sixthscents

All, Please dont get me wrong. I believe and feel every word of what I wrote below... but, I still would serve in a flat second if they'd have me. The Army, from the ground is a noble, incredibly satisfying career. I have a great deal of respect for MY Army, but I have NO respect for the idiots, liars, thieves, and shysters foisted off as leaders who diligently work to undermine the very bedrock of our nation. Testvet is right... Dr Chu is just the latest in a litany of lies, manipulation, and deceit. The history of America, and our military is replete with them. What is, at its very heart an incredibly honorable brotherhood, is tarnished by the acts of people who have seldom if ever even wore a uniform... Today, right NOW, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are being sacrificed for the sake of budgetary concerns... not national policy, not foreign policy... domestic policy is at reign here. They go so far as to try and tar and feather US, saying that the veterans compensation and care is causing active military problems. They, the dirty little men, in their Brooks Brothers suits, want to cast US into the image of welfare recipients.... They have only forgotten one little thing. Nobody believes the US government anymore. The average American thinks that the government is made up of lies... and this trend has done nothing but escalate since the 50s'. They deny just compensation, or DELAY such until the veteran dies, or just quits. They do this KNOWINGLY, as I cannot fathom how such a morass of legalistic tripe could be foisted off as being correct without a hidden agenda. I miss my Army. I miss my soldiers. I am a very firm supporter of both, but.... I look at the Roman empire, which in all truth is THE best comparison to America today... and I see what is coming. Anyone can... history repeats itself, and America, as it stands today, has already doomed itself to that end. So, I will fight for myself, my family, and my soldiers the best way I can, but... I already know the end of the book. When we seperated our citizenry from the idea that they must EARN their privlidges, and they became rights, when we turned our backs on the idea that was the foundation of our nation, we doomed our very nation. Today, only 1 person in 20 has seen military service, or less depending upon WHICH dissertation you read, but 1-20 being the highest possible... you see an America increasingly divorcing itself from the very thing which made it. So fell Rome, and so to... will America meet it's fate. I am NOT anti-American... I am so PRO American that I refuse to cover my eyes from the train wreck which is coming. I look at Iraq, and I see Harridan's wall... the time is compressed because of technology, but... for what purpose was Harridan's wall built, for what purpose are we in Iraq?... The comparisons fit all too well, in ANY way you wish to use them. So fell Rome, and so too will America. I am proud to be an American, as I know you probably are too, but... the America we are so proud of in our hearts, no longer exists in our world. I am sure the Romans were just as patriotic, yet the ampitheater is still ruins, and the great aquaducts are filled with sand. I swore and would happily swear again to support and defend the IDEA upon which our nation was founded, but I find very little to support in the reality of what our nation has become....... WOW......... ok, sorry what the heck does this have to do with compensation and pension?..... I'll ask another mod please to look at this thread and determine if it needs to be moved. If so, fine.... To those whom I have upset I apologize. Make no mistake, I am very proud of most of our past accomplishments as Americans... and I am proud to be one today... but, I am proud of what we were, the Ideas we were founded upon, and the men and women I served with and for. Yet the very thing which makes me unable to NOT serve, makes me also unable to hide from the truth, or what I percieve to be the truth.

