Hadit Rules

[Pete53]

This is a moderated forum with rules please adhere to them or it will necessitate the deletion of your account. Anything a Moderator find to be erroneous is subject to review and deletion.

Everyone won't agree on many things, but the one thing we should agree on is that we are here so that no brother or sister veteran gets left behind, not on a jungle trail, not on a desert trail and not on a paper trail." Tbird

The biggest component of HadIt.com to help veterans is our very active discussion forum. Over 1000 registered users, with an average of about 100 posts per day. Please note that the discussion forum is made up of veterans just like you, they come to HadIt.com and its discussion forum from all over the world. Some come to ask questions, some come to help do research for other vets, some to answer questions, others come for the sense of community that HadIt.com provides and still others come just to provide an ear and shoulder to those veterans who have become weary.

There are some folks who for whatever reason sign on to discussion forums to cause disruption we discourage this by requiring a valid ISP email address when you register. However, we still have this problem the best advice is ignore them; they want a fight, a response, don't give it to them.

HadIt.com's discussion forum is "User Friendly" as long as posters do not cause division. We are not into censorship. We simply need to set forth some guidelines. These are aimed at maintaining harmony on the Web Forum. In the past we have only had a couple of incidents where someone was asked to leave the Discussion Group. When one person disrupts many then we feel it's time to take action.

No vulgar language

No offensive verbal assaults

No sexual connotations

Remember that most that come to our discussion forum have been wounded in one way or another. Be kind to each other, if angered take a day to respond. Personal attacks are not what we are about; we are about helping our brother and sister veterans.

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[Pete53]

Time:

Thanks for an excellent post. However, T-Bird needed some help and we have evolved to a few Moderators who try to keep things going but not to apply heavy censorship. As we all pretty much know there are a few and I mean very few who thrive on strife and many who need Hadit. In the long past when a flame war would break out Hadit would be closed for a few days and than reopened.

All of the Moderators serve at the pleasure of T-Bird and hopefully with a little extra work behind the scene are making Hadit a safer place for members.

From time to time a post or thread has been closed hopefully to save the Board from being closed for a time out. You can argue a different point and not resort to personal attacks there will be no problems. I am saying this to everyone and not you in particular.

This Board is here to help Veterans and Family deal with VA and also to help Veterans learn how to help others with claims.

It has been a real blessing for me and I hope others.

Pete

PS I think that as Hadit grows it will need other Moderators and after a fixed period of time I plan to turn my Moderator Job over to someone else. I hope that I never forget that foremost I am a Member of Hadit and not that I am a Moderator.

[Jay Johnson]

I think what Time is trying to say is that there are other methods to getting threads back on track and/or stopping folks from personal attacks. If a thread starts to get derailed and a rant ensues, a mod can always pop in and say, "ok, let's get this thing back on track"; or, if a thread becomes angry or overly argumentative, a mod *should* (not sure if they can) just delete the offensive post(s) and send the member a PM to help get things back on track.

The reason for this is, just as with the recent "nugent" thing that popped up in which I was a part of, the members can often resolve things on their own, which we did, and locking such a thread may hurt a veteran who was benefiting from the non-OT remarks.

Personally, I think the mods have done fairly well at this, but there have been a couple of threads that got out of hand that probably should not have been locked, because there was still some vital information in said thread despite the other nonsense.

So, I don't claim to speak for Time, but I think the point was just to hold off on locking any thread until every other remedy has been explored......some threads just get so out of hand that there's no option and some threads start off bad, which means it's better to cut them off before things get even worse. I know it's a fine line to walk, but it's a good reminder none-the-less.

Keep up the good work BTW; it's appreciated....

Edited August 1, 2007 by Jay Johnson

[timetowinarace]

Pete,

Yes, T-bird needs the help and should have it. I commend you and all Mods on taking the extra time to do so. I do think the job is a necissary one. I think you are doing a very good job (all mods) and hope you stay at it for awhile.

Jay is correct. A post on the thread that say's to cool it, don't get personal, or something simular would be more helpfull. When the first post on the thread from a Mod says the thread is locked because of this or that, the issue remains unresolved. I have too much respect for Hadit and the Mods to start a new thread on the same subject so the question is never answered.

My post is only a comment for consideration. I am not complaining, nor do I feel I have been wronged in any way. I would not have mentioned it on the forums or in a PM without an invite to comment. I won't mention it again.

Thanks,

Time

[Tbird]

excellent points, do keep in mind that mods or myself usually have pm'd or emailed the member and asking them to take it in a different direction before something is locked.

we do try to moderate with a light hand, believe it or not

[free_spirit_etc]

Berta -and Pete too...

I meant to get back to both of you about posts on another thread a couple of weeks ago...but got involved taking care of business and didn't get back to you.

But it was a post where we were discussing people asking questions that had already been answered (not so much that the question had been answered at SOME point - but that THEIR specific question THEY had asked had been answered - and the question was re-asked as if it had not been).

