ptsd Heat Stroke And Special Ops

[FeWolf]

Greetings All,

I am having some trouble with Heat related injuries, I have 32 heat injuries, 5 heat strokes requiring MedVac, and was sent to 2 medical boards which I fought to stay in service, now that I am out, I have had several heat injuries and have to be very aware of my exposure to heat. I sent 3 years in the Jungles of Central and South America, and several months in the 1st Gulf War. I was wondering if anyone any succues with filing a clain, the VA denied me with even looking at my records!

I also have a bullet wound in my right shoulder, but because of Classified operations in South and Central America I recieved no Purple Heart.

I an Ambush I was knocked in the mouth, breaking my teeth, afterwards, I was MediVACed out because of a infection to my gum, tooth that closed my eyes, the Special Forces Medic was concerned that I would have a stroke, I have had 13 operations and proccedures on my mouth, when I was on active Duty the VA did my final surgery because Ft Bragg, NC dental clinic could not and the VA had UNC Dentist coming 2x week.

My records are lost, dentaland most of the treatments I recieved where by Special Forces Field Medics, so not paper trail.

I suffer from PTSD, and I am sent to every PTSD program the VA has to offer as a test patient.

But the VA diened any claim, I can not verify, because of Top Serect CLearance and mission, Freedom of Information gets me a Black inked records. I do not understand why they treat me for my illness but will not take my claim. My Miltary records in South and Central America are the day I arrived and the day I leave, and they do not even match, those 3 yrs are no awards or promotion, but the day I am back in country (USA), my 2 promotion show up, post dated.

[mobie16r]

FeWoLf, do you have a Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)?

mobie16r

[Berta]

My daughter had Top Secret clearance for her entire military service and has it now as a Federal employee.

She was told (because she sure asked) how her classified records would be handled in the event she ever had a VA claim and was told that this would not be a problem to verify info in them.

Also she has her SMRs anyhow.

Vietnam itself has been entirely declassified- our former hadit member-attorney Alex Humphrey always pointed out to me that, in event of something still classified for a TS Vietnam vet claim, NARA has an individual whose sole job is to declassify it for VA purposes.I believe any Special Ops anywhere at all (I know SOps vets) would be handled the same way.

Can you specifically state here how the VA worded their denial?

Have you yourself attempted via a DD 149 and a SF 180 to get your military records and to have your DD 214 correced as to the PH?

Edited July 22, 2008 by Berta (see edit history)

[john999]

If you have any proof of being a combat vet the VA more than likely will accept your version of events regarding injuries sustained in combat. If you had that many heat strokes you did well to get the heck out of the service before it killed you. I know that heat was deadly in Vietnam. There were more heat injuries than enemy injuries.

[Berta]

Just to add- there are many Special Ops classified vets cases at the BVA-in part this 2006 case shows what the VA can do:

"The RO should ask the NPRC to

provide the remainder of the veteran's

extant military personnel records, to

include the Airman Performance Reports

which cover the other periods of his

active service, and any documents

related to his security clearance and

access to classified information. All

available records should be provided"

[dman001948]

Let me just say this about this situation.

I at one time held a Top Secert SCI clearance and I have no idea if it effected the release of my records, but I will say this.

In 1984, I was informed to request a copy of all my military records ( I had left the service in Dec 82).

This person told me to request them though the NSA and I did (now I have been told thats impossible, but I did) and recieved a hugh packet that had all my Clearance's and the people they interview (just the SS blackout)medical records (even the one where I was in the hositipal in Nam for what they call "Battle Fatigue").

You wouldn't believe what they had...

Well, to make a long story short, with the events of time and many move's two marriages and going back in the service and retiring and working for the Federal government as a Fed employee (retire from there in 2002 and military 1994) and held a Secert clearance Final).

I had misplace lost what ever, but to this day I can't find most of those records.

So I wrote to the NSA, (2003) to see if I could get those records again,

well their answer was, who are you? You don't exist, we don't carry personnel records here except for our own!! So I appeal their deceision and got the same results. (I know where I requested those records from), they told me to check with the FBI, I hey-haw around and finally did it this year and guess what? I don't exist with the FBI either.

Here I held a Top Secert SCI clearance (you's can't go much higher), then as the job change and out of the military and working for the Feds, I only had a Secert Clearance and that was a "FINAL" in which means the FBI has check you out!! I also spent some time as the security officer for my unit ( I was a Warrant ). So I kinda knew the drill.