No, a person does not have to be confined to a wheel chair for a "loss of use" determination. The VA states in CFR 38, Section 3.350 i) Loss of use of a hand or a foot will be held to exist when no effective function remains other than that which would be equally well served by an amputation stump at the site of election below elbow or knee with use of a suitable prosthetic appliance. The determination will be made on the basis of the actual remaining function, whether the acts of grasping, manipulation, etc., in the case of the hand, or of balance, propulsion, etc., in the case of the foot, could be accomplished equally well by an amputation stump with prosthesis; for example: (a) Extremely unfavorable complete ankylosis of the knee, or complete ankylosis of two major joints of an extremity, or shortening of the lower extremity of 3 1/2 inches or more, will constitute loss of use of the hand or foot involved. ( Complete paralysis of the external popliteal nerve (common peroneal) and consequent footdrop, accompanied by characteristic organic changes including trophic and circulatory disturbances and other concomitants confirmatory of complete paralysis of this nerve, will be taken as loss of use of the foot. OK... so lets look at this one part at a time..... Loss of use of a hand or a foot will be held to exist when no effective function remains other than that which would be equally well served by an amputation stump .. well this is fairly clear... if the foot/hand remains attached but is as non-functional as if there was a prosthetic in place - loss of use is established... In reguards to feet this can be manifested by foot-drop, paralysis of the anterior tibialis, AND common peroneal, or just anterior tibialis nerves. basically you may be able to dorsi-flex, or plantar flex foot, but it will not sustain your weight. Now, heres the tricky bit, IF YOU ARE ISSUED AND WEAR AN AFO, and have evidence showing foot-drop, loss of ability to dorsi-flex or plantar-flex foot with subsequent PROVEN nerve injury, the VA WILL IN MY OPINION find that loss of use exsists... now I said opinion because in every claim I have handled where there was clear EMG evidence of nerve paralysis... total or partial, but frequent enough to necessitate the use of an AFO... loss of use has been granted... Hands.. well I would suggest that someone else answer that because I have never filed for loss of use for a hand... but again Section 3.350 lays it out, as well as loss of use of creative organ....

Like Carlie, I have watched as veterans have lost everything, file bankruptcy, lose their homes... all the while waiting for the VA to make up its mind. Yet... I know your situation is serious, but I dont see enough information to give you any other answer than I dont know.... I suffer from Cervical as well as Lumbar injuries... and they are service connected, but I just dont have enough information about your claim to state anyhting other than, like Carlie says, you will have to trim off everything. If you do work and file for TDIU, well you are in fact working... so the VA will say, with only 1 rare exception that I know of, you are working so you can work... period. That exception is in "protected" jobs in which ONLY disabled veterans can be hired... and I dont see that in your case. So, I am sorry but your options are limited... if you work, the VA will most probably deny TDIU. If you dont, well only you can say what will happen then. There's a guy called Dave Ramsey... do a search for him on the internet... and try to read some of what he councils... maybe you can find some answers theer. I certainly believe in him.... I'm sorry, but unless I have more info, thats all I really can say...

