john999

AskNod It was part of being an American in 1970 because there was a draft. Now only a small sample of Americans ever enter the military and even smaller number serve in combat arms. Today they serve by choice which shows guts there is no doubt. I would not have joined the army if there was no draft in 1969. I might have wondered around the world or joined the circus. I don't want to go quietly to my grave. I think there are about 870,000 of us left who had boots on the ground. Recognition for those exposed to AO will mean attention for those who are sick. It might mean more outreach by the VA. Iraq and Afghanistan wars have even claimed PTSD as the signature disability of those wars. Hadit is a large forum and there is room for all opinions. I wonder how the remaining WWII and Korean vets feel? I read their obits every day, and read RVN vets age 62-65 who have died young. Maybe it is because we were just treated like ghosts when we got home. At least that is how I felt.

Vync I have the same problem. I have to strap on the cpap pretty tight to stop the noise of leakage. I use a very light mask so it does not hurt my nose as much. John

Maybe to talk to a lawyer who has done military divorces. They know all the ins and outs of this.

I think your IHD is part of your current TDIU award. If you got 100% for IHD on its own then you could get HB or maybe an even higher level of SMC.

Chances are good most surviving vets will die from AO related conditions. I think we should get some official recognition. 58,000 died in Vietnam and over a million have and/or will die from AO. We are not on any Wall. We don't have a decoration (Orange Heart). Just because our own government killed us does it make our sacrifice any less significant? John

The longer you deal with the VBA the more jaded you get. For me it has been 42 years and they have pulled every dirty trick in the book, and a lot of just "don't give a shit". I am a RVN vet so I am used to shit from the VA. They are better than they used to be I can say that. The VBA is a big machine. It is not like the PCP you see who knows your name and cares a little bit.

Don't be too surprised if they don't jump right away at your CUE. It is a risk for them. You may have to shop it around. I did.

You might get an IMO/IME from a private shrink to be safe. You are already 90% I see so why not apply for TDIU?

I just like the windows 7 desktop and I don't like the WIN 8 look on my desktop. I had to reformat once due to a worm and I felt like I was committing suicide when I went beyond the final warning and blanked out the HD. I am so dependent on various machines now.

I just remember a VFW NSO pleading my claim by saying my real problem was that I had a personality disorder. He screwed me to the wall with that statement but I was already SC'ed for ten years for a mental illness. I lost my appeal at the BVA, of course. This was long ago.

My CUE claim was messed around because the VA changed the regulations on how they rate psychosis and all other mental illnesses between 1972 and 1973. I filed my claim in 1972 under one set of regulations and it was rated under another set in 1973. I never knew that until 40 years later. This goes to rating chronic illnesses.

The last exam I got from the VA medical records release dept. had a message on the exam saying "don't release this to the vet". It was not some mental health thing just a C&P for DMII. The clerk gave it to me anyway. John

If you get 70% apply for TDIU. You may have to quit your job. Can you hold out for a year to get TDIU?

If your IHD contributes to your death then she can claim DIC, but it is easier the way Phil says it.

If you think you have a lot of retro coming I would hire a lawyer. I say this because the more you make off retro the more the lawyer makes ....20% of retro. You have 120 days to appeal to Court of Vet Appeals if you want to go that way. If you found missing service records Bronco or Berta can help with that. That is a special case for EED. John

I filed for an increase recently for DmII. Ebenefits says it is a new claim. Do I need to fix this or is this normal. Could I upload a document of my own saying I am asking for an increase on an established claim? I have never used Ebenefits. I believe in putting the document in the VA's hand and getting a receipt.

OK!

I found the driver for my printer online. I think I want to go back to win 7 format. There are many programs to download that will do this, but is it safe?

This is why I hired a lawyer for my CUE. I did not trust the VSO at all, and I felt I was in over my head. I needed a legal argument from a professional. Why not run it by a veteran's lawyer? If you get just 10% via a CUE it would be worth it. John

You get about 100 bucks for ED. IF you take drugs for SC conditions I would file NOD and appeal this mutha to the DRO. If you take opiates for back pain there is lots of evidence that it can cause ED.

You need a new claim of at least 50% or an increase of 50% or more to get to 100%. I am at 90% as well, but I have TDIU. Are you able to work? It does not sound like it. If you could add depression and pain disorder to your mental problems you might get overall rating of 70% for mental. Is there a difference between TDIU and 100% for you? What kind of pain meds do you take? What kinds of psychiatric drugs do you take? How can you work if you are stoned. I know because I have chronic pain disorder on top of everything else (sleep apnea too). John

You were discharged in 1996 and you claim was on appeal for 12 years? When did you file your first claim?

I do remember a C&P exam in the 80's where the "doctor" asked me a ton of leading questions all aimed at a Personality Disorder DX. I know it now but did not know it then. He asked me if I ever got expelled from school. Well, yes, I did since I stood up to a bully and got suspended for three days. He asked if I ever had arguments with my parents. Hell, yes, I was a teenager. He asked a few other questions about did I ever drink alcohol etc. The result was a DX of antisocial personality. Fortunately, I was already SC'ed for 15 years for schizophrenia (which turned out to be PTSD). The VA actually tried to use that exam to jam me on my CUE but they were so dumb they did not realize that my CUE happened 15 years earlier and they could not add or detract a thing.

What good advice!

The VA can deny anything but if you have the goods on them you will win somewhere in the appeals process. The problem is time. Time is always on the side of the VA. They are immortal and we die waiting.