10-9+3/2*2 = 4, that's a bit more than what you need, which is my point. It's kind of how they go about calculating your disability rating.And good luck trying to find the exact method of how they do it. It's like a 'military secret', kind of thing.

For me it's more the benefits that you can get a 100% that you don't get below it that make us fight for that rating. If the system were a bit more fair.......................... But there I go again, sorry. It just gets me angry when I start to think about it all. After a while you just get tired of the fight and start to wonder if you have just one more round left in ya'.

Jar

 

[Sarg]

The bean counters call it the "whole person concept", we Veterans call it another way for the Fed to get out of paying the Veterans. Same, same the non-linear pay scales. As you know well, 50% isn't 50% with the VA. It's more like 25%. Having VA drs. only diagnose disease. GAF scale, doesn't mean shit if it's low but it's everything if it's high.

And on and on. Congress needs to pull it's head out and just accept the fact, we start a war, we're going to have to pay for it, all of it.

Nam Vets like you and I just beat our heads against the brick wall for fourty years. But I had a gut feeling that these young pups coming back from the sand box, firmly entrenched in the power of the internet, would change things. It is changing. The VA has already been caught with it's hand in the cookie jar and got burnt.

Having tv commercial after another, announcing to the populace that the VA is a total failed system, I'm speaking of the Wounded Warrior Project commercials. John Q Public is saying what the hell am I having to pay for the VA, and the kids have to go there for help?

All of a sudden now a person's private Dr. can do a C&P on them instead of the fox watching the henhouse.

Change is coming, Jar, and the "kids" are doing it. I wish them god speed.

Sarg

 

[Jimmy1]

With our VA you can have all your injuries and illnesses make 100%, then they send out a questionaire on how these injuries affect you socially. You tick a box wrong and your screwed. You should see how they word the questions.

I tell soldiers they are better off using words like Chronic and Severe.