Sure, I see your point Huskerfanfl, but.... I am afraid she was the exception rather than the rule. Since the military CAN pick and choose which disability they say is "disabling", they get off scott free 99% of the time.... with just a severance. Now, that severance may be 60 or 70K, but when you compare that against all the accrued benefits lost, plus a retirement at even 30%... well the military is making the sound monetary decision to shaft the soldier.... again and again... I fought... I fought like heck, I went and got mad about what they were doing to me and my family and I fought... and won thru the VA, but.... if they had just honored their promises, I would have been satisfied. Honestly, I am making FAR FAR more than I would have, if they had just retired me at 40%.... but, I am the exception as well. When the injury happened, I made sure it was WELL documented, and had ALL the line of duty paperwork done. Since I was in recruiting at the time, I was on Tri-Care Remote and went to civilian physicians, but EVERY time I finished a civilian appointment, I went to Ft Campbell, or Knox and went to sick call and had the Army file cooresponding notes into my SMR. This went on for 2 years, each time I made sure that if a civilian doctor gave me a work restriction, I went to a post and had a profile issued as well. If I had a test done, like an MRI, I took the films and had them read by the military as well.... All the while they were trying their best to relieve me, a "relief for cause"... It didnt happen because my recruiting station (I was the commander) was one of the top ten in the nation... and had been the whole time I was in charge... yet they STILL tried to relieve me... if the had just done a medical relief I would have said sure, but there was NO way I was going to accept a relief that essentially said I was incompetent... nope, even while I was hurt, my station stayed rock solid. Now part of that was the fact that I am a very good manager... (not bragging, just a fact), but another part of it was we were a TEAM, and the work was parceled out so that everyone had a commitment and motivation for success. I was lucky in that I had some really great soldiers.... but I had 2 stations prior to it, and they were just as successful... EVERY soldier in the Army has the potential to be a GOOD soldier. I know that... and I also know that what motivates one, doesnt necessairily motivate another, BUT... when I was hurt, they couldnt fill my slot, because I was still on the TO&E... so they had to relieve me, or let the station essentially run itself... so they tried... the filthy 1Sgt I had at the time tried EVERY trick he knew, even going so far as to try to convince me to ACCEPT a relief for cause... since it would allow him to move me closer to home..... I refused. So, for 2 years I fought with my local command, and fought with the MEB, and PEB... I learned all the dirty tricks they try. I was forced to take a PT test, since a profile is only a "suggestion"... to the commander.. in fact I took several, alll the while causing further injury. I will say that EVERY relief for cause they submitted was shot down at Brigade level. So, finally they decided to relieve me medically, and I accepted that. Did it matter? Yes, it didnt change the ending of the story, but it matterd to ME... I was not going to have my work dismissed for the sake of expediency... All the while I was reading... online CFR 38... and preparing my claim, making sure I had all the documentation, all the possible tests, all the proof ANY court would need. Even then, I was severanced... after 4 surgeries, a spinal chord stimulator, fusion and pins in spine, walking using canes, and poorly at that... and they rated me for a muscle strain... a muscle strain or Lumbago if you prefer.... that Lumbago made me unable to serve, not all the other stuff. So, I say then and I say now.... the Army in paticular... chumps a broken soldier. They talk about taking care of the soldier, but that only counts if you aren't broken. In the end, it was like I was a toy soldier, and once broken, was simply cast aside..... BUT the real horror is that they are doing it still, even now as our soldiers return with spinal chord injuries, they are severancing them, because of a bad knee.... if you thhink I am exaggerating, well just go to ANY holding company on ANY Army post, and listen to the stories. If you still need proof, I have several claims I am handleing right now, and I'd be more than willing to ask them if I could tell you the details of their claims.... these guys are still in the Army right now... but being discharged for relatively minor ailments compared to their entire medical history, and being severanced.... Its just like the plan the VA bandied about... when they were talking about BUYING out 10-20% disabilities. Just another way to shaft the soldier. ..................... I am sorry, this post has gone on and on, but I am still so ANGRY at what was done to me, and what I see them do EVERY day... I want to puke... I really do.... It is a stain, a disgrace, to what is, at its very heart, one ofour most noble achievements... a volunteer Army comprised of dedicated and selfless indiviuals.. willing to die for a stranger... yet, when the last call is heard, when the last platoon falls out... the injured and maimed are left cast aside like so much garbage.......... I loved being a soldier. It was my place. What I was meant to do... and they by their very actions have diminished it, and made it less. They have no honor... only calculators.

Amended; Organize with names, descriptions and dates everything now. I have found this harder years later. If I could I would compile a Yearbook of sorts; addresses of coworkers, neighbors, landlords, etc, maybe thier age, family status and hometowns, MOS (or job titles), other bases they were stationed at. Additionally I would request or help a buddy recall any event in writing that has had a medical impact(broken finger, extended temporary duty and family emergency at home, passing out in the shot line, etc). I sure wish I had an Organizational chart (with first&last names,and mug shots (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) for every assignment I had, commanders, supervisors and first shirts changed so quickly.God Bless you You know, I had never thought about that but its a good idea. Especially to strike while the iron is hot.

