Experiences with Veterans Affairs.

[rabbidrabbit]

You don't want to defend the Soldier who I mentioned....just because they found him to be medically retired doesn't mean he deserved it....I literally called his PEBLO to tell her another Soldier told me he told them he was faking it just to get a paycheck.

My opinion, you don't like it I honestly don't care....I still  you for your service.

Someone else who had an opinion shared it with you so this entitles you to drop dimes?  How is it your business?  Do you know for absolute certain that fraud is involved?  If not, you really screwed him.

[Ramesis]

So that is where innocent until proven guilty went.
It went to place where anyone can accuse anyone of anything
and is just assumed to be a fact!
No wonder the Justice system is sooooo screwed up! 
Osiris

[JunkyII]

Someone else who had an opinion shared it with you so this entitles you to drop dimes?  How is it your business?  Do you know for absolute certain that fraud is involved?  If not, you really screwed him.

A sworn statement isn't an opinion in the military...

So that is where innocent until proven guilty went.
It went to place where anyone can accuse anyone of anything
and is just assumed to be a fact!
No wonder the Justice system is sooooo screwed up! 
Osiris

Your Golly-geen right I'll say this guy was a faking POS...

Your military experience must have been a lot .....how do I put this.... softer...not as intense...if your trying to defend a Soldier who malingered.

[redcatcherb412]

So as some know, I am planning my transition from the Army late next month. Everyone of my brothers who got out before me told me to submit my VA claims ASAP because of the back log

As one who ran thru the mill a few times all I can suggest is patience, lots of it and a DAV rep helping you through. I had no problem in 1970 after discharge, the VA actually contacted me and asked why I hadn't come in for my exam.  I received a 60% rating.  But rest assured anything wrong from wounds or injuries will NOT improve as you age and further claims to update the disability percentages are a tough go. Good luck in your battle.

[branch37]

A veteran here bragged he got hearing aids from the VA with FM radio so he could watch a game on TV and listen to one on his hearing aids.  He could hear just fine without hearing aids.  He bragged a lot of veterans got them just for the radio feature.

And my grandfather gets %10 disability for hearing loss from engine noise in B-47s, you have to yell at the poor guy when he has the hearing aids in. 

[Vudu15]

Just before I got out a couple years ago other guys were telling to to claim all sorts of stuff, I was never deployed and I just made sure to get it documented for later. Didnt claim anything folks messed up way worse claimed just a little. It is sad to see folks abuse the system just because they can.....and if they do they should be punished for it just like anyone else.

[JunkyII]

Just before I got out a couple years ago other guys were telling to to claim all sorts of stuff, I was never deployed and I just made sure to get it documented for later. Didnt claim anything folks messed up way worse claimed just a little. It is sad to see folks abuse the system just because they can.....and if they do they should be punished for it just like anyone else.

Exactly

[rpm]

Had a VA medical appointment at my local clinic today. I was 30 min early and hadn't even finished checking in at the kiosk when they called my name. I've always received top notch care and service. Dallas VA has the same doctors you get at UTSW Medical Center, but sometimes you do have to wait. About 20 minutes is the longest I've had.

[branch37]

Had a VA medical appointment at my local clinic today. I was 30 min early and hadn't even finished checking in at the kiosk when they called my name. I've always received top notch care and service. Dallas VA has the same doctors you get at UTSW Medical Center, but sometimes you do have to wait. About 20 minutes is the longest I've had.

For all the crap the VA has been getting in the news lately, I find it hard to believe that every VA clinic/hospital sucks as bad as they are saying.  There's crappy institutions in every aspect of public service, not just the government funded ones.  There are also good ones. 

[Tumor]

Junky,
They are completely incompetent and all these ahats getting out claiming PTSD and a bunch of other fake BS are overburdening the system that was set up to help guys like you.

There is a LOT of this roadkill going on.  Thing is, it's the VA's fault for falling down on the job so badly a few years ago.  Now, anyone who cries "oh my back" or whatever, gets a percentage because the VA is afraid of people crying foul.  I see SO many people pulling 100% that are total frauds... they function perfectly in every day life, but boy oh boy, turn on the boohoo's when they near a VA hospital.

I've been retired 8yrs.  The VA has done a pretty good job IMO.  I prefer using them over TriCare, because Humana South is one of the most ridiculously convoluted piles of steaming horse crap I've ever had to deal with.  Comparatively speaking, the "care" IS better on the civilian side, when TriCare isn't diddlying it up.  But the VA is so straight forward and easy to deal with, that's where I go.  But there again, my VA doc is a little clinic and the real problem is the "Nurse" he has handling everything.... ya know, she's dumber than dirt, but she's hot, so whatever right?