Also I know this, everytime I write St. Louis for my records ( I do it every two yrs or so, just to see if anything shows up), well my records get smaller and smaller..I'm sure soon I won't exist there also.

So I can understand some of what the guy is saying, however, there are buddy statements that can verify some of what he is saying, you don't have to go into detail..but, it might be enough to state your case.

Good Luck

Dennis

[Berta]

Good point DMAN- a buddy statement could help this help here-

also- when he mil pays you men and women- the paycheck goes to you where you are serving (I think- I am civilian)

Although it might be very hard to get old military pay stubs records, this too could often be a way to somehow prove where you were when if VA questions that in a claim.

There are so many unit web sites on the net these days and even reunion rosters that finding a buddy isnt as hard as it used to be.

still not easy but not impossible-

An SRB (service record book) also shows destinations and arrivals and this along with any signature on a DD 214 can reveal perhaps a name of someone who could be found and who could prepare a buddy statement.

The ambush you were in could certainly have been documented in a Morning Report.

When the VA denied did they in fact try to confirm your claim via JSRRC (jpoint Services Records Research Center)

The bullet wound is an obvious PTSD stressor and

A GSW is a confirmed stressor.

A buddy statement could help you considerably as to the GSW (claim any residuals of this such as scarring, painful or limited motion etc, ), the heat stroke problems (if you have chronic ratable residuals, and the PTSD claim.

[john999]

I think you can track people through the SF associations. If you pursue it and just explain your situation the SF association people will route you to someone who knows it all. These guys must have had the same sorts of problems because I was looking for a guy who said he served three tours in Vietnam as SF and they said he was a fake. I went through many levels of insiders who were willing to talk to me. I was surprised but the SF people are jealous of their reputations and the retirees keep in touch with what is happening, and the can reach out to other people if they want to help. It was explained to me that even if they were SOG they could be traced informally through the SF buddy system.

[FeWolf]

as far as the CIB or Purple heart, no, no awards or decorations, even when I was getting out the Personnel Clerk said it was odd, then looked at my MOS and said "OH", that explains it but Jungle Expert, Air Assualt and Panamian Jungle School, all there is time I arrived in Panama and the time I left. I have been lucky enought to get some info by the State Dept on Operations in South America , no names or locations, just say US Army was very active in the area, and a Report written by the Joint Chief of Staff and certain actions.

and new reports:

fire fight, 2nd Report, link, but no mention of us, and a report by the Commander of the Marines in our Area, there is no mention of Army personal, I have caught a new people who posted to my re4quest on web pages, but what wait will they carry.

6 months after action, I was divorced, along with 9 of my 13 man squad, and went from job to job over the years, after 17 years, I remarried and 6 months into this one, it is rocky, my wife says she fears me, especialy in my sleep, as I talk about actions I was in.

Also 2 years ago, I got my Dads' Combat HALO wings from a jump into North Nam, 35 yrs after the fact. I went before a 21 person board from the VA to testify, There where several Special Ops people there, with very limited Benefits to none, so the part about opening your records to VA for C&P is not so.

I do have a copy of my TS/SBI/SCI Clearance and the interviews.

"The assistant secretary of defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC) is responsible for special operations policymaking and resource allocation.³ Special Forces have a separate program and budget, known as "Major Force Program 11 (MFP 11)," to fund ." from SOUTHCOM

Everytime I read this I laugh, being shot at is not Low-Intensity

[FeWolf]

I just picked ip the book " The Veteran's PTSD Handbook", by Jphn D. Roche, a former service member who went to work for the VA Claims section after he got out of service, so very good info on other related items, he wrote the The Veteran's Survival Guide, also, I just your check it out.

[FeWolf]

I had a bright idea, I just spoke with the Dept of The Army Pay, they are going to send my LES copies to me, from the dates I am request, even thou I was not awarded any medals, it does show my "combat pay". which be some proof, thought I might share this with others how are having issues with area of operations.

[john999]

FeWolf

Were you in SF? You can find information and support from SF associations. They also were being someone else at a different place with few records, but these guys know how to find things out because they have to protect themselves. I would google this and start tracking people down. Just having records of getting combat pay won't prove a PTSD claim.