martin

okee dokee, thanks for the feed back pete,and big papa...martin

hello everyone, its been a while since i posted anything, so here goes.in regards to dependents, i know that i can claim 1 or both of MY parents if they live with me as i am over 30%, BUT the big question is,when my father inlaw has to move in with me and my wife, (as he is not a disabled vet, but he is disabled to the point where he cant secure any gainful employment,) can i claim hime through the V.A. as a dependent? he's been waiting forever for social security, but no word yet. (i have been paying all of his rent, utilities, etc.. for several months)i cant afford to keep doing this...Martin

i understand that a new law has been, or will be taking effect that you can collect both military retirement as well as v.a. compensation, and the difference will not be taken out of your retirement pension.

well, i just got my V.A. benefits last month. my GAF score is 50, and my rating was 70% disabled. hope this helps...martin

are you back from the sandbox? do you have, and been diagnosed with ptsd? if no diagnosis, better get one pretty quick. i would go to the V.A. where your stationed at, get registered, get a diagnosis. put in a claim. advise your chain of command that you have ptsd.as for me? i have it, and i advised my c.o. he put me on a non deployability status as an "individual", i believe that the only way one can be non deployable as a unit, is if you go before a MEB or PEB. if they find that you are 30% or more due to your conditions, it could signal the move to have you medically retired to the tdrl(temporary disabilty retired list) or the pdrl(permanent disability retired list) in which case as long as you have over 15 years but less than 20 years, and are service connected, you should collect your pension. look under AR 635-40 for all the stuff you need to know. i'm in the somewhat same situation as you are, but i'm not active anymore,only reserve status. i had to do my reasearch on this subject myself.good luck..Martin

I'm in the same boat.i am service connected at 70% due to my Iraq experiences and after researching was advised that if you drill and get paid, the v.a. must be notified. what will happen next is that you will be docked 1 days pay for each drill period. so, if you drill for 2 days, thats a MUBA 4, which equals 4 days military points, therefore thats 4 days pay. when you do your 2 weeks summer camp, you have to call the v.a. and let them know when you'll be doing your A.T. if you make more money on 2 weeks active duty than what the v.a. pays, then of course you'll take the army's money, but you cant double dip.you'll have to defer that months V.A. payment. any double dipping, and they will find out i suppose because i believe the v.a. may go through DFAS. therefore you'll be owing the government, which will reduce your payments until your all payed up. my disability kicked in last month, and i told my unit to let me drill for points only, and no pay. they said.OK! well, after checking my LES. i got paid from DFAS for last drill today. what i have to do now,is put that drill pay in a sepearte savings account, so when asked for the money back,at the end of the fyscal year, i'll have it. call the 1-800 number, and the rep will tell you all about it...Martin

thanks for the advice. i dont feel so stupid now. OH! 1968 Army VV. i was prescibd trazadone as well. its o.k. to get some sleep, but i am sooooo tired the next day,and lethargic everytime i take it because it stays in your system for awhile.i guess i better let my finger do the walking through the yellow pages after while, and see what help i can get....martin

wow! lots of great advice. thanks everyone.i will look into getting a civilian doctor this week, and see if i can do something about this. EMDR? hmmmm i'll ask about it.i know its all in my head. i wasnt too, too bad on shortness of breath, then guess what? memorial day. i got to thinking too much about things,and started to feel starved for air.yesterday i decided to smoke some meat in the backyard, and the wife was stressing me out that smoke was getting in the house.that was 2 strikes against me in a single weekend.i felt i was under the thumb.from that point, is where my anxiety was getting out of whack.i'm not as bad today.a little dab of stress will do it to me for some reason.i know its so petty, but i cant help it. i know i'm not going to pass out, i aint turning blue or anything like that. i just hate it. i've been seen at the V.A. for over 1 year now, and hate to say it,their not really helping.its like a revolving door, in and out in 10 minutes.thanks for the encouragement, and the well wishes. now i dont feel like i'm by myself with this. its really "debillitating"( i think that how you spell it.) now i have a basic idea of what to ask the psychiatrist when i see him/her.i also have a problem with driving onto ANY road where there isnt a shoulder incase i have to pull over. i have to have a way out if i start to have an attack of anxiety or panic.if i feel trapped, or that i have no way out of a traffic situatioin, i start to sweat, and my heart rate goes from 84 BPM to something like (guessing) 170 BPM in a matter of seconds.i'm terrified of the highway.i cant do it anymore.it freaks me out.the guys at work think its weird, but as i tell them "youv'e never had a car bomb blow up next to you while driving down the road have you?"?.......martin

