Ricky C. Swanson

One thing that might interest people is they just passed a law recentley where anybody now can place a security freeze on their credit reports. I had my info stolen through Fidelity Investments as well as through the VA. I put a freeze on my credit reports so now nobody can take out credit in my name. It used to be you had to be a victim of identity theft first then they would freeze it if you requested. Now anybody can do it. The disadvantage is you usually have to pay $5 or $10 to unfreeze it if you want credit. But it works great and I love it. We can all be careful but when our info is on so many laptops just being carried around one can be as careful as possible and still get it stolen. I know Fidelity gave us free credit monitoring for a year and then extended it another year but still I like the security freeze so much better.

I guess I was just surprised that they told me I needed them and that they would provide them. I was not service connected, at least I wasn't before the VA hearing test, and I am in Pri 8 for heath care. The inititial claim I filed was a few years back and denied. After I visited a private audiologist and he sent a letter to the VA was I called in for a hearing test at the nearest VAMC. I questioned the VA dr about getting them being I wasn't disabled or SC rated but she just assured me I needed them and would get them. She also recommended filing for disability again and attaching a copy of the doctor's letter. So I will do that. She said it would take about a month to get them.

Currently, at least the last Iknew, I am not service connected anything. I had filed a claim for hearing loss a few years ago and was denied. It was when I got a letter from the private Dr. and that Dr. sent it to the VA did all this start to happen. Initially my intention was to get the private Dr. to give me a letter for the VA. He sent it to the VA, my local clinic, and that was when I was called in for an appointment with the VA audiologist at the VA medical center and then fitted for hearing aids. When I initially filed my hearing loss claim for disability I have to admit it was completely my fault and my lack of effort. I once read where if you worked on a flight line and you have hearing loss you were pretty much automatically granted the hearing loss and provided with hearing aids. I even had my medical records from the VA which showed my hearing when I went in and when I was discharged. It was a lot worse when I got out. So I figured it was a slam-dunk!!! Wrong. It was denied and the letter said: "Service connection for hearing loss is denied since there is no evidence that your current hearing loss first manifested during your military service; there is no medical opinion linking your current hearing loss to your military service; and the current hearing loss did not manifest to a compensable degree (10% or more) within one year of discharge from the military service." The part that I made bold was what I just provided them. As far as when I filed I just went to the VSO and said I wanted to file a claim and gave him a copy of my medical records. Then when I was initially denied I was volunteering inn MS for Katrina and just went into the VSO there said I was denied and signed a paper saying they would appeal. That was denied. But that was in 2005 so now I plan to refile like my VA audiologist recommended. I was trying to wait to get some more evidence but I will just file this week. Hey, the worst they can do is deny me. But having learned what I have, I will stay on top of it this time.

I was denied about 2 years ago so I guess I will have to open a new disability claim. Most was my fault as I really didn't put any effort into my initial claim. I figured the facts were pretty clear. I worked loading c-5s and c-141s at probably the busiest airport at the time, 71-72. My hearing test when I went in were all 0s and 5s and when I got out my hearing test was all 15 - 40. Doesn't that say enough? Also wee were never issued hearing protection. And my job - dangerous cargo - required me to meet the plane as it taxied in and stay until it taxied out. I worked in a freight terminal right next to the passenger terminal. But regardless I was just surprised the VA doctor said yes, you have sevve hearing loss, and yes it was from the military and yes we will give you hearing aids. What a blessing. But I will submit another disability claim. She gave me the address and the procedure to do it.

Question. A few years back I filed a claim for hearing loss which was denied. They needed more info. My hearing was terribly bad and my medical records show my hearing got a lot worse from when I went in to when I was discharged - tests done by the VA. I did flightline work. So I was going to refile my claim. All I have ever wanted was hearing aids and nothing more. So I went to a private DR, licensed in my state, who wrote a most wonderful letter that stated in no uncertain terms that my hearing loss was caused my my military work and the VA should give me hearing aids. I thought he was just going to give the letter to me as I told him I wanted it for the VA to refile a hearing loss claim. But he also sent the letter to my VA clinic and to my main DR. at the VA clinic. Thelocal VA clinic called me and said they couldn't do anything as I wasn't service connected. But they must have forwarded the letter or at least a recommendation the the main VA medical center audiology dept. about 75 miles away. I didn't know this until the VA medical center called me and told me they had an audiology cancellation and if I could come in first thing in the morning. This was last Wednesday. I did. The VA audiologist and I started talking about disability and she said this was nothing to do with disability and was a referral. I showed her the letter from the private doctor, we discussed what I did in the military and occupation since. She tested my hearing said it was shot and said the VA would give me hearing aids and fitted me for them. Said I should have them in about a month!!!! I was so happy. I guess I just didn't realize I could get these without some power to be rating me as service connected - unless she could do that - does anybody know- as she was a VA dr. She might have even called somebody as after my test and before fitting me for hearing aids she was out of the room for quite awhile. She assured me I would get them at a cost of what I guess will only be my copay, if that. She also stressed that I should file for the disability as now I am a lower priority and could be wait-listed for future appointments. But if I got the disablility it would give me a higher priority. So I will file for it again. I guess my question is that I was surprised I can get hearing aids without being service connected - does anybody know if she can give me that rating like she did. I mean she had no doubts I would get them and she even said the batteries. This was last week and if I do indeed get them it will be the biggest Veteran's Day present one could ever ask for. I guess I will wait and see but certainly am extremely optimistic. Ricky