Allot of the "how good is the VA" depends on where you are.  That's about the best answer you're going to get.  It's cheaper too... but nobody on TriCare should ever cry about cost (Prime that is).

I almost forgot... if you decide on TriCare (you CAN use both) study up.  Prime is only available if your within 100mi of an MTF (AS THE CROW FLIES).  Thank you Congress for screwing the crap out of us vets yet again.  Standard is great, but if you have a problem, it will break your bank (if you're poor like me... the catastrophic cap isn't real real bad).  For me to use Prime, I have to drive 89mi to see a doc.  My VA clinic is 20mi.. so there ya go.

Tumor

[Tumor]

oops

[Traveler]

I only did 6 years in the Air guard.

Thank you for your service.

From what ive heard im screwed (i would love to truely exresss my feelings but mods would own me) in the claims i want to make.
I was always asked by my NCOs "are you dieing?" when I said no just hurts ect. and the responce was always "you'll be fine drink water take asprine/IB profine" only went to medical once so NOTHING is documented which is where im screwed.
I havent started with the VA (ETSd in Mar15) because I doubt anything will happen except maybe tenitious and hearing loss.
They never make sense with what they do from the stories ive heard.
Edit: My father 1970-74 active USAF 74-77 Army guard 77-97 Air guard just started his stuff and they have been pulling his files even the buried ones from nam that "dont exist/still classified". This 9month time frame in his record is whats taking 3+months now for them to get ahold of.

Not ture, for either you or your father:  First the way a VA claim works is simple, you must show that your claim is related to your service.  Remember when you were drafted/ enlisted in a branch of the service?   They gave you a physical, a very detailed physical.   Do you remember when you were separated from active duty?  Remember as you were mustered out, they gave you another detailed physical.  They simply compare the records for the two medical physicals, Any changes or differences must have occurred while you were on active duty.  Those records are note classified and used as the basis of many, if not all medical claim decisions.  Frankly anyone claiming that files are buried from nam or classified is total BS.    The three classification of “classified”, “ secret” and “Top Secret”   used by the US Military  come with time periods associated with each level of classification and they are 10 years, 20 years and 30 years.  Viet Nam was 40 years ago, there isn’t to much left to be de-classified and a serviceman’s medical records were never classified.

[MiloMorai]

Your VA must being doing something right as it gave out $142,000,000 in bonuses last year.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/11/va-reportedly-paid-142m-in-bonuses-last-year/?intcmp=hplnws

[Traveler]

Your VA must being doing something right as it gave out $142,000,000 in bonuses last year.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/11/va-reportedly-paid-142m-in-bonuses-last-year/?intcmp=hplnws

It would be nice if everyone had their own VA but I have the same one as everyone else.  It's messed up, I fought with the VA for over 20 years and finally the government admitted that "yes, agent orange is bad for you and continuing to kill Vets long after they left the battle field".  The VA is what you get with the government in charge of your health care.  A private doctor that I saw last week because I gave up trying at the VA,  described the VA system of medical care as being at the level of the early 1950's medical care.

You also have to remember two things: one, VA claims for compensation is totally separate from requests for medical care and two, you may request and be granted medical care through the VA system long before that same medical system grants you any type of compensation for a service related injury.

I'm what is referred to as a 100% now, sounds great, right, well each of the chronic disease that I have directly relate to my exposure to Agent Orange.  Both my children died within weeks of their birth as a result of multiple birth defects.   I developed type two diabetes  at the age of 26,  I was 6’3” 200lbs, not overweight, I’m now 214lbs, well within my BMI.   I lost motor skills in many muscle groups.  I had developed something called  “incomplete paralyses “  directly related to Agent Orange,  I have a very difficult  time swallowing, because not all the muscle groups work properly when I try to swallow.  I have a major issue walking up stairs as I tend to drag my  right foot.   All the compensation in the world will not make up for what I lost.

What I did in dealing with the VA once they agreed to the relevance  of Agent Orange.  Was to present evidence using the Army physical at entry and discharge, copies of Morning Reports and After Action reports that detailed where I was in country for the 18 month tour I did in November 67 through May 69.  Some of the after action reports were classified and redacted as to where in country we were at, but gave enough information that verified my being there.  It's not easy dealing with the VA and it takes a lot of homework on the part of the Vet to move his/her case along the way, however, it can be done if you work at it.
 

[MiloMorai]

Traveler, I was being sarcastic.