john999

I was out with about 6 guys and officer and a Vietnamese interpreter on a trip to a small village. We were driving down a very narrow and winding dirt road. There was a Vietamese on a motor bike riding in front of us. He hit a mine and pieces of Vietnamese and bike rained down on us. Of course, we crapped out pants thinking this was the beginning of an ambush. However nothing else happened. I don't think there is any record of this since we often went to the villages where VC had attacked the night before, but they attacked the people's defense forces. It was nerve wracking. Is this the kind of thing you could use as a stressor? I was scared everything we left the main hwy and started down those winding roads. I expected an ambush around every corner and we did drive into areas where firefights were going on just up the road. We saw the smoke and the gunships making runs. I think the army was trying to get us killed to prove that civic action was not going to work. I am not really interested in doing a PTSD claim since it would not help me now, but I would like to know if this would work under new rules.

I understand the exam for PTSD uses a checklist. You could get SC'ed for any other mental disorder much easier than that if you have evidence of treatment or DX in service.

If a vet has hit a stonewall with the VA get a lawyer. I have one and many here have them fighting at the Court.

Yes, you know many can exhibit symptoms of major mental illness that are seen as either misconduct (criminal) or evidence of personality disorder. The military and VA are really famous for saying some person with schizophrenia or bi-polar is just a sociopath. This way they don't have to pay. For instance, a vet with PTSD is self medicating with illegal drugs. The army kicks him out as a drug addict. Now the vet has to show that his PTSD was the underlying condition and drug abuse was a symptom. This can be a real battle. I did it, but spent 3 months in three different nuthouses while I was in the army and on leave and after discharge. I took two years to get a rating after I was discharged.

Do you have any combat badges or awards? That would take care of the issue. What was your MOS? What Joe says is true now.

I get housebound and I go to VA appointments. They deny me for fee base for things I ask for, so what is my alternative using their reasoning?

You can get TDIU even if you retire for reasons other than SC disability. You are doing the right thing to get medical opinions saying due to your SC condition you can't work even though you need to and want to work now. They did the same thing to me more or less. I retired on disability, but the VA said it was a different disability and not solely due to SC condition. It took an appeal and some IMO's to win.

If you don't go for AO Registry exam you don't get updates about what is and isn't on the AO presumptive list. I did the AO exam in 2000. This was 30 years after service in Vietnam. They found three conditions that were presumptive for AO. Nothing really life threatening at that point but there were there. You know most veterans don't know zip about their benefits. You can go out to your local VAMC and find someone who has some condition that sould be SC and they don't know it. They are usually living in poverty and no one has ever told them they can get extra compensation for that heart problem or the DMII complications.

That sounds good. I wonder what the effective date will be for the award? If I know the VA it will be the date you filed the claim for schizophrenia and all the years since 1993 will just be blank. After you get the award you can look into some way to get an EED if it is possible. The VA and military do not admit mistakes without taking a sledge hammer to them.

I would take ChampVA with dental any day over what I have now. I can't stand driving out to the VA. We just have to make sure the reimbursement rate is not like medicade because then no doctors will take it. They could make the VA like medicare for veterans. I could afford to drop my expensive private insurance. I don't want to be told that this or that plan won't pay for something I need.

A neurosergeon operates, but they are really top dogs in their field.

I think that as soon as a military spouse with kids goes on TV and says she/he can't pay bills due to this shutdown the people in congress better run for cover. I think this is brinksmanship and a political stunt. It is really an outrage. I propose a 20% paycut to all those in congress starting Friday at midnight. I think you will be OK Sidney.

First they cut the priority 7 and 8 vets and then they come for us. All vets should have access to the VA. It would improve the quality and service as long as supply keeps up with demand. Knowing the VA they will try to ration care for all while keeping the same budget.

The VA blames veterans for the backlog. That is a sad commentary. You do your duty and get kicked in the privates. Hooray for Uncle Sam.

I don't think they can kick you out on OTH for one NJP. If you have long history of NJP and maybe courts martial offense like drugs then maybe they can do it. How is your record? What did the police charge you with? Do you face civilian charges of anything serious? If the girl ended up in the ER and you are found guilty you do have a problem. If the CO wants to kick you out I think he needs more than this one incident unless it is some kind of felony assault. You know the military is its own world.

Iron Your problem is so common that many here have lost everything while waiting for a rating. If you had a job when you actually filed for TDIU I would tell you that is not OK. The thing is that you are saying in your claim that you are unable to obtain and keep substantial employment due solely to your SC condition. At your age I would also take work if I could get it. Just be sure you are not swearing or attesting to the fact you are not able to work now that you have a job. You don't want to get into a fraud situation. I think this is why others here were reluctant to advise you. I would see what happens and then tell the VA what the situation is right away. Don't spend the retro or TDIU money before you get the all clear. I think at the worst the VA is going to ask for the money back since you are no longer TDIU. If you are denied TDIU then you have nothing to worry about, but since you got SSD you probably will get TDIU. At some point the VA is going to ask you if you are working via a employment questionaire. You should tell the truth because they can check via SSA and IRS. You just want to be very sure that you are not going to get in trouble. If there was a VA lawyer in your area I would make an appointment and run it by them.

Their is a thief under every rock.

A psychiatrist! The VA used the NP because they are cheap.

I would wait it out and see if I get TDIU. TDIU when you become permanent has a lot more benefits than just money. Your dependents can get benefits like insurance and help with education. How old are you? If you are over 40 I would take the TDIU in lieu of a job that might vanish in 6 months. As of now you have SSDI and probably TDIU. That is a lot to give up since you now know how hard it is to get. Is your PTSD now cured? You don't want to give up the TDIU and then have to start over and wait for years again if the job fizzels. I am 61 so I know what I would do, but our situations are different. You have a difficult decision to make. Does your new job have a probation period?

These awful C&P exams done by CRNP's are just a scandal. Like Pete says if you have agoraphobia by definition you are housebound. If the NP does not understand this she should be fired.

No, this is totally unture. I got FERS medical retirement and I got TDIU. I would consider dumping your VSO. TDIU is based only on earned income. If you have significant earned income then by definition TDIU is not for you. I would apply for TDIU as soon as my medical retirement is approved. You might even apply now since you are not working full time. What is your rating now?

I see your point. I would definitely try and get the highest level of disability I can and it will probably be from the VA rather than the military. If you can do any kind of nursing considering your seizure disorder and collect VA disability that would be good. You might try and get as much education as you can to do the administrative stuff if you get a masters degree in nursing. I don't know how stress affects your disorder. Good luck and keep posting. Others are more expert on military disability as opposed to VA. If your rating from the VA is not high enough you should hire your own private doctor to help you get more.

Yes, I think you could get a couple of years of retro plus SMC "S".

If you have put in 8 years why are you getting out now. Are you being boarded out? If you stay for another 12 years you get retirement plus payment for disabilites. Do your medical issues make your promotion impossible? If you get out there are few jobs out here. You better get ready for lots of schooling I think. If you get less than a 30% rating from military you get severance pay and must also apply to the VA.

The VA will bill for service connected conditions as well. They will just send the bill to your insurance and your insurance will pay. I have BC/BS. The VA has even billed them for C&P exams and for my AO exam. I have DMII and a heart condition all SC and the VA bills for all my blood work. BC told me I need to gather evidence to prove the VA was wrong to save them money. Hey, I have a group policy. If they are dumb enough to pay let them. I tried to do my duty.