Commander Bob

Overpayment.. In this computer age, it will catch up sometime.

The waiting is almost over, danang-69... Good luck.

No more" WHAAAAAT". Sometimes we don't know what we have lost, until we get it back. Congratulations danang. I lost my hearing and sense of taste for a while last year. I think's it's back now. Hearing, along with taste are interesting senses, that many of us take for granted.

Thanks Tbird

Congratulations Ken. Here's another success story. ***Happy Birthday john999***

Good Morning graham-nsa. I worked at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in the early 60's, before child labor laws were enforced. Don't you miss those -20 degree snowy mornings? And now you are in sunny Florida and visiting your Base doctor. Very cool. I find that nostalgic as well.. Regarding your IU,... from what you presented here,... You qualify for it. You may have to sell your soul though. ( LOL ). IU doesn't allow or support a motivated vet such as you, to search out a new profession or take a shot at the job market, without high risk financial and benefits losses for the family and you, etc. etc. Cmdr. Bob

Best wishes for a positive resolution soon, Berta. I am saddened to hear of your odyssey, yet grateful for your being here. The way you have been treated by the VA is a crime. However, you have turned your negative experience with the bureaucrats into a positive source of knowledge and wisdom to be shared with all that seek your help and direction.

Military retirement with disabilities and avoiding the VA is like stepping on gum. It's a goo that somehow sticks and stretches as you go down the road to retirement, and it is not easy to get rid of. If you can avoid the VA, then you deserve a medal. Good Luck with your retirement SFCTRUCKDRIVER.

Good evening jbasser, ..You are a terrific Moderator, and Elder. graham-nsa, is most fortunate to come aboard, indeed. Thanks for being there.

Congratulations on the SC increase, graham-nsa. do you have a full time job? Are you working now?

I get a real kick out of civilians. Totally clueless

The decision was reached following a review suggested by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates after touring a mental health center at Fort Bliss, Texas in May.

The decision was reached following a review suggested by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates after touring a mental health center at Fort Bliss, Texas in May. The civilians are scratching their heads tonight. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/artic...XCg7RQSvoKjPvjQ

The purple heart / PTSD issue aired on the NBC nightly news today. The civilians are scratching their heads tonight. I remember what happened to the Bronze Star

The purple heart / PTSD story aired on NBC nightly news, tonight.

What do you think hollywoodnc? Do you think the vet should find the records or contact the other VAMC and ask for copies of his records there? Are the old paper records on computer files now? We don't have enough info from notime362 at this time. My first impression is that the VA in Alabama will contact the VAMC in Florida. However, Hoppy has the right idea. I would do what ever it takes to get the needed records to the review board VA in Ala. I hope notime362 gets some answers tomorrow when he visits the main VA office in Birmingham. Berta mentions the mishandled documents at VA. The Department of Veterans Affairs has ordered special procedure rules for missing claims or evidence submitted between April 14, 2007 and Oct. 14, 2008. notime362's March 2008 dates puts him in the time frame. Where is his records? does he have a time limit like Hoppy had? We need more info.......

When did this happen Hoppy?

Excellent idea to check into CRSC. It is for military retirees with combat related disabilities. I'm receiving CRSC. Here is a link... https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/crsc/index.html

Greetings notime362 . In the letter from the VA you received on Jan 6th, did the VA say that they will get the records? Or are they waiting for the Vero, Palm Beach VAMC to send the records? Or are they asking you to provide the records? What about the C&P exam for the PTSD? Have you had that yet? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just jumping in here and haven't had time to read all your postings yet. Interesting claim, I would be glad to add my two cents to it. Cmdr. Bob

TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSPART 4--SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES Subpart B--Disability Ratings 4.129 Mental disorders due to traumatic stress. General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders: Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name....................... 100% Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships........................... 70% Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships........... 50% Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events)........................................... 30% Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms controlled by continuous medication............... 10% A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication..................... 0%

Have you heard about Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments ( CRDP )? It is a special monthly payment for military retirees, who have at least 20 years of creditable service, who have been rated 50% or more disabled by the VA and whose retired pay is reduced by their disability pay.

Ouch. I hate it when that happens. It's hard on the ear drums also.

***CAB. Outstanding award. I see it was created in May, 2005, retro to 18, September, 2001. Here is a link http://www.army.mil/symbols/combatbadges/A...ory_id_key=7285

Thanks for the info about the "Combat Action Badge". I was in the army forty years ago, and I don't remember the CAB. I'll check it out. It sounds like an outstanding, and well deserved recognition for our soldiers engaged in this 21st century warfare. Congratulations, and welcome home SFC.

Good Morning SFCTRUCKDRIVER . What is a CAB? You mentioned that you were awarded a CAB, in an earlier post. Did you mean CIB? Is your PTSD combat related? Best wishes for a sucessful transition. Cmdr. Bob