Of late I attended a training class that was designed to fail. This is unacceptable but expected if combined with a VA presumed condition rating in a Vet's claim. In this the VA has not trained their PAID private Docs the conditions and legal requirement in the CFR which defines the laws of how the VA must adjudicate a claim. Yes the docs must check out the Vet's story and condition and IMO they must believe the condition of a 40 year old injury to tie the story together thus the NEXUS is all important. Some might suggest the nexus is the VA's bailiwick and that would be fine if you could trust the VA. This just means the VA has the only say in the 3 part story of a claim. Would you trust the VA???? Can you trust a non trained Doc.?
My personal view is that the VA is all about killing us Vet's off. Through neglect or denials, they want us dead. Fortunatley there are dedicated folks looking out for Vet's. Thank you HK-User!
Unfortunately, I agree with Dont, it's been my families experience ( out the Agent Orange BullShit) that the VA is counter productive, it actively seeks ways to deny and prevent care of vets who have proven beyond question any condition they need help with!
At least you are a vet, went into USAF in July 1956, served until Sept 1960 and reserve until Sept 1962. Thus I am a peacetime vet and not allowed to use most of VA benefits. Did finally get some GI bill ed. Wife's cousin was drafted for Vietnam, washed out of basic,has full VA, medical and some disability, and is getting more now. At least it is better than a discharge due to PTSD and thus not only no bennies, but held against you.
Air Force Vet 1988 to 2008, + 4 years reserve. 70% disability, and full benefits, though it's a hell of a fight getting any of the medical! I have nothing but basic expectations for care, and thus, I'm hardly disappointed! Lots of family who did 20+ years, including Dad who did 40 and a couple of cousins who did 30+, middle Brother did 23 in the Corps Care has been questionable across the family, some better then others, mostly depending on where they live!
This is why I’d rather pay than go to the VA. It got a bit better under Trump but seems to be getting worse lately.
I agree with you, if you have health insurance that will cover the medical bills why deal with the hassles of the VA. Some people would accept inferior treatment from the VA simply because it is "owed" them and they are "entitled" to it! My tax dollars pay for the programs that form the "safety net " in our society, but I hope and pray that I never need to make use of them!
How is that possible washed out of basic and has full benefits ? VA insanity never ceases to amaze me
He might have been seriously injured during basic training and unable to serve even after recovery. That would do it.
I know a kid ,, joined the Corps ,, got to his 1st duty station,, him a another guy ,, stole a truck from the Motor Pool,,, went out 4 wheeling thru the woods , drinking and drugs ,, shitbags wreck the truck ,, kid gets a tree limb stuck in his head. Kid gets booted from the Corps ,,, with full benefits,, 100% disability. Kid should have been Dishonorably discharged,, and laid up in the Brig for theft and damage of government property. All this ,,, while battle hardened vets have to fight to get anything. What the hell is happening to our country ???