I know sometimes it takes awhile to get used to the Board -- and that might occur if the person doesn't know how to find their original post. Or -since the threads sometimes change course, someone might ask something that was currently being discussed in detail in a thread that they haven;t read.

And Pete had made a remark about HIS pet peeve in group.

However, I did want to get back to you and Pete...as you had both indicated that you wish you hadn't even mentioned what bothered you - as some of us checked to see if it was meant at us personally.

I don't think either of you needed to apologize.

I did ask if I was the widow you had mentioned because I wanted to know. And I did consider if I had been "guilty" of Pete's pet peeve.

However, that is not a "bad" thing.

Both your and Pete's complaints were valid. By expressing them - you gae us the opportunity to consider them - and consider if we were posting in a way that aggravated other members.

I do not do forums a lot. I am sure I do things that might aggravate people who are "old hats" at the forums. So -- it was an oppotunity for me to learn. To think. Yes. I can see how doing that might bother people. I never considered that before. Do I do that? How can I take responsibility for MY actions on the group so I can post in a way that "works" for the group.

I think this is preferred to other options - such as for no one to ever mention it - so we just go posting away in total ignorance that our posts are out of line for what works for the group.

Or for us to NOT take any responsibility for our own actions in the group --and just figure that everyone should put up with whatever we do, instead of seeing our role in the group as just that - PART OF A GROUP - which means working together.

Berta -- Yes. I can see how you might hit burn out meltdown sometimes. Because you not only sure information - you put your HEART AND SOUL and 158% of your energy and your SELF into helping others.

So it is not just that you feel -- Dang.. I just spent my TIME writing that - You had just poured your entire heart and soul into trying to help someone. And if they didn't GET that help - yes..that would be frustrating as heck.

And Pete - I value you wisdom and support. Not just for me - but for everyone in the group. So if something does bother you -- I think it is FINE that you tell us. If I am doing something that bothers someone - I would rather know - so I would have the opportunity to say "Oops.. Yep. I can see how that might bug someone. I never thought of that before. Now I know how to change that."

Keep in mind I also have the option to say "Man - Pete sure is grouchy today." or to ignore your post - or whatever else.

So - I certainly don't think there is a need to apologize for ANYTHING you have said.

Those of us who responded where mostly exploring the idea of --Hmmm Have I DONE that? If I have -- here is why - but meaybe there is a better way to do it now that I know.

I don't think that challenging us to explore how we can be more effective as part of the group is a "bad" thing at all.

Free:)

Well put and also good to have reminders Pete-

also- some of us do not open our emails and PMs-

but there are many here who will gladly answer your questions by email-

we arent anti social- just overwhelmed-

A public comment or advise on one claim can reach many others as guests who might need the same answer- another good reason to use the forum instead of one to one emails sometimes-

Some of us are getting burned out- it happens in this type of advocacy-

three local reps I know- who actually get paid real money to so this type work with vet org benefits etc- are quitting due to burn out.

One- a good friend of mine- stated the main reason for his burn out is having appointments with vets who have no real good basis for a claim or come unprepared to even determine what a service nexus could be.

We dont see much of that here fortunately-

Also he has given the best advise he can to many vets who only hear what they want and will not take the steps to try to find buddy statements or even access their own medical records-

He would love to have a search button like we have here for the countless questions that need answers to but become repetitive-

and unlike us -he cannot decide to withdraw from anyone who isnt heeding his advise-

he is paid to file every claim and do best he can to support it.

I will be off line here a lot myself soon-will be back when I can be-I am starting school again soon and

have other veterans issues ,not involved with hadit-that require time and attention-

We all need reminders Pete- I have really bitten my tongue and keystrokes a few times lately-at a few remarks here- but I can use the ignore button and save myself those problems.

well said- I hope all read this. Berta

[Pete53]

Dear Hadit Members:

As usual by chatting about stuff some insight was gained and I for one learned a lot. First of all as a father of four I have found that when talking in general some feel it is directed at them personally. My pet peeve of starting new threads actually was a comment that had nothing to do with free. What I was actually talking about is that a few will start a new thread on top of another one. Something that happened more than 24 hours ago is a lifetime on the internet. So I withdraw my pet peeve as I am more concerned about open and good communication. I should have thought about new members having a problem with the web board.

I have always advised that even if a thread is closed to not give up if you still have an issue or something that you want to discuss. Open a new thread and we can continue on. Please remember that when a flame war started sometimes the whole web board had to be closed for a time out.

Like T-Bird said most of the Mods are also in cimmunication with Memebers by PM when there is a problem. When a thread is closed you can still access it and review and mayse see why it was closed. If there is bad info for Members or something that will lead members asstray it makes it hard to decide what to do.

Like I said I know that I want comment and suggestions and I know that T-Bird is open for them also. We also get and I try to answer everyone complaints about one thing or another so if you have a gripe and don't want all to see you can PM any of the Mods and let us know. I investigate as best as I can every gripe and try to answer.

Pete