Thank you again, VAF, I enjoyed helping out down there - the people were so hospitible. warm, friendly people. I have an appointment with an audiologist and will have him write a letter. I guess it is imperative they state "more likely than not." I believe I had a C&P as when I filed a claim the VA had me go to Fort Snelling to get a hearing test. He agreed my hearing was terrible but I never got a copy of any of that. He said it would be subitted with my claim. Any easy way to get that? Is it important that I take a copy of that when I go to the hearing doctor? The last time I submitted a claim for my medical records it took about a year as they stated "they were busy." And they are right in Denver -about 50 miles away. But I don't plan on giving up - I just want to make certain I do things in the proper way. Also, do you think I should go to 2 doctors, and get 2 hearing tests and get 2 letters? Would that be helpful? Thanks again as always! Ricky

Thank you for your replies. Those numbers that I posted were from 34 years ago when I got discharged. Seems like my numbers the last time I was tested at a hearing aid place had me about -90. But I know it is terrible, as well as everbody that knows me. VAF - are you from LA? I was down volunteering building houses and that is how I talked to a rep in Biloxi. He was absolutely wonderful and very supportive. He said if there is a chance that my hearing got worse in the Air Force then I have a claim. Not that I had to prove it got worse in the military but only if there was a chance it could have got worse. But I didn't live there. But I am retired, from hitech, so if I know of a place where I could go to and get competent representation I would not hesitate at all. I have spent about a year out of the last 2 in MS volunteering from the Katrina fallout. I get ringing in my ears but it comes and goes, maybe once or twice a day. And sometimes a continual popping or cracking sound. Sounds like a flag flapping in a very strong breeze. But my hearing is the biggest issue. I attend a very large church and it is about impossible to hear. From the sounds of it maybe I should go to a hearing place, with my medical records and have them write me a letter. Or if you have any recommendations... Thanks again! Ricky

This is also posted in the Military.com forum Was wondering if somebody here would be kind enough to assist me. I was in the military 70-72. My AFSC was 6055X as I was a “dangerous cargo specialist.” My job was to get high priority cargo on/off the plane. Most had to be signed for so I was required to meet the plane sign and get the cargo then get it to the plane have the cargo signed for and released. A lot of it was human remains returning from Nam and such that required me to be there when the plane pulled in. Also, I worked in the air freight terminal which was located right next to the passenger terminal at Yokota AB which was probably the busiest airport in its day as all cargo going to Nam went through here. Mostly C-5s and C-141s. But we loaded and unloaded planes – that was our job. Spent most of my working day on the flight line. I have terrible hearing. When I went to work for Digital back in the late 70s I was given a hearing test and they asked if I had worked around airplanes due to the results. She said my hearing was bad at high frequency. I know I have terrible hearing. I got my medical records from the VA which shows my hearing test when I enlisted and when I was discharged. I am listing them here to hopefully get some advice. The numbers in parenthesis are the numbers recorded on my hearing test when I was discharge. Right ear 500=5 (5); 1000=5 (5); 2000=0 (10); 4000=5 (15); 6000=- (20) Left ear 500=5 (10); 1000=0 (10); 2000=5 (10); 4000=0 (20) 6000=-(40) It appears they never tested for the 6000 range when I enlisted. But the bottom line is when I went in my hearing was all 0s and 5s and when I was discharged it was a lot worse. Now I know it is absolutely terrible. But when you look at the hearing tests from when I went in and was discharged, coupled with the job I performed I didn’t think it was questionable. So I filed a claim and was denied and was told I needed more info. I talked to a VA service officer and unknown to me he had it appealed and it was still denied saying they need more info. What more do I need? I had a private hearing test done and they confirmed my hearing is absolutely terrible. So when the VA did one to support my claim they looked at my test results I had and said they were the same. The graph I got back shows my hearing at high frequency is completely gone. I did go to a VA service officer here where I live and wasn’t impressed. I told him what my paperwork said and he told me that physicals when I went in and got discharged didn’t “mean anything” as they could have given me the test wrong. What kind of an answer is that? He is supposed to assist me. Anyway, if anybody has any recommendations of what I should do next I will do it. I really need to get my hearing fixed as it is almost embarrassing how bad it is. The only thing I know is the numbers of my hearing tests when I went in and got discharged as I have a copy of them as well as the job I performed when I was in as well as my hearing today is absolutely terrible. Possibly somebody could recommend a VA service office in the state of Colorado. I don’t care what city as I would travel if I know I would get somebody who would sincerely assist me. Thanks – Ricky C. Swanson shorttimer1@gmail.com Ps please feel free to e-mail me directly