Testvet

they should SC the issue asnd them start compensating and on top of that the govt DOJ should send him a 75,000 check for pain compensation due to loss of quality life, earning potential etc etc etcher way 75000 lump sump I doubt he would live long enough to see the offsets pay off anmd start getting his montly checks started back up 75,000 is 75,000

they deserve whatever happens to them it's people like this that give us all bad names get what you deserve and every penny of it but the fraud is nothing more than pure greed and those doing it deserve every day in jail they get and I don't want to hear these guys cry because the govt recopus the amounts they stole from their VA benefits either.

thanks stretch that was very educating I learned a lot from reading that how to proceed in the future, it looks like my wife will get enough money to pay for a new Buick from them after all. She has had the Chrysler since 2009, and she has been looking at the Buicks......maybe she knew my Dad and I didn't know it, my Dad worked for GM and loved Buicks

I got a letter last month stating I had a C&P exam and all it had was GM which 10 years ago was the designation that gave for one of my first C&P exams, so my wife took me as she always does and instead of a General Medical exam it was an aid and attendeance exam, since I am already rated at SMC S I don't know if it will change anything or not, but at least it is now on paper that I need assistance to care for myself and I need most everything done for me. just more documentation

this mess with IU and the work form has been an annual problem for about 5 years now when the VAROs started focusing on it they let the forms lapse for awhile since each vet has a different month when their IU was approved it doesn't do you any good to send a form in every Jan, but most vets know when their month of grant was made and I would have a stack of those forms ready to go the month prior to the annual date and send it in return receipt requested or if you live close enouh drive the form down to the VARO and get a date stamped copy from a service center rep. the lawyer is overkill at this point, bottom line is the vet still needs to file the form there has been no change in the vets work ability IU in order to lose it is go back to work or not return the income form annually I don't see paying a lawyer 20% to file a form the vet can do I would have only got the lawyer involved if the VARO refused to restart the IU compensation after I submitted the document they claim is needed. We all know they play games, and most of us are proactive on this type of stuff because we have seen it to many times in the past 10-40 years this is not new

Jerrell what story would they want to tell the one that makes them seem like nice guys, or their German cousins named mengele? See if Germany had won WW2 mengele and friends would have been hero's instead of the medical monsters they truly are. I have met some of Americans monsters and they truly thinki they are just mis-understood doctors my question is what happeneed to the part "do no harm"? they harmed tens of thousands of us.....

Berta you are a gewm, even in retirement you have proven yet how to do it by leading the way......you know you need to focus on your claim and rather than do a job "half way" you have turned to face it, and need to lead the way. You have "educated" many of the people here that now give advice, some of us had to be hand led and some just pointed in the right direction. T Bird created this wonderful place, but you are definately among the leading "contributors" that have ever been here. I am hopeful that like me you will continue to visit, I seldom add anything anymore, my energy seems to go into breathing treatments and doctor appts, and I don\t spend as much time online any longer, much less do I feel capable of giving "sane" advice some days I am not sure where my tumbleweed is bouncing,but I haope to see you here to say Hi and to hear that you and your daughter are doing well. You have been appreciated immensely and you will always be a great friend. Have a wonderful tomorrow.....

are you confusing clinic appts for physical therapy and then they changed their minds and said no as a C&P exam? C&P exams are not normally done in the clinics where they do physical therapy or see the surgeons for what they want to do, normally a C&P exam is done in the C&P clinic and it specifically states it is for a C&P exam the reason I am asking is your statement . I went a second time due to Ortho setting an appointment. Nothing happened from this appointment. No continuing of PT or surgery or anything. I went in two weeks ago and asked for an Ortho specialist to start pHysical therapy again and this is what happens. Should I just assume that this is normal. this would not be considered a C&P exam