I'm sorry but I just wanted to make sure that you all know just how DISGUSTED I am with the US Army for the way they treat their broken soldiers. From the first profile, to the PEB they stick you with every crud job, and then say you are "riding your profile".... From what I hear and see, it hasn't changed a bit. If you get broken, all of a sudden you are a sorry bag of fecal material... You can go from being a super soldier to a dirt-ball in a matter of days. I watched it happen, and the Army INSTILLS that type of attitude from the top down. Much to my shame, I have to admit I was as guilty as all the others, following the unspoken rule of "suck it up and drive on".... I often reflect back to some of the things I did... to the sorry soldiers who were out riding a profile, and... I am ashamed. Yet, I only bought into a mentality that was present and almost forced into you from day one. A "broken" soldier was good for a whole bunch of really cruddy jobs, that had to be done anyway, so why not use the sorry so and so ?.... And I bought into it.... I have MANY things about my service and my Army for which I am proud... but, this is not one of them. I can only say, I didn't know... until I was the broken soldier, I just didn't realize.... I wish, that I could apologize to those soldiers, now that I do KNOW... I really wish I could. (sigh)... OK, I'll get off my stump now, but... this is one thing about my Army that makes me ashamed, and ashamed of myself and my own actions... and I still can only say, I did not know.

Oh, and dont stress the small stuff Tammy. I really doubt that anyone thought you were fishing for money... I think it was a bit of a joke about how you told your story... Which to be honest I am very familiar with, since I do the same thing, and get picked on by these guys all the time for... So, welcome and just slow down a little ok, and really when is you son graduating, or has he already?

Tammy, at last I have found someone who spells almost as bad as ME!... As far as Chapter 35, my wife took her Masters on it, and she was 35 when she started it... and they paid for it all... Obviously you write, just like you talk correct? I know I do, and I often find myself slipping into a kind of fast foreward, speeded up version of what I wanted to say. Just try to slow down, and when you type a sentence, STOP, and then read what you have just typed. Nobody cares about typos, but it really is hard to follow what you are trying to say. I REALLY wish I had known your son was graduating. I could have gone, if you could not have. It would have been something I would have liked to do, but I thought Ft. Knox held their graduations all on Thursday...., and that wouldn't have been the 20th. So, has he graduated yet, and if NOT when will he.

Well, I can speak to only my experience and what I personally have seen, but I used to go to the holding company at Ft Knox regularly, and talk to the soldiers their about the VA. It was in the evenings, and not mandatory, but I did it after the "obligatory" session by the VA rep. I can speak to what I saw there, and have seen in all the cases I have handled since... The numbers for the Army is way less than 5%... again this is based upon my own observation, but I'd say closer to 2-3% of all injured and unfit soldiers get a reritrement, the rest get severanced. The appeals process is a joke. I watched a Captain, file his appeal, go before the board, the board reccomended that he be awarded 30%, and it went to Washington... and guess what, it was denied. The appeals board that you can present yourself is NOT an appoving authority, just a reccomending one... Again and again I have watched deserving soldiers denied their just retirement benefits, simply because the Army only rates ONE illness, of many it can pick and choose which one it wants to rate as disabling... Its not like the VA which looks at all the injuries... they look only at one, and rate only one... Now the brunt of my experience has been with the Army so I cant really speak for the other services, but... it's a sleezy, lowballing, INTENTIONAL process in the Army... thats what I saw anyway.....

OK, now as you look at each illness, and go thru CFR 38 you will start to see what is, and isnt a claimable illness. Some of your things may not have been a claimable illness, or the rater may have combined them with one of the other injuries as a symptom, and rated that illness higher (hopefully), or it may in fact have allowed that rating to occur... (kinda confusing, but you may have been claiming a symptom, and not an illness... I dont know that for a fact, but it too is ocmmon.) As you go thru each one, you will find some illnesses probably that do NOT have a rating, and these are rated under the most similar, or "like" illness, also you will see that the VA and the rest of the world use different medical descriptions... things like degenerative joint disease - lumbar spine becomes IVDS (in some cases), and so on. So, it will be a bit of a "process"... but remember that we are here to help answer your questions as you go thru this. Again, the first real step will be having your C-File (Compensation File) moved to the VA Regional Office that covers where you now live. You can call the 1-800 number to get this started, and to get the address of your local VA Regional Office. You can track that C-File and call every week or so to find out "where" it is... and hope they manage to get it to the right VARO... that'll be the first thing they do anyway, so you might as well make sure its done right.

