Service Conection

[schauba]

I was in iraq and suffered from chest pain and shortness of breath. When i went to sick call they treated me as muscle pain i told them that i think i have asmha. I am out of the military and i have asmha but they denied my service connection because of nothing in my medical records. What else can I do?

[schauba]

I'm assuming you are currently ENROLLED in the VA Medical System. Did you get an I.D. Card yet?!

GULF WAR RISK FACTORS

http://www1.va.gov/GulfWar/

Deplete Uranium

Pesticides

Pyridostigmine Bromide

Infectious Diseases

Chemical & Biological Warfare Agents

Vaccinations including Anthrax & Botulinum

Oil Well Fire Smoke and Petroleum

*Get in the GW Resgistry!

*Get some Re-adjustment Counseling at a Vet Center!

yes i have an id card. When i returned from iraq i was suffering from chest pain and i was going to the va and well you know the story they wasn't doing anything to help me other than give me meds. I finally got frustrated and went to a civilian doctor and just after one visit he was able to figure out what i had.

[schauba]

yes i have an id card. When i returned from iraq i was suffering from chest pain and i was going to the va and well you know the story they wasn't doing anything to help me other than give me meds. I finally got frustrated and went to a civilian doctor and just after one visit he was able to figure out what i had.

i went to that web site to register but it must be down. I will try later.

[Wings]

yes i have an id card. When i returned from iraq i was suffering from chest pain and i was going to the va and well you know the story they wasn't doing anything to help me other than give me meds. I finally got frustrated and went to a civilian doctor and just after one visit he was able to figure out what i had.

Did the civilian doctor give you Prozac for chest pains?

[schauba]

Did the civilian doctor give you Prozac for chest pains?

no he gave me some other kind of meds they diganosed me with some fancy word i can't even spell. Of course i tried to get it service connected but it was denied. I have in my medical records from the army saying that i have had chest pain. At the va they did two xray's for chest. The first one came back abnormal and when i did another one they said it was normal now.

[Wings]

no he gave me some other kind of meds they diganosed me with some fancy word i can't even spell. Of course i tried to get it service connected but it was denied. I have in my medical records from the army saying that i have had chest pain. At the va they did two xray's for chest. The first one came back abnormal and when i did another one they said it was normal now.

Yeah, Ok. Who prescribed the Prozac?

[schauba]

Yeah, Ok. Who prescribed the Prozac?

a civilian doctor

[schauba]

a civilian doctor

i use to go to the va all the time but they never really helped. The dav said if there not helping you go to a civilian doctor. That is what i have been doing any problem that i have i go to a civilian doctor.

[Guest Jim S.]

"if he had told the TRUTH to start with this conversation wouldn't even be happening, what part of that do you not understand,"

Just because he may have had asthma as a child and noted it on his induction physical, doesn't necessarily mean they would have found him disqualified. They would have more than likely put him on a stationary bike and had him peddle awhile to check out his physical capability. Also, like Wings stated, if it was going to be a problem, basic training would have certainly brought it out, which it did not seem to do. It wasn't until after he was in the extreme weather conditions of the Gulf to bring out his asthma.

I was approved for reenlistment, even after having been exposed to a hallucinogenic substance, believed to be LSD. I certainly wasn't expecting them to approve me, but they did, even when it was documented that I was proned to flashbacks during periods of sleep deprevation.

So I say, I will not be trying to second guess this person, by playing arm chair quarterback for the service and who they will and will not take into the service with whatever pre-exsisting problems.

By the way, If you want to see my re-enlistment request and approval, I would be willing to scan it and post it for proof as to what I have said about my re-enlistment qualification.

Jim S. :P

[Testvet]

Jim, you can take your holier than thou attitude and stick it where the sun don't shine, if you feel comfortable telling someone how to commit fraud, go right ahead, he is the one who made the statement that if he told the truth they wouldn't have let him in, now he wants to collect money for it, you and anyone else on this board is free to give all the advice you want, but what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, there is nothing gray about this claim. As far as your LSD usgae they army was giving it to people in tests so why should they bar you from re-enlisting for using it, they gave it to over 4000 men from 1955 thru 1975. Being allowed to re-enlist because they suspected you had been exposed to lSD is not anything special.

[Guest Jim S.]

WHOA! Take a chill pill. Agree to disagree, no need to get testy. Their have been a number of views expressed here, mine and yours included, name calling and taking ensalt to opposing comments has no place in an open and constructive excange of ideas.

All I am saying is that their is more to this Veterans story than not listing as having had Asthma as a child and their is usually not time and ability by the Veteran to explain every aspect of his story for us to judge if his motives are worthy of out support or not. We try not to judge people who come here.