hello everyone,i was wondering if i'm the only one or what? i was diagnosed with ptsd, and anxiety, panic disorder at the V.A. after returning from Iraq in Aug 2005. i started having shortness of breath.( i belive its just a sensation..it sucks) i went to my civilian doc, who couldnt find out why, i was referred to a pulmonologist..same thing..nothing. he did ask if i had been under stress latley? at the time i said yes, i just got back from the sandbox, and was wouded twice. i was then referred to a cardiologist to do a stress test. all was normal. i dont want to go back to see the V.A. psychologist.doesnt do much good. the meds i'm on dont really do anything for my anxiety, and panic disorder.i am going to see a shrink on the civilian side to see what kind of help is available. either counseling, or better medication. i am not as bad off as i was a year ago,(i know i'm not going to drop dead) but still feel bad. has anyone had the same symptoms with these diagnosis, or am i just nutts? i do tend to think something is wrong with me when i have a so called 'panic attack' out of the blue.i am currently service connected 70% for ptsd, and 10% for headches from a minor T.B.I. any suggestions on medication to help these symptoms?...martin

thanks jbasser, BUT! the mystery has been solved. after making some more phone calls,and not getting anywhere but ticked off, my wife came from the mail box, and guess what? it was a packet from the V.A. awarding me 70% for ptsd,and 10% for chronic headaches.(got hit with an IED in iraq)the other appointments are follow ups on my hearing loss in left ear,and tingling in my hands,and neck. those two were deferred,but if i can show i have hearing loss, (that shouldnt be a problem). i took 2 hearing tests in the past 10 months and flunked my left side both times. that'll give me another 10% and bump me up to 80%. i'm still in a state of shock. later for now....martin

well folks here it is, see if anyone can figure this out? i had 6 C&P's last month. my C file went back up to the ratings board...again. i called the 1-800 number yesterday to check my status.( i returned a form last week that they sent me asking to submit more evidence from IU. i have no more evidence, so i signed 'rate the claim'.)the person on the distant end said i have to have an audiology exam, as well as exam on my thoracic lumbar etc... which was requested may 21st. i told her that i already did all those last month. she said well maybe theres a glitch in the system. so i called C&P, and after being talked to 'rudely'was told thats whats on the computer. makes no sense to me. its as if i'm going back to square 1. i was told earlier by the v.a. that my file was ready to be rated. whats the deal with the exams again? thats it..martin

thanks pete.

hello everyone,just a few lines to let ya know whats going on, and some feed back from the pros. C&P's all done, C file back at the ratings board. i got an envelope from the V.A. a few days ago with a form to fill ( i think it was a VACC form) it simply asked if i would submit any more evidence for unemployability, they would hold off for 60 days before making a decision, if not, i could waive the 60 days without anymore evidence and elect to have my claim decided upon. i signed the part to go ahead and decide my claim. (its been almost 2 years)i dont have anything else to submit. i dont think i would have been sent this form if i wasnt rated atleast 70 percent or more(i dont know). isnt that what the minimum rating is for unemployabiliy. what do ya'll think?? i dont qualify for unemployability as i just went back to work last month after being off since last august with ptsd..martin spears

thats true..thanks Jay.

hey everyone, been away awhile just reading the topics, and havent posted in a few months, BUT! i had my C&P's last month. i was told my C file went back to the ratings board on the 19th of march.(it was there Dec 8,2006 but i didnt have a C&P exam so it went back to square 1) i called the 1-800# today,and was told it went before a second rater on April 8th. any guesstimations on how much longer i will be waiting before i hear anything good or bad about the results....thanks..Martin

I went before the C&P board on the 6th and 10th of April at the Houston V.A. my C file was at the ratings board since Dec. 8th, when they realized i needed a C&P exam. i'm all finished up with that, now the big question is.... when should i hear something about any decisions made either positive or negative on my claim? thanks...martin

thanks for the great advice ,and response. WOW!!.i'll call for the questionaire. i get the picture. i hope it all turns out to my benefit after all this time. i guess i better get hot...martin

hey everyone, i got notification that i have my C&P's coming up. 2 on april 6th, and 4 on april 10th. hopefully this is about to come to a head. do i need to bring any documentation with me? the V.A. should have all of my documents obviously from the V.A. Dr's, as well as from my civilian Dr's. also, while being examined, can i bring up the fact that I have Hypertension as a compensable condition eventhough i didnt actually claim it on the initial claim form? it showed up on my over 40 physical for the Army.i so far have filed for PTSD, anxiety disorder, IBS, numbness in fingers and neck,(from IED explosion), i also had sinus surgery a few months after discharge which was a pre existing condition that was aggravated by the desert sand. i think their gonna check me for a brain injury as i had a blow to the head at a combat outpost, but no documentation made as all we had were SF medics. i blew it off. got stitched up on the spot, and went back to work.(accidental injury) but got the scar to prove it. anything that would be helpful on the C&P would be appreciated. thats all for now, best regards...Martin