Well your probably not going to mess anything up yet... but if you have moved, and intend to stay in the residence you are at, I would (shudder) move my claims folder. I would address all the claims you intend to contest at once if possible, presenting as clear a picture as to WHY they were wrong to rate you as they did. This is called a NOD, or a Notice of Disagreement. You should look at the decision they sent you, and then reference it to CFR 38, section 4... for each illness, they rated they will state why they said no.... useually this is because they: deny service connection deny diagnosis of the illness (really common) deny the severity of the injury (for 0% or other lower rated injuries) then you look at your medical records, and see what (according to CFR 38) you believe a fair rating would have been. Normally you will find that you differ in opinion with the rater... if so here is where you start to build you case.... to be continued, have to get daughter off to school. Bob Smith

You can still submit the records later. I would ask them to decide the claim without the evidence at this point, unless you think you will be able to obtain it in the next 30 days. If it does show up, you can use it as new and material (help me out here anyone, I thnk I am right but I want to be sure) to reopen the claim at a later date. That might even be to your advantage. Financially you are ok, I remember that from another thread, so... try and get the records, but if its not gonna happen in 30-60 days, tell them to decide, and when they do show up you have an automatic reason to relook the claim.... If I could get the evidence I would... If you cant, or may be delayed... well just tell them to decide and use them later if necessary, but try really hard to get them first... migraines can be a killer comp.... big percentages with a recorded history etc. Bob Smith

I seldom accept the first rating... very seldom... I would question the 20% lumbar spine, dpending upon the situation, further I would also question all the DJD, DDD as well as the 0% rated stuff. If they gave you 80% on a first run, welll a. they cant decrease their rating and b. they cant decrease their rating, so I would push for 100%... Bob Smith

After reviewing several of the claims I am handleing, I have yet to find a single one.... this is after going thru about 50 files... I'm going to give up... I dont think any were sent out in my neck of the woods. I'd have at least a few of them... I am going to dig into this.... Bob Smith

As far as service-connection, I think they just go off some code the doctor enters when they initially establish the prescription. As far as taking vets to VAMC... well to be honest, its all part of a whole ... right? I mean if I am willing to spend literally hundreds of hours on some claims, then I would be silly not to be willing to spend a few actually ensuring that my veteran had the care they needed.... In the end I agree that the VA - overall, is a very "caring" atmosphere, and the lady (who wasn't) was the exception rather than the rule. I certainly have been completely satisfied with the level of care I have received. I have gotten to know many of the people on a first name basis, since I see them so often either thru my own appointments, or someone else's. They are, by and large, very good people indeed.... Sometimes, I am not well, or I have my own crisis, and thats when the call comes, and then it can be a bit ... bothersome when its the same vet you have talked to for days and days about their claim. Yet that too comes with the territory. Make no mistake while I am helping veterans, I get some help from this as well. I have found a great deal of satisfaction in achieveing even a 10% raise in comp... it doesnt matter, because I am still of USE.. does that make sense? Anyway, while I like to help veterans, by helping them I am in turn also helping myself... I have many many friends I never would have had except for this. I know my neighbors (who are vets) in very decent friendships that I never would have had, except for this. So.. as in most things likeit, the person who is helping does receive a reward and a sense of accomplishment... A lot of these vets, well, they are almost scared of the VA... and they have no idea where or how to go, so if I take them to their first appointments, and get them used to the system, make sure that things go smoothly... well in the end it works out as being good for all of us doesnt it? Anyway, its part of who I am now... I was a soldier, and as a soldier I did the same things I do now, just in a different way. It lets me stay, well heck.. ME... Anyway... thanks and I am glad that your Dad got the care he DESERVED, as well as needed. Oh, and by the way... now I know YOU... because of this... and so many others..... Bob Smith

