yourcopilot

If you were 100% PTSD would you want to work? I was diagnosed with a problem in 1971 and locked up in Colorado General Hospital. I got out of RVN in June of 1969. I became a corporate pilot and FAA mechanic. I continued to work. In 1986 I was diagnosed PTSD at the VAMC in Tucson. In 1993 my employer asked me to leave. Finally, I accepted his call for me to get help. I did but I still didn't apply for bennies until 1998. So do you want to work with a condition such as PTSD? I say "sure". I worked those years and secretly saw doctors and got pills to keep me in the ballpark. If you have PTSD should you be working? If you were diagnosed and rated 100% PTSD it is probably because you have problems. If a person is well enough to work and collect 100% for PTSD I think there is a problem in the rating policy. If a person is so bad off that he is rated 100% do you want to be around him when he is working? If someone has stressors to indicate PTSD they don't have to ask questions regarding the interviews, procedures or "what to say or ask or do" to get the rating. Just be yourself and don't worry about it. So the question of "can you work" should be emphasized. So I'm asking the question, "Can you work"? And if so, why should the VA give you a rating of 100% PTSD? I don't know anyone that asked for PTSD anymore then our hero's asked to lose a leg! Anyone that can truly maintain a full time job and cope with PTSD is better then me. Looking back, I don't know how I survived as long as I did (before I HAD to quit).

Again this year they have given more lucrative bonuses to the employees! My shrink gives me 22 mins of his time. That is the deal. Apparently he is provided a commission/bonus for seeing more patients then he contracted for. In his words, "I get a bonus for seeing more patients..." He told me this after I mentioned to him that the director of the VAMC is getting a nice bonus for staying under budget. I complained about the bonus. I didn't complain about the time. I don't need his time! When I see my shrink is is typical. Hi, prescription & bye! That can be done in less then his 22 mins. But is is fair to the newbie? So I complained (again??) and sent a senator the my feelings. I guess I made someone mad! From what I understand, your PCP gets a cut of the action too! Anyone know how much money was paid to employees over and above their salary???

B) Again? If you go to the Colorado Springs VAMC and qualify for travel pay get ready to be ripped. Marvin runs the facility. He knows me! I complain. The facility does not pay proper travel. Most of us know that we are to be paid from our residence to the VA facility. I don't know of any exception to this rule. Marvin seems to have one. When I check out after my shrink appointment I am to get 214 miles round trip. That is about $82.00. But what happens is typical VA fraud. The clerk looks up the mileage and he comes up with 172 miles. So very wrong. He will not attempt to correct it. The clerk will argue with you. Are in his terms, "Are you going to squabble over a few miles"? YES! Yes I am! Then he says, "I have to go by what is on the computer". WRONG! "No you do not clerk". Trust me! Marvin told me he was going to talk with all of the employees and this would be fixed. If he did talk to the employees they don't remember. My last visit was 3 weeks ago and they attempted to cheat me again. I corrected them with the help of another (good clerk). She made it clear to the other clerk that the correct millage is from residence to facility and back. Point is...the are cheating those vets that don't know the rule. So stand up to them. Get your travel that is on the odometer of your car. Argue you mileage with them. But don't attempt to cheat! If they do it right, they should put the addresses into MapQuest. Your mileage should be very close. Close enough is within 4 miles R/T. If you are in New Mexico you probably will not have a problem. If you are commuting to Denver you should not have a problem. Tucson can be a challenge also. This is probably worth a class action complaint. Good Luck.