Their is a line between friendly discussion of differing opinions and a pissing contest, about who is right and who is wrong. We here prefer to remain friendly and agree to disagree when having differing opinions,

Jim S. :P

[Testvet]

Maybe that is why some say there is an "underground" telling veterans how to get bad claims approved, but then again like almost everyone already knows the VA monitors these sites so they know who is who and what is being written, so I am sure the file has been notated. There is no such thing as anonomimity, if the govt wants to find out who is who they can get the info real easy from the ISP's. I have been on this board for three years and I don't need you to tell me how we behave here, people like me show their back sides occasionally and you can choose to ignore me or you can keep inflaming the issue like you did this morning.

[schauba]

Maybe that is why some say there is an "underground" telling veterans how to get bad claims approved, but then again like almost everyone already knows the VA monitors these sites so they know who is who and what is being written, so I am sure the file has been notated. There is no such thing as anonomimity, if the govt wants to find out who is who they can get the info real easy from the ISP's. I have been on this board for three years and I don't need you to tell me how we behave here, people like me show their back sides occasionally and you can choose to ignore me or you can keep inflaming the issue like you did this morning.

well i not here to make anybody mad. here is the story when i was a kid like 5-8 i had asthma real bad. (This is what my mom said) but when i got older it got better. When i joined the army they asked me if i had asthma and i said no. At that time i felt that i didn't have it, becasue the doctor said i would outgrow it so that is what i thought. I went through basic training and ait and had no problem. According to wings she the reg says anybody after 13 years old who hadn't had an any astma problems would be ok.

[Testvet]

you aren't making me mad, you are attempting to make a bad story good, what you do is up to you, you are the one who has to look in the mirror every day, you know what you are doing is right or wrong, you don't need any of us to tell you. You said at the beginning of this that you knew if you told them you had asthma that they wouldn't let you join, so you left it out, deliberately not an oversight, your statement that you felt we should all understand how bad you wanted to join the Army. Did you think you were going to serve your duty in San Diego? Korea is cold and frozen that's why it's called the Frozen Chosin, NTC is called the Dustbowl, the places where the Army works and fights is usually the worst places in the world, you knew what you were risking when you chose to enlist in the Army, you weren;'t drafted and now you want to profit off your childhood disease, you lied by omission and now you are knowingly filing false and imcomplete government documents, you do what you want, but I would hate to see HADIT get the reputation of helping people get fraudulent claims approved, your grown, be a man and do what you think is right.

[timetowinarace]

"if he had told the TRUTH to start with this conversation wouldn't even be happening, what part of that do you not understand,"

Just because he may have had asthma as a child and noted it on his induction physical, doesn't necessarily mean they would have found him disqualified. They would have more than likely put him on a stationary bike and had him peddle awhile to check out his physical capability. Also, like Wings stated, if it was going to be a problem, basic training would have certainly brought it out, which it did not seem to do. It wasn't until after he was in the extreme weather conditions of the Gulf to bring out his asthma.

I was approved for reenlistment, even after having been exposed to a hallucinogenic substance, believed to be LSD. I certainly wasn't expecting them to approve me, but they did, even when it was documented that I was proned to flashbacks during periods of sleep deprevation.

So I say, I will not be trying to second guess this person, by playing arm chair quarterback for the service and who they will and will not take into the service with whatever pre-exsisting problems.

By the way, If you want to see my re-enlistment request and approval, I would be willing to scan it and post it for proof as to what I have said about my re-enlistment qualification.

Jim S. :P

Jim,

The difference here is that you was approved after documentation. The military was given the chance to determine eligibility.

This person says he had asthma "real bad" and said he "lied" to enlist. It's easy to understand that waiver's are granted in some cases. Maybe even most. This person never gave the opportunity to determine the true circumstances. Yet, wants paid for the condition he hid and OH, was never diagnosed for in service.

I do not have a problem with someone lying to join the service. Not one bit. I did not but sure would have if I wanted in bad enough. I do not have a problem with a person recieving the benifits they earned by that service. They earned it. I do have a problem with someone asking to get paid for the condition they lied about. They have allready beniffited a great deal in doing what they had wanted to do and had done the country good. Now to ask to be paid for a condition that was hid and that very well could have existed without the benifit of the service is downright disgracefull.

It does not matter what the regs say. This is just the type of thing that taxpayers do not want to pay for. It is cases like this that make the public want the VA to keep a tight reign on veteran benifits. Encouraging this is counter productive to getting faster, equitible claims decisions. It is counter productive to getting the public behind us. One story like this wipes out a thousand story's of veterans struggling to recieve beniffits for obviously good claims. The public will vote to protect their money from one wishy washy claimant at the cost of thousands of deserving brothers and sisters IF WE ARE HELPING AND ENCOURAGING IT!