Congrats on the P&T yea the dentist is thru the VAMC unless yours quit and they don't have any and they approve fee basis for a dentist but it is more likely that you can be seen thru the VAMC dental clinic the Charlie Norwood VAMC made me a great pair of dentures back in 2007 when the dentist learned I was driving from Columbia about 70 miles away he made both impressions on the same day rather than make me do two trips like they do for local drivers I have never asked for travel pay I get some treatment at Dorn and some at Augusta and so far no one is complaining I was living in Augusta before I became disabled and after I became 100% P&T my wife wanted to be closer to her mother, sister and her daughters family so we moved here we live in Lexington County we have a great mental health doc in Augusta and Primary Care doc at Dorn they have a great Congestive Heart Failure Clinic most of the time when I am in a bout with CHF they put me in an ICU at either Lexington or Providence, once they sent me to MUSC in Charleston

for starters the VAROs can do anything they want to the real question is will their decisions hold up under appeal to the BVA or Court of Veteran Appeals, your first statement basically says this is something you have lived with your entire life, but it was not severe enough to affect your military service, now 46 years later your need a pacemaker, they may put the onus on you to show your military service aggravated your condition to the point of needing the pacemaker which may be very hard to prove with the VA there are no "gimmee's" you may get lucky and then again you could still be appeals when you pass away my heart condition was noticed in July 1975 while undergoing a very thorough physical for an experimental program at Edgewood Arsenal they kept me and used me in the experiments and then had a more thorough work up back at Fort Lewis to decide if I should stay in the infantry or not, they said I could stay. The VA fought me from Dec 2002 until June 2009 and the BVA Judge before they granted the cardiac claim so I have been there and done that and I only had 27 years between the discovery and the claim you have 46 years good luck but be realistic

congrats on getting your 100% P&T and so quickly were you already SC and they just did a re-eval or was this a new issue and only took about 9 months from start to finish either way it seems that it was handled quickly anyone adding 100% to their retirement income has to make life a lot more enjoyable it can make the difference from getting by to being able to provide the extra's travel, dining out, etc

VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER Annual Salary Range: $28,212.00 - $39,480.00 Index No: 5380 Twice-A-Month Salary Range: $1,175.50 - $1,645.00 Pay Grade: A17 Areas of Interest : Social Service, Public Welfare, & Mental Health; College Graduates Exam Components: Rating of Education and Experience, 100% DEFINITION This is entry-level professional work advising veterans, military members, and/or dependents regarding veterans benefits, available assistance, claim procedures, beneficiary information, and eligibility status. EXAMPLES OF WORK Conducts interviews with veterans and dependents; reviews and evaluates background data and current medical and financial information to determine the veteran's potential eligibility for Federal and State veterans benefits and other related programs. Develops and submits claims packages for veterans and dependents seeking disability, education, medical, and compensation-related benefits; completes claim forms and ensures proper certification of related documentation based upon the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) laws and regulations. Assists with developing formal appeals of VA claims decisions. Prepares, maintains, and monitors beneficiary's claim file to ensure continual receipt of VA benefits, prepares annual verification of VA pension eligibility, and reports medical expenses and other expenditures. Consults with technical experts to determine specifics related to eligibility standards and application requirements for Federal and State veterans benefits. Advises veterans and family members regarding non-veteran benefits for which they may be eligible such as Social Security, welfare, and vocational rehabilitation. Serves as program and benefits representative in a designated geographical area; develops and/or presents informational speeches, benefits awareness fairs, programs, and problem-solving sessions to increase awareness of veterans benefits and programs. Responds to veterans, dependents, and legislators regarding benefit questions. Performs specialized informational and administrative tasks for applicants and residents of State veterans homes, private nursing homes, and patients in both VA and community hospitals. Attends and participates in conferences and training programs. Exercises independence with general administrative direction; work is reviewed through reports and quality review process. Performs other related work as assigned. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs) Comprehensive knowledge of the application and appeal processes for veterans compensation-related programs and benefits. Intermediate knowledge of Federal and State veteran-related laws and regulations. Skill in interviewing, communicating, and interacting with individuals having a wide variety of backgrounds. Ability to analyze and interpret military and medical records to establish entitlements to service-related benefits. Ability to assist veterans and dependents to determine potential benefits based on law, policy, and regulation. Ability to perform community outreach activities such as public speaking and participation in benefit fairs. Ability to interpret and explain Federal and State benefits, programs, and legislation to interested groups and potential benefit recipients. Ability to operate computer hardware and software including data entry, word processing, and spreadsheets. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, veterans, military personnel, dependents, organizations, and the general public. Ability to exercise good judgment in appraising situations and independently make decisions. Ability to communicate effectively. EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION (The following requirements will determine merit system eligibility, experience and education ratings, and may be used to evaluate applicants for Missouri Uniform Classification and Pay System positions not requiring selection from merit registers. When practical and possible, the Division of Personnel will accept substitution of experience and education on a year-for-year basis.) A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 24 earned credit hours in one or a combination of the following: Business, Public, or Personnel Administration; Education; Healthcare Administration; or in the social or behavioral sciences; and possession of an honorable discharge from the military forces of the United States. OR Four or more years of technical experience working directly with military personnel or the public with responsibility for analyzing client information, applying relevant laws, rules, and/or procedures, and determining client eligibility for one or more of the following: employment service programs, vocational counseling services, public programs, personnel benefits, social services programs, and /or military or veterans benefits; and possession of a high school diploma or GED certificate; and possession of an honorable discharge from the military forces of the United States. (Earned credit hours from an accredited college or university which included a minimum of 6 earned credit hours in one or a combination of the following: Business, Public, or Personnel Administration; Education; Healthcare Administration; or in the social or behavioral sciences may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required experience at a rate of 30 earned credit hours for one year.) Special Note: Military training may substitute for the required experience only when recognized on a transcript from an accredited college or university. When applicable, the stated terms of substitution of earned credit hours for required experience is applied. (Revised 7/1/12) this is what the state of Missouri says the job is, to be honest most of them don't do half of this, they do not call veterans or their wives back, exchange e amil etc most will not even give you a e mail address my experience with them is they were all worthless and it was all the veterans groups being a life member does not guarantee you better service if you can read regulations you can probably be your own VSO at least you have the most to gain or lose if it is not handled properly and the fact that it takes months and appeals takes years it can be a very aggravating process I was 7 years and 5 VSOs before I finally got a lawyer to handle my BVA appeal in July 2007 as soon as they allowed us to hire them for appeals at levels lower than the Court of Veteran Appeals I was into a case where the Regional office did not want to deal with the facts "human experimentation" so they just kept denying it ever happened and the VSOs kept telling me to drop it, I didn't and the people here helped me and I kept the appeals going and in the end I won it only took 9 years but it was the cardiac issues that I needed SC to ensure my spouse will have CHAMPVA and DIC when I pass there are some good VSOs out there I just have never met one myself

I agree with Philip you are only getting what you have paid for in body parts and pain and suffering and nothing they do can nor ever will make you whole for that. Where do you go to get the past years back since your discharge. You had the mindset of many of the WW2 vets if the military wanted me to have it they would have given it to me. BS You learn to ask often and loud when when dealing with the VARO I was told by every VSO I ever met that I would not and could not get my CAD and hypertension SC as secondary to my PTSD the people here Berta, John999, Flip (Philip), Alex etc all kept telling me to file the claim myself and I would win it, I listened to the people here and they were right, I kept the VSOs in the loop but I submitted my own paperwork and fired a lot of VSOs along the road but finally in June 2009 a fight that started in Dec 2002 ended with the VARO sending the award letter granting SMC S for CAD and 10% for hypertension as secondary conditions to my already SC PTSD taking my pay to nearly 3300 a month. The people here have a lot of knowledge and also a whole lot of heart, it takes time to fight these claims and it gets hard emotionally as we do them, I think it is Berta who stated if "you don't have PTSD before you start fighting with the VARO you will have it before your fight is over" these peoplem could pizz off the pope. Not every veteran deserves 100% P&T but for those that do, it should not be turned into a marathon /survival show to obtain it. We have lost body parts some seen some unseen all of my cardiac issues are unseen unless some one looks at my cats scans, etc dye offsets, the pacemaker is now visible, the worst wound PTSD is totally invisible and the most disabling and as a Infantry Sergeant I have spouted the party line about "weak limks" "being a wuss" etc and now I know what I jackazz I was then living with PTSD is one of the hardest things a man can do, or women, it is not something you just "get over" hell most of nus spent decades denying it and only making our lives and our families lives worse in the process. Stay around and pay it forward there will be more of "you" that show up and just need the support and encouragement to keep up the fight with the agency.

