[Hey All...semper Fi]

Maybe you ought to try and find a lawyer to do your claim since you probably should be 100% by now.

John; We are getting close to that,but we cannot afford a lawyer. I am not able to work right now as I am having excessive sugar swings, from a low of 23 to highs of 600. VA hospital has been working on these swings for over a year now with very little progress???

[Hey All...semper Fi]

CB..MY memory loss is short term..very little long term....As well as you probably. I remember very vividly almost all that happened in Nam...Possibly because of holding every thing in. Semper Fi Brother yes now its hurry up & wait

Ha, ha, thanks for the flash backs Ol' Grunt...lol. Glad to see your memory regarding your personal Agent Orange experience is ok. You mentioned memory issues in your earlier post. Yes, halazone tablets, we used water purification tablets also. I forget the name of em, until you reminded me. Good luck with you va claim. Now all we have to do is hurry up and wait???

[Hey All...semper Fi]

Hey C.B. My first recollection was going on my very first patrol at Con Thien a few clicks south of the DMZ we were on a company size patrol this was in Nov. We Could only go out a click or two because of the enemy concentration in the northern I corps. At times we could see the DMZ very Close. Of course defoilant was everywhere. We got hit with mortars as soon as the leading element started walking out of a tree line into one of those moonscapes. I was scared shitless after we had set up a perimeter couldnt stop from shakeing WE only had halazone tablets to put in our canteens. In the Corps we didnt have that luxury. LOL

Good Evening O.G,... We were in the same general AO ( area of operations), at the same time, in Vietnam. You and I were in a heavily defoliated area when Agent Orange was being used. We were both grunts. I remember humping in the jungles, up in the Central Highlands and digging in at night near defoliated areas. Agent Orange was awesome stuff. We walked thru some kind of moonscapes, sometimes, right in the middle of the jungle. It always provided a nice field of fire, so the VC couldn't sneak up, at night. Also we had to put packets of orange Kool-Aid ( care-packages from Mom, Back home) in our canteens when using the ground run off water to resupply our drinking water....etc. Do you remember experiencing any thing like that. Sometimes we forget details as we get older. Remember the Agent Orange Kool-Aid. Good luck with your claim.... Bob

[Hey All...semper Fi]

Thank you all for the help and quick replys!!! With respect to Competency...In my C&P for PTSD the psychiatrist writes "competency is questioned presently,due to effect of TIA".....Diabetes I was first diagnosed Type II in Feb.1981, in Aug. the same year I developed a very serious case of blood poisioning. My pills were not working at all now by Nov. My Dr. told me that the poisioning had caused my white blood cells to attack my pancreas and that I would need to take shots for the rest of my life. He said I have moved from adult diabetes to juvinal diabetes.

[Hey All...semper Fi]

John; Thanks for the reply. Yes I have a number of secondary conditions to Diabetes as well as PTSD. About the competency issue it states on the letter "For VA Purposes" I have been rated incompetent

Do you have secondary conditions related to DMII? You probably do and these should all be service connected as well. You know DMII has so many serious secondary conditions that you need to be checked for all of them by an expert in this field.

If there was an issue about competency how in the world did the VA come up with a 30% rating for PTSD? That is usually a 100% issue. I think they are just playing the game with you as they do with many of us which is to delay and deny until you are dead. This sounds harsh but it is true I think. I was in Nam in 1970 in the Army.

[Hey All...semper Fi]

Hey Folks; Thanks for the welcome, Here is a little history of myself. I first filed for a disability in October 2007 for PTSD,Diabetes and requested an A.O. exam I was rated 30% for PTSD in January 08, with a VA proposal of incompitancy. My wife and I did not contest it because I am having memory issues. etc.

I was denied for Diabetes as I told the VA that I was Type 1 in 2005 when I first used the VA for medical purposes. I was initially diagnosed as type II in Feb.1981. The DAV is still argueing this with the VA. I am a 6year veteran of the Marine Corps, 67/73. Boots on Ground in Nam, Nov.67/Dec.68. mos 0311, Unit 2nd.Btn/9th.Mar.Regt (Northern I Corps). After we get the issue with the diabetes we intend to file for more PTSD. Along with other conditions secondary to 27 years of Diabetes, Any help here will be appreciated, as I dont believe my DAV officer is very motivated.

...Semper Fi...Jim

[Gaff Score]

My GAF was also 55% I live in South Carolina. Hops that helps some

Semper Fi...Jim

[Updated Important Links]

Very good links... Especially #2 & #3.

Semper Fi

[Hey All...semper Fi]

_{New to using the VA as I didnt need them until 2005, at least I thought. Health has been getting really bad these past few years and cant believe how ya have to really fight for benefits. Anyway am glad I fount this site and look forward to getting a lot of help and good conversation. Vietnam I Corps Nov.67/Dec.68, 2nd btn./9th mar., :o}