No hard feelings here people. This is my opinion. To knowingly help this person, is to continue to make it difficult for the rest. He has some possible ligitamate conditions. Those should be addressed.

Question: Was the claim filed through the DAV? Did you tell your SO that you lied at enlistment? Why did your SO not file the NOD?

[Wings]

Schauba,

The information I have given you is good, it's what you do with it that matters!

At the time of your enlistment, the DoD standards for enlistment were probably most nearly the same as they are today. Do the research. The military HAS relaxed some standards for Asthma as well as ADD (attention deficit disorder), BUT the fact remains that reporting your medical condition at enlistment is a legal requirement.

If you had ACTIVE or CHRONIC Asthma at the time of enlistment, it was your responsibility to report that medical condition.

You said that in 10 years of military service, you were treated ONCE, in the field, for Asthma related symptoms (chest pain). You were discharged from the Army with NO diagnosis of Asthma.

You would need medical evidence of diagnosis and treatment for Ashtma while active duty to show that Asthma was incurred while active duty. Otherwise, the VA will simply say: SMR's (service medical records) do not show Asthma.

If you claim that the Army aggravated your Asthma, then you will need to show medical evidence of pre-existing childhood asthma - and than explain why you ommited these facts to gain enlistment status!

Your ONLY valid claim, that I can see, is to gather medical evidence that would show CURRENT Asthma is related or secondary to your SC (service-connected) medical conditions.

If your childhood Asthma was in full remission at the time of enlistment (so says your Mother), then gather your childhood medical records, gather your SMR's, gather your current medical records - - and get a medical doctor to state as much! Tell the VA exactly what you have told us. Show the VA the DoD induction regulations and argue your case.

I stuck my neck out and gave you the Benefit of the Doubt. I would do that for any veteran. You say you served 10 years in the Army and were discharged Honorably. In my opinion, you have earned your VA benefits, use them wisely!

Added to this thread, and in other discussions at the board, you seem to be reporting a HOST of other medical conditions: Prozac for mental health issues, snoring, sleep apnea, etc. I see that you are asking board members to explain how they got to 100%. It is time now for you to take an solid inventory of your medical problems and be pro-active in getting help and claiming those conditions which are related to military service. It doesn't matter if the help comes from VA doctors or private doctors: most of us have used both!

Your DAV Service Representative should sit you down and explain the ABC's of filing a VA Claim.

You served in the Iraq war. You say you were in a rear detachment and did not see combat; however, you are a combat veteran in that you served in the field during a time of war. You should research current regulations to gain the benefits you have earned. Combat veterans returning from the war have 2 years of free medical treatment for any medical condition. During this time, and with assistance, you need to determine which of your medical conditions are the result of active duty service.

There is no time limit on filing a claim! Using Agent Orange as an example: if you learn 5, 10, 20 years down the road that the Iraq War exposed you to chemical agents that later caused problems, then you can file a claim. This is why I suggested you get on the Registry. Talk with other Iraq veterans and keep up with the news!

You served 10 years Honorably. Be proud of who you are! Don't do anything that would bring discredit to yourself. Your Honor and your Word is solemn - - and, in the end, one of the most abiding treasures.

God Bless.

[Guest Namvet6567]

File the claim!!!!! You deserve it!!!! Don't let timetowinarace get you down. I don't think you lied - as far as you knew, you were cured and what you mother said was heresay. No actual record of a definitive diagnosis. Get 'er done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[schauba]

Schauba,

The information I have given you is good, it's what you do with it that matters!

At the time of your enlistment, the DoD standards for enlistment were probably most nearly the same as they are today. Do the research. The military HAS relaxed some standards for Asthma as well as ADD (attention deficit disorder), BUT the fact remains that reporting your medical condition at enlistment is a legal requirement.

If you had ACTIVE or CHRONIC Asthma at the time of enlistment, it was your responsibility to report that medical condition.

You said that in 10 years of military service, you were treated ONCE, in the field, for Asthma related symptoms (chest pain). You were discharged from the Army with NO diagnosis of Asthma.

You would need medical evidence of diagnosis and treatment for Ashtma while active duty to show that Asthma was incurred while active duty. Otherwise, the VA will simply say: SMR's (service medical records) do not show Asthma.

If you claim that the Army aggravated your Asthma, then you will need to show medical evidence of pre-existing childhood asthma - and than explain why you ommited these facts to gain enlistment status!

Your ONLY valid claim, that I can see, is to gather medical evidence that would show CURRENT Asthma is related or secondary to your SC (service-connected) medical conditions.