the 20 Oxy will be gone in what 4-6 days? these other meds are daily every day every month as long as you follow the contract is the extra feel good for a few days worth putting at risk all of the other days of less pain that you are risking? yes the ER doc wrote it but he was not aware of your VA contract you are grown and you can decide to fill the script but you are also then in the position nof being cut off by the VA and you know they will do it or you would not be here asking so you know the right answer don't fill it get thru the next few days and hopefully your pain levels will soon drop back to your normal lower pain filled days that your regular meds maintain function but never make you pain free lets be honest those of us with chronic pain NEVER have pain free days anymore I can't remember a pain free day since 2002 I have had really bad days and then I have had some days where I didn't feel like hurting anyone (which are few and far between) you can't really control what a doc writes while you are in the ER but you do know what's in your VA pain contract.

if the private shrink is helping then by no means stop going to them just keep in mind that the VA is mot going to reimburse you for their services fee basis will not send you any funds for these visits, but you need to be able to trust the person treating you you might consider using the VA doc to write your prescriptions that your private shrink writes so you can get them for free thru the VA that would save you some out of pocket money since they changed the rules to only VA docs being able to diagnose PTSD I haven't seen any BVA claims where any of the vets have not used VA docs and only used private care docs so I can't give you any advice to bypass the VA system entirely, I don't think you can nor should you use the system the way it is supposed to be used, let them do the intake and let them make the diagnosis, docs like to feel like they are in charge or "God" some take the GOD complex to far but that is another subject lol I would get into the VA system and keep going to your private shrink if you need the comfort level

I would not hold out much hope for medical records from Camp Casey there is no hospital there, 121 is in Seoul and I don't think they will maintain records going back 40 years, were you on the DMZ before 1972? I think to get presumptive status for Korea you had to be on the DMZ in July 1971 or prior for AO

you are expecting to much from a member of Congress Senator or Congress critter, sitting on the VA committee's or not, they do not have any control over the VA claims process, at the best they have a staffer that handles the contact with the VA, and most of the time it is letters that say "we are working on it" and each time you get an elected official involved the VARO pulls your C File from where it was and it goes to the "Congressional Reply Office" where it can remain for up to 60 days and then it goes back to the area they pulled it from and it usually goes to the end of the line instead of back in place where it was, sometimes it helps but not very often. in your case and what you have described you do not need an elected official nor even a VSO after all of this if there are medical records showing your treatment in service and the injury that started the therapy you need a lawyer that knows VA law and get them to handle your case and if there are no records of your injury then you may very well be SOL

http://www.westin553.net/batcat21.htm there is also a lot of info about other Thai bases and herbicide exposure and compensation claims and appeals handling good luck Toxic Chemical use at Korat RTAFB 1967-1972 Presented here is information about the use of Toxic Chemicals at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in the 1967 to 1972 time period. This information is provided to help ALL veterans who served at Korat, and other Thailand bases, in this time period to better understand where toxic chemicals such as the "Rainbow" herbicides, including Agent Orange, as well as other toxic chemicals were used. Recommend you download all information and review the information provided. This data may help you with a Veterans Administration claim.

If a veteran has multiple enlistments for example 1971-1984 obviously he had had many years of "good service" but in his last year of service he screwed up and was given a Chapter 10 in lieu of a court martial he was exposed to AO on the DMZ in Korea and has DM2 and a few other medical issues that would be or could be connected to his period of good service is it possible for him to file and get a compensation claim approved or is his Chapter 10 going to keep him from being able to get veteran benefits? If nothing else might he be eligible for a pension as he is unemployable and he did get hazardous duty pay while in Korea and served during the Vietnam War. I am lost on how to help him, he is my brother and the last time I saw him was at my mothers funeral in April 1996. The middle man on all of this is our yougest brother he is here now and he is going to Atlanta tomorrow to pick him up so he can move him to Henderson NC and live with him until we can figure out if the VA can or will help him and get him signed up for what ever aid is available. It is my understanding is that he gets food stamps now and no other help he has been living with a friend in Georgia but the state just changed laws about people on assistance and how many people can live in one residence and keep their benefits. Life has been rough for him and obviously he has made some bad choices, but he needs help and I am not sure if he is entitled to VA benefits or not he has 2 or 3 good periods of service before he totally threw his career away. Any guidance would be appreciated thanks