Don't know all the details, pick up his mail with checks from and take him to VA once in a while. Good discharge, did the best he could, not 100% . but something, Family knew all the details, didn't want to talk about and are gone. just get evasive answers from him and VA says medical privicy, All in all he had problems before he was drafted and if they ignored them, he deserves whatever he gets. Moved in with my in laws when he was about 16 as mother in law was his mother's sister and took care of him and he lived with them most of his life, When they could no longer live alone , they moved in with us as a package and when they died, he just stayed, part of family for 50 + years so used to it and no real changes. He never worked in a factory or full time, would last a couple days art best, always earned enough to be self sufficient, helps a little around place, like the old maid sister;s used to be in families. Grew up in family like that, blind uncle lived with grand dad, and never found a reason to question it. Family and help used to be a grouping and not a fixed thing, often needed a score card to figure things out. 5
Thanks, we take our volunteer work seriously. As for me I went the trip alone without the direct help of others, something I certainly do not advocate. I have just refiled several presumptive conditions which were denied several years ago as I was on Subs and was not allowed the services promised by the Gov. All subs I was on were SpecOps, as such all trips were Top Secret and all records were removed from the boat upon our return and delivered to DOD and a few other high security locations. Upon review all records were destroyed. The only saving grace in this situation is the paper trails produced by pay records and awards for service location awarded to ships in a permanent record. I first tried to join VFW in 92 and found my record of service to Nam was not shown on the DD214. Easy I thought just do a DD215, which meant I had a long road ahead of me, so I added all the missing schools as part of the upgrade and had to find a way to dig out the facts of my service. With the help of a Lady in the payroll section of the USN we proved the WAR I was in, she described the path to help prove the WAR portion of my service, a must for joining the VFW. Going quietly into a quest such as this requires the upmost personal fortitude of trusting people in the Gov, not easily done as I was soon to discover I would later be 100% PTSD. Anyway in war zones there is 0% income tax. My pay records were requested and the point of service was proven as Nam by period of no income tax withheld. The next point I needed was to prove service onboard my Sub, easy enough as my records listed the Diesel Boat I was attached to. Last was the Vietnam service medal I had never received. Being polite, this being hard to do by an abuse of 30 years by the VA, this landed me in a search of proof. Again quiet and yet direct was the approach as I discovered help in strange places. There is a list of awards to ships and people of great honor and accomplishment, https://www.usscoralsea.net/docs/opnavnote1650.pdf is the document, it had just been placed online, there in an indisputable list of trips to Vietnam was the name and hull number of my boat. Soon I received a Medal and 3 stars for my efforts. So that pretty much concludes my search for facts of service and just the beginning of my quest for information and only the start of helping all Vets in need.
Dad had spent ten years off the coast of Vietnam on board ships, as well as taking a trip "in country" on occasion. Would be interesting to see if there was a service connected claim there.
Have posted before ---those who served in Thailand supporting the war the VA does not recognize exposure to any herbicide exposure even though it has been documented agent orange was used throughout Thailand bases. I'm glad blue water sailors are now covered but Thailand vets have been screwed.
Just wait until all of us AFG and IRQ vets come down with crap because of the burn pits. I know a few people with issues and one that died already... just wait until we are all in our 60’s.
I hope to god you have better luck than we who served in Thailand during the Vietnam war. If I were you I would start now getting all my service records --medical, where you were stationed etc etc. The government has a history of loosing stuff like that. Also document any medical issues no matter how insignificant you may think it is. If you have buddies you served with get with them and verify burn pit exposure, or any other issues again good luck
Benefits Overview for Agent Orange Exposure VA offers health registry exams, health care, disability compensation and other benefits to eligible Veterans. Their dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits. Health care for Veterans Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service may be eligible for: Agent Orange Registry health exam, a free exam for possible long-term health problems related to herbicide exposure. Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Korean demilitarized zone or other areas where Agent Orange was sprayed may be eligible. Health care benefits, a full range of medical benefits. There are many ways a Veteran may qualify. Disability compensation for Veterans Veterans may be eligible for disability compensation if they have a disability related to Agent Orange exposure during service and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. VA has recognized certain cancers and other health problems as associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service. Veterans with qualifying service in Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. Learn about other locations where Agent Orange was used. Other Veterans may be eligible if they show on a factual basis that they were exposed. Learn more about disability compensation and how much VA pays. Benefits for children with birth defects Children who have certain birth defects and are biological children of Vietnam-era Veterans with qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea may be eligible for VA compensation, health care, and vocational training. Learn more about benefits for children with birth defects. Survivors' benefits Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service and died as the result of diseases related to the exposure may be eligible for health care, compensation, education, and home loan benefits. Learn more about survivors' benefits. Additional benefits Read Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors to learn about other VA benefits. return to top
Depends on what disease he has,date, occupation and ships he was on. Check here for time line of ships and Nam medals to start. https://www.usscoralsea.net/docs/opnavnote1650.pdf