well folks, you aint gonna belive this..but here it goes. i got up bright and early friday, well enough tome to drive to the other side of Houston, so i wouldnt be late for my 'job' interview. i mentioned that iw ould take a 10.00 hr paycut so i could atleast finish out my retirement.(2 more years). everything waqs going fine, filled out all necessary paperwork, even did a drug screen. when i got back to the Human resources office, i was told'got some bad news for you'.i was told i was not hireable or even to do an inter county transfer, as i was on long term disability, and needed a dr's release. i said ' for crying out loud' if i could get a Dr's release, i wouldnt be here now trying to get an office job. i would stay where i was at making 25.00 an hr VS the 15.00 hr. i cant win for losing.(idots). well, my next thing to do is to see if i can apply for a disblitiy retirement through the county, as it obviously appears that my hands are tied. i'm not qualified in their eyes to do anything. maybe the Dr's know more than i do. i have PTSD, panic attacks with agoraphobia. (thats why i left real early, incase i had to stop, and pull over to collect my composure). in lieu of this informmation, would this fall under the definition as 'unemployable' for V.A. purposes? been going through this crap since August 2006, and doesnt seem to let up. They said they were sorry...yeah..OK. now i feel the only mistake i may have made, was getting help, and on medication. i guess if you try to help yourself get better, your screwed, so the best thing to do in the future is to keep your mouth shut, but then again that makes one a liability. well hell!! just getting confused..ya'll hang loose...martin

thanks vike17, i'll give IRIS a try. hopefully i'll ger back something more concrete...martin

just out of curiosity, i called the 1-800 number and spoke with someone that i could barely understand as their obviously (accent wise)from a middle eastern country. i advised that person what i was told last week, that my packet went for a 2nd signature on the 7th of March..holy cow! this person tells me that she didnt see anything like that on the screen, but only shows its been at the rating board since Dec 8th, 2006. i bet if i call again today, i'll get a totally different answer. you all are so right about the V.A. system. you dont know what to believe...martin

thanks for the replies. alot of those suggestions, i have already taken into account. i am supposed to get a call today from some person from human resources. it seems that their bending over backwards to find me another position. maybe because they realize their screwed in a sort of way. it just makes no sense to me that i have to take a 10.00 hr paycut. OH YEAH! the reason i was going to have the two V.A.reps with is because they are my next door neighbors. they really got the ball rolling for me and told me what i needed to do, or go. their the ones that realized,(including my wife) that i wasnt right in the head anymore, and drug me to the V.A. one of the reps is retired regular army, and wanted to let veterans out there know they have rights that they may be unaware of, and to seek out help from the V.A. if they are vets...thanks..martin

thankstheotherguy for the response... i will take your advice...martin

i was just wondering.. my claim is before the ratings board for a second signature as of march 7th. on my initial claim i stated instead of chronic ethmoid sinusitus,and chronic maxillary sinusitus.there was also something to do with polyps. i claimed sinus surgery. this being is i didnt know what the diagnosis was until i had gotten a copy of my med records from the ENT doctor that was sent to the V.A. after returning from Iraq, i was having problems with my sinuses to the point where iwas dizzy, and constantly had headaches. i went under the knife in Feb of 06, about 6 months after i was discharged from the Army to correct this problem.i had pre existing sinus problems in the past,(before Iraq) but i think all the dust really made it worse. the ratings board has the med records from civilian surgeon..question is, should i expect any compensation to be accepted or denied in regards as to the initial claim i filed which was not the correct wording? i suppose they should be able to figure out the correct diagnosis. also, i was also diagnosed with hypertension, i believe the V.A. doctor said on the diagnosis this was secondary to my PTSD. i didnt claim HTN. as i didnt know i could. being the V.A. doctor placed that in the diagnosis, should a person reasonably expect an acceptance or denial on the HTN?...thanks...martin

thanks J.R....i will. i am still awaiting the EEOC paperwork that was supposed to be sent out last week, but i guess their as slow as the V.A.when doing anything..(government and all).. i'll see if its legal for my job to give me a paycut..its not like they cant afford it. there are over 5000 employees that work for Harris County Texas. gotta do something ....i'm not concerned for myself, but my family..especially with 4 kids, i need the medical insurance for them...martin