VA Must Disclose Veteran Drug Test Documents Monday, July 23, 2012 (CN) - Veterans won another court order requiring the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to hand over more documents about its Cold War-era drug experiments on thousands of Vietnam veterans. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in Oakland, Calif., said the document s requested were "squarely relevant" to the claim that the government failed to adequately notify veterans of the chemicals they were exposed to and what that exposure might do to their health. The Army and the CIA, with the help of Nazi scientists, used at least 7,800 veterans as human guinea pigs for testing the effects of up to 400 types of drugs and chemicals, including mescaline, LSD, amphetamines, barbituates, mustard gas and nerve agents, the Vietnam Veterans of America and individual soldiers claim in a 2009 The government covered up the true nature of its experiments, which began in the 1950s und er code names such as "Bluebird," "Artichoke" and "MKUltra." In "Project Paperclip," the Army and CIA allegedly recruited Nazi scientists to help test various psychochemicals and develop a new truth serum using its own veterans as test subjects. "Over half of these Nazi recruits had been members of the SS or Nazi Party," according to the class action. "The 'Paperclip' name was chosen because so many of the employment applications were clipped to immigration papers." Veterans say the government was trying to develop and test substances that could trigger mind control, confusion, euphoria, altered personality, unconsciousness, physical paralysis, illogical thinking and mania, among other effects. The experiments in Army compounds at Edgewood Arsenal and Fort Detrick, Md., left many veterans with debilitating health problems for decades. Veterans say the government has since refused to provide proper medica l care. In their latest bid for disclosure, the Vietnam Veterans of America sought documents revealing the VA's processes of identifying and notifying soldiers who were potentially exposed during the chemical and biological tests. The department claimed the documents were shielded by the deliberative process privilege, which protects the decision-making processes of government agencies. Corley ordered the VA to turn over most of the documents requested. She said the privilege either did not apply to the documents sought, or the veterans "have demonstrated a sufficient substantial need to overcome the qualified deliberative process privilege." Corley rejected the VA's claim that the plaintiffs already have &q uot;an abundance of information and documents" about its notification and verification processes. "The Court agrees that considerable discovery has been provided on this subject; however, having reviewed the thousands of pages of documents submitted for in camera review, the Court notes that these processes are far from clear or consistent, and in fact, seem to have undergone numerous modifications over time," Corley wrote (italics in original). She ordered the VA to disclose more than 40 documents, which she deemed "both relevant and unavailable from other sources given that the documents reflect processes which have evolved over time." However, Corley ruled that the VA need not reimburse the plaintiffs for the costs of resuming two depositions. http://www.courthous.../23/VetsCIA.pdf __._,_.___ . __,_._,___

Most Army bases will not take walk ins anymore they now require appointments, find the nearest military base and if the phone numbers are not listed for ID section call the post operator and ask for the Army personnel office or the G1, the veterans ID card will be marked indefinate and the dependents will normally get a 4 year expiration date which in our case matches the car stickers so it's easy to know when the wife's ID card is about to expire lol

