Veteran Support In A Perfect World

[id4ego]

Hello to everyone in the forums!!

I am a new member to the forums and I'm a recently separated US Army veteran injured in Iraq in 01OCT2003.

I have a few questions for all here: What would you consider ideal veteran care? What services, currently offered or absent, would you wish the VA or other veteran association either improve or start implementing? How can veterans be better assisted when transitioning from a military to civilian environment.

I ask these general questions because they were recently posed to me by two US Gov't representatives when I was discussing the extreme difficulty I encountered while unsuccessfully integrating into the VA system. I took shrapnel and blow both eardrums during an IED/RPG attack and ran into one dead end after another with the VA.

I joined the VFW and the MOPH and while both groups have been exceptionally friendly and helpful, I find it hard to relate to the older vets in the group.

I wish to give a well thought answer to the Gov't representatives and I'd really appreciate some feedback, from people with more VA experience than me, as to what the ideal situation would be for US veterans.

Thanks for any feedback and I look forward to posting a lot in the forums.

[Berta]

Welcome aboard and THANK you for your service- I only wish you had not become disabled by it-

were you asked by anyone on the Dole Shalala commission?

Where were the Gov representatives from?

Congressman Bob Filner recently told me that the Dole/Shala recommendations were going to be implemented this year- with legislation-

I wrote to the Commission as to ideas I had for better transition-

I understand that all letters to the Dole/Shalala and Vets Disability Commission have been carefully considered.

Health care is but one aspect- Former POW Shoshanna Johnson said in an interview how imporatant it was for you men and women to keep in touch with your units after discharge- many units have web sites-

one thing I mentioned was how important this was for all new vets to know- I also said the Gov should provide all newly discharged with a list of the web sites like hadit for them to access VA claims help and support at-

"I ask these general questions because they were recently posed to me by two US Gov't representatives when I was discussing the extreme difficulty I encountered while unsuccessfully integrating into the VA system. I took shrapnel and blow both eardrums during an IED/RPG attack and ran into one dead end after another with the VA"

Check out the CNN report as to 2 vets who had a hell of a time with VA claims-

and check out VA Watchdog site and do a search for other VA problems newly discharged men and women have had-

The VA is attempting to understand better TBI claims- traumatic brain injury-

and the Intrepid rehab center is wonderful-(private donations built this)

but the VA still has problems in its care and claims process that many of us here have not seen corrected in decades-

you are the ultimate reason that many of us are here-

to help vets with current claims and VA problems but to help our next generation of veterans too-

God knows I never thought 20 years ago that the system would be ill prepared to deal with new combat disabled vets-

those PD diagnoses are a bunch of crap too-

PTSD is a by product of warfare-

and VA is attempting to save money with Personality disorders in men and women who were in Harm's way, as PD is not compensable but PTSD is.

A lot of it all boils down to money-

Read our posts carefully and you will see this site as well as many other good ones for vets has the real nitty gritty.

I will dig out my letters to the COmmission, Dole/SHalala etc and let you know what else I griped about that might help newly returning veterans.

They MUST get copies of their SMRS before leaving the service.

I would not put it past VA to tell an Iraq vet that their records were lost in the St Louis Fire- decades ago-

I have a vet who did not enlist until years AFTER this fire and the VA tried to tell him that.

My opinion on VA medical care is biased I regret to say- although many VA doctors are absolutely great-

On one of my letters to the commission I printed a color picture of my husband USMC 1964 in his utilities and told them to look at his picture carefully- a kid who served in the Vietnam War-and then I told them he was dead already at age 47 solely due to VA medical care.

(documented fact with the VA)

Also I might add here-who were these people? where were they from and did you see any identification?

I have a little VAola paranoia ---

older vets might be difficult to relate to at first but they can provide you with comradery and understanding in the long run-

they too might be having problems relating to you-

every combat situation our country has been in since the Revolutionary war has been different from the past conflicts.

Edited January 14, 2008 by Berta

[Pete53]

Hey ID4ego and welcome to Hadit I think that you found the right place as we have Vets of all ages. VA Medical Care can be hit and miss but sometimes you are your best advocate and you can always ask here if what they tell you is right or wrong.

Hang in there you deserve better, we all do.

[Jazona]

Berta,

Filner told you that Dole-Shalala was going to implemented this year??? If that is fact, what about the recomendation to review ratings every three years? If that's the case we need to get on top of this before they sneak it in. Could be very bad news for many vets.

jaz

[Berta]

He (Cong. Filner) meant,during the conversation we had-and I should have been clearer here- -sorry- the claims process and the suggestions and complaints from vets who wrote to the commission-on the backlog etc- also he meant the transition process-as part of the implimentation process-

but

the 3 year evals - I dont know what the status of that idea is-

I have the recommendations released from the Dole Shalala commission and I see nothing in those recommendations regarding re- evaluations-

the VA can attempt to re-evaluate any time they want-

I dont think it is fair-

and I imagine they got letters from vets and even Vet Orgs on this 3 year idea.

I didnt discuss that aspect of the report at all with him.

Congressman Filner will be returning to SVR radio hopefully next month- you could call in to the show and ask him about that aspect of the Commission report-

I am focused as to dealing with him on other Veteran's issues in the report.

"Implimentation" of Dole/Shalala-in my opinion-is still a work in process-and needs legislation-

I believe the Commission is still accepting input from veterans.

The commissions made 6 specific recommendations and many vet orgs and vets have already questioned the recommendations they made-I believe it is those sole recommendations that will be implimented.I dint see any recommendation regarding a 3 year re-evaluation.

I sure wish the VA had published the letters they received.

Edited January 15, 2008 by Berta

[Jazona]

Whew! Thank you, ma'am. Sorry, I'm really gun-shy around reevaluations. Oh, how I wish when they say Total and Permanant, it really meant PERMANANT!!! Except for fraud, of course.

jaz