If your childhood Asthma was in full remission at the time of enlistment (so says your Mother), then gather your childhood medical records, gather your SMR's, gather your current medical records - - and get a medical doctor to state as much! Tell the VA exactly what you have told us. Show the VA the DoD induction regulations and argue your case.

I stuck my neck out and gave you the Benefit of the Doubt. I would do that for any veteran. You say you served 10 years in the Army and were discharged Honorably. In my opinion, you have earned your VA benefits, use them wisely!

Added to this thread, and in other discussions at the board, you seem to be reporting a HOST of other medical conditions: Prozac for mental health issues, snoring, sleep apnea, etc. I see that you are asking board members to explain how they got to 100%. It is time now for you to take an solid inventory of your medical problems and be pro-active in getting help and claiming those conditions which are related to military service. It doesn't matter if the help comes from VA doctors or private doctors: most of us have used both!

Your DAV Service Representative should sit you down and explain the ABC's of filing a VA Claim.

You served in the Iraq war. You say you were in a rear detachment and did not see combat; however, you are a combat veteran in that you served in the field during a time of war. You should research current regulations to gain the benefits you have earned. Combat veterans returning from the war have 2 years of free medical treatment for any medical condition. During this time, and with assistance, you need to determine which of your medical conditions are the result of active duty service.

There is no time limit on filing a claim! Using Agent Orange as an example: if you learn 5, 10, 20 years down the road that the Iraq War exposed you to chemical agents that later caused problems, then you can file a claim. This is why I suggested you get on the Registry. Talk with other Iraq veterans and keep up with the news!

You served 10 years Honorably. Be proud of who you are! Don't do anything that would bring discredit to yourself. Your Honor and your Word is solemn - - and, in the end, one of the most abiding treasures.

God Bless.

I went over to iraq and that is when i started suffering the chest pain. I came back early because of ets. You know it is a tuff decision to make. I went to fort drum and never had a problem with astma. It is a tough decision i think it would be better not to file a claim for asthma.

[Wings]

I went over to iraq and that is when i started suffering the chest pain. I came back early because of ets. You know it is a tuff decision to make. I went to fort drum and never had a problem with astma. It is a tough decision i think it would be better not to file a claim for asthma.

Most VA Claims are "tuff", even under ideal conditions. You must decide: Am I sick now because of something that happened while active? If so, trust your instincts, follow your hunches, go see medical providers, gather evidence. If you do not have enough evidence now to prove your claim, the VA is required by law to tell you what you need to prove your claim. You can always appeal the VA's first decision, gather evidence and apply again! You can always re-open your case years later with new and material evidence.

Ultimately, the choice is yours to fight - or not. Others can assist, give direction or point to strengths and weaknesses in your claim - but the fight must come from you. This is a hard fight against the VA for disabled veterans. Sometimes the cost is great: family and friends don't understand and you feel alone - so we gather together here to ease the burden. Each man or woman must carry their own rucksack, but we carry them together.

Think about it for awhile. You have a year to appeal their 1st denial of SC, after that you can only re-open with new eveidence. ~Wings

[schauba]

Most VA Claims are "tuff", even under ideal conditions. You must decide: Am I sick now because of something that happened while active? If so, trust your instincts, follow your hunches, go see medical providers, gather evidence. If you do not have enough evidence now to prove your claim, the VA is required by law to tell you what you need to prove your claim. You can always appeal the VA's first decision, gather evidence and apply again! You can always re-open your case years later with new and material evidence.

Ultimately, the choice is yours to fight - or not. Others can assist, give direction or point to strengths and weaknesses in your claim - but the fight must come from you. This is a hard fight against the VA for disabled veterans. Sometimes the cost is great: family and friends don't understand and you feel alone - so we gather together here to ease the burden. Each man or woman must carry their own rucksack, but we carry them together.

Think about it for awhile. You have a year to appeal their 1st denial of SC, after that you can only re-open with new eveidence. ~Wings

well when i entered into the military there was a question do you have asthma well of course i checked no. At that time i believed that i didn't have it. They always said you will outgrow it so this was what i was thinking. It is like he said i had a child hood asthma and i should have told them. Then they could have so oh ok, let us test you to see if you have it now. That would have been the right thing to do, but what i did was wrong. Yeah i served our country but filling a false claim would be wrong.

[Guest Namvet6567]

File the claim!!!!!! You didn't lie. The question was "do you have asthma?" You were cured as far as you were concerned. You hadn't had any breathing problems in 10 yrs. I'd file!! I don't think you are commiting faud and if you feel you are, ask an attorney. JMHO