every few months this subject poops up and the same answers are given and nothing changes if you are TDIU or 100% for mental health then you are NOT supposed to be employable regardless of the work door greeter, letter carrier, senator, etc when Max Cleland was head of the VA and a Senator he was rated only on physical conditions, he went public about 6 years ago after he was voted out of office that he went to the VA for mental health for PTSD and went public with the news. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on the news every day did to him what it did to many other veterans of past wars it woke his demons. If the VA has rated a veteran at 100% for mental health then the veteran is not supposed to be working and then some will pipe up and claim that as long as what the veteran is earning is less than poverty level it doesn't matter well if the VA gets a W2 or a 1099 showing earned income will they stop and check into the sutation before or after they reduce the benefits? How long before the appeal gets heard and the benefits get restarted if they do? How many car payments or house payments can you risk missing before they start repossession or foreclosure? Is the stress of worrying about this worth a few extra dollars a month, most disabled vets are getting VA comp at 2700 or more a month and 1000 a month SSD most of us rated at 100% pay no property taxes, or income taxes Do what you want and know that "legally" maybe you can earn 6 or 8000 a year om top of those benefits but we have also seen the VA stick it to vets that have worked and they have ended up in a mess and a huge fight with the VA I don't know about anyone else but it took me to many YEARS of appeals and denials to get 100% P&ampT to risk losing it for a few dollars more that puts my home, my families security at risk and leaves me to worrying about if the VA is going to cause problems if I get caught "working" I am also 100% for heart disease so even if I wanted to work I can't, I am end stage heart failure they say the life expectancy is 12 months but that is an average I am at 15 months since I was diagnosed with heart failure in April 2011 all, of us here are grown do what YOU want but you are risking a lot of problems working with a TDIU or a 100% schedular rating for a mental health issue PTSD or any other one if you are only physically disabled and rated 100% schedular work all you want make 7.25 an hour or make a million a year that is legal and has no restrictions these rules only affect mental health ratings

congrats if that letter is correct you don't have to worry about only having 5 years of free healthcare but you get free care for all of your medical problems for the rest of your life by being in Category 1 and being rated higher than 50% no co pay for meds etc the only draw back is dental for get dental care for the five years but you need a 100% rating for lifetime dental care sounds like you will also have a decent size retro check coming also if you gave them your bank despout info check your bank to see if they have put the money in it some times they do it before you get the award letter and sometimes it gets deposited a few days after you get the award letter I have seen it both ways in the past decade

Living overseas is a choice I am sure the disabled veterans in all countries would like to have VA treatment for all of their medical issues, but they don't and if I understand the Philipines system they only treat SC medical issues, I have aalso read about a lot of retirees and disabled veterans that live in Mexico and still return to Texas or California for treatment in the VA system and use postal boxes to get their VA mail then the business location will hold the mail until they pick it up or they forward it to them where the veteran asks them to. Life is a series of choices and we have to deal with the cards that come with them the lawyer that took my case took about a week to read my c file I had a copy of it and all of my denials and awards from the VA from 2002-2007 we weren't allowed to hire lawyers before July 2007 unless your case was at the CAVC level I was lucky that the lawyer took my case and was very ethical she refused any type of payment she wouldn't even take money for postage, copying etc she just saw that I was getting shafted by the VA and knew I should be SC for the cardiac issues she even fronted the cash for a IME she wanted in Jan 09 for the BVA hearing in Feb 09 600 dollars that was the only thing she let us reimburse her for when we got the retro in June 2009 normally lawyers won't spend their money for anything has been my past experience in dealing with lawyers to tell the truth I didn't have much respect for lawyers before I met her she made me realize that their are some decent and ethical people still that not everyone is a crook, I am pretty sure you had to sign a power of attorney for them to get a copy of your C File I don't think the VA would release it to them without one I assume they are your reps now I would call the law firm and clarify it

when I jumped after AL, DAV and PVA I jumped to a lawyer and less than 18 months later I was properly rated at SMC S, I spent from Dec 2002 to June 2007 trying to get my cardiac issues SC using VSOs some told me I would never get it SC others told me to start over and get my hypertension rated at 10% first and then go for IHD I was to stupid to quit and I kept the original claim active by filing appeals NODs asking for DRO hearings etc even my Congressmans military liason told me I needed to learn to accept NO for an answer that was in Aug 2007 in June 2009 I won and got back pay back to my PTSD effective date of Dec 2003. I have no use for an VSO anymore I file my own paperwork and when it gets denied I let the lawyer handle it saves me new PTSD symptoms lol I think it was Berta who stated if you don't have PTSD before dealing with the VAROs you will have it before you are finished I truly think the nations VAROs could pizz off the POPE