T-Bird the new opening is AWESOME.... but to be honest, I just turned the forums back to the plain Invision Board. Not that the other wasnt nice, it just seemed to hang when posting... maybe it was just me. Anyway the front is killer, and THANK YOU for adding the state benefits section. Bob Smith

Rich is dead on, and so are the others.... and they do have a decent selection of frames. If you want, (but do not require) a special coating, like sunglasses etc., they cost about $35 a pair total..... if you already are getting the glasses for free I think the coating charge is $10..... or somewhere really close to that. I have a pair of yellow medium tinted for shooting (ha!).. and driving at night to reduce glare... I pay $35 a pair for them, and they are decent. I just call in now to the frame dept. and tell them what I want. They were asking that I send in the old frames at first, if I was "replacing" a free pair, but they stopped doing that last year. I dont know if its just where I am at or what, but all I do is call, and if I want a special coating have them charge the extra cost to my debit card.... Also, some VAMC's have a cataract department (39 and with cataracts - go figure), and they do have a really good team, I had my left eye done, and the right will be done this year. Bob Smith

Not to be a downer, but I have won maybe 2 claims for sinusitis, out of probably 25. It just seems to me that IBS, and sinusitis are both really hard to get the VA to come clean on.... I dont know why, but there it is. Bob Smith

Cowgirl, I am not meaning to minimize what you say, but we are all in this together. It's seems so frustrating at first because you DO seem to have to do these people's jobs for them. Now the ONLY way to do that is EXACTLY what you are doing, by readaing and understanding what exactly they can offer you, and HOW to ask for it.... Yep, it's backwards... but to be honest these people are swamped. I "shudder" am going to have to take the VA's side for some of this. They literally have so many cases at EVERY level, and in EVERY field that unless you DO, do their jobs, you probably will NOT get the care, treatment or benefit you need in a timely manner... now you will get it, eventually, but if you help them by making sure you alreday have the necessary documentation, briefings, whatever, man the process really does smooth out. Are you doing their jobs for them... yeah. Yet in years of dealing with the VA, I have never seen them quite so swamped as now, and to be honest even at the best, I STILL had to do their jobs, at least at the start.... Your SMART girl, obviously, and for you the system will work because you will MAKE it work, but it seems that is exactly what you have to do, or face some undefined wait..... we all did too. It's not right, but most .... MOST... of these people in Voc Rehab, and Adaptive Housing etc... man they are reallly really nice people, ONCE you get to know them. I make a point of taking a little gift, candles, candy something to the people in ORTHO, since I see them so often, same with the adaptive folks... and the pain management clinic.... The bald truth is, these people can often get better pay in a different place. they are with the VA to HELP... (OK, I NOT GOING TO BREAK OUT THE POM POMS) But, it has been far a wide my experience that most of these people seem to actually care... you just have to get to know them... NOW PLEASE NOTE... I am not including raters or C&P examiners into this for the simple fact that they are NOT supposed to be empathetic... they are there to evaluate and rate, not care for the veteran.... now this doesnt mean they are notgood people too.. I just dont have any kind of constant contact with them.......... Once you are in the system, it becomes.... much much easier.... the people get to know you.. in an earlier post I talked about going to Ortho and getting evaluated for a scooter.... heck I know most of those people on a first name basis... so, while I do not consider myself a cheerleader for the VA (God the system is SO broke)... I do cheer for a great many of the employees.... and I hope that makes sense. So, in my humble opinion (yep stole your phrase Carlie) Getting in the door is the hardest part.... after that, its like anyhting else, you get to know the peopel, and they you, and things just start happening really quick if you need them. Anyway... longwinded and rambling, I hopesome of this made sense.... Bob Smith

Sherry, Inn the end you are going to have to make the same decision I did. Honestly, with what is going on now, there wouldn't be any questions.... but Even now, I am notcing that I am staying in bed a lot more... and oddly enough, the LESS I stay in bed, the better I feel... BUT... there's a common sense point, and only you can really decide where that is.... I am... embarassed by my braces, and my scooter, that's just a fact..... but the braces let me WALK, so I wear them... The scooter lets me take my little girl to DisneyWorld (yet again in 2 months... if able (sigh))... This whole thing is a balancing act..... I am taking MUCH MUCH more painkillers these last few weeks than I have totally in the last few months..... It's 1:35 am and here I am on a computer, because its this or take the meds and vegitate.... in the end, the doctor, or SOME doctor will prescribe a scooter.... but, this I say to every vet... Use all the props with care, medical, mechanical, etc. My braces, while very embarassing are much better than my bum in a wheelchair.... so stay on your feet, as long and as much as possible.... I wish the best for you, and hope that you make they right choice for YOU.... but only you in the end can make that choice so please consider it all very carefully.... (I'm sorry but this is kinda preying on MY mind right now... so, I felt the need to say something) Bob Smith

Umm... I thought a story that might be important... I was taking a veteran into the VA to get enrolled into a care gruop and etc. We got to the front desk and the lady (who wasnt) became very abusive stating that the veteran was not entitled to care. Now we already had an old VA ID card, and his service-connection letter (even though it was a 0% rating) Well, I and the lady discussed how incredibly wrong she was, and then she shuffled us off to means testing.... at this point I got po'd.... he was a service-connected vet- even at 0%... he wass till service connected Well I guess the means based guy got a good look at my face becasue the first question is "what's wrong"... I showed him the letter, and theold ID.... within 15 minutes the veteran had aa new ID, a clinic assignment, and an appointment for the same day. We went thru and he replaced MOST of his civilian prescriptions with VA ones, and even with the copy is saving over $300 a month.... the lady... had the gall to tell us on our way out that she was just following the regulations... I stopped, collected myself.. and asked her "Well when have you read them?"... and walked on... Thepoint here is even a 0% service-connected veteran is entitled to care - they DO NOT fall under category 7 or 8... Bob Smith

Really good question tssnave, 1st, the medical care and billing under the VA is split into priority groups 1-8 (currently 7 and 8 are closed to new veteran admissions) If you are rate 10%-40% you will have to pay a copay, for visits, and medication NOT RELATED TO A SERVICE CONNECTED INJURY OR ILLNESS Thats a biggie, if the doc puts down you need this medicine because of a service-connected injury - no copay Vets rated 50% or better are priority group a and have no copay or deductible etc. Now the VA is supposed to bill outside medical whenever possible, with it falling much like Champus, into a secondary insurere role, but truth to tell they have been really sloppy about it in the past. They do NOT bill other governement insurance programs, like Medicare or Medicade Let me get you a link for reference, the one provided below is for 40% or less... ah heres a good guide: http://www.va.gov/LEBANONVAMC/Co-Payments_...h_Insurance.asp Bob Smith

By the way, congratulations on getting a retirement..... But it doesnt stop here and you seem to know that. File for compensation for all the medical, but make sure that te things you do file for can withstand these 3 necessities: 1. Actual Diagnosis 2. Service-Connection (Within 1 year of discharge is PRESUMPTIVE in most cases) 3. You actually file for compensation fo rthe injury. As long as your claim is in these boundaries you are all good. Welcome, and feel free to ask questions about anything, we have a specialists for darn near every illness I have ever heard of, an a few I haven't. Bob Smith

Bull, demand the lab slips... demand all psych (maybe they'll spit it up), and make sure you get a copy of your personnel file (201 file in Army)... further make sure you have copies of any non-judicial punishment (captains mast, article 15 etc.) as well as any copies of any performance evaluations... certainly recent as compared to past. You have a RIGHT to a complete med file, and you need to make your PEBLO aware that you know it... Believe me, it will be essential in submitting your claim.... Have they already pushed you thru a Tiger Team, or have you just gone to the mandatory VA briefing? Bob Smith

I agree with Ricky, look at the requirements for loss of use, and see what you meet. If you do meet them, file for it. Bob Smith