ptsd Va Ptsd Claims

[NavMarVet]

I am very new to this blog thing, but have been fighting the good fight now for over fourteen years. Yes you heard right. I have already been denied my request under the OLD GI Bill? I am a Veteran of two branches of the Military with all Honorable Discharges on record.

It has occurred to me that we as Veterans have to get our collective stuff together in the form of a political party of some sort? That is, not the Am Legion, DAV, or other organization, but our own. What I mean here is that only the guys and gals who have been there and done that will know exactly what I mean. The ONLY way to bring about change to the VA is to have political power in Congress & the White House. To do that we must unite with one purpose in mind. That if a politician isn't going to fully endorse and legislate laws taking care of us, then they must be aware that they have us to reckon with as a major player in politics.

From all the articles I have read here, there are many Vets who are very knowledgable about our plights and fights, and how the VA works. Again I call for us to unite against the common enemy who finds any and all excuses to deny what we have earned, worked for, eliglble for, and did I mention paid for in the form of Taxes.

I can't over emphasize that we must unite. The question is how, and behind whom? I have had to pick up the fight from the so called VSO's who really don't care if you die or not. Which is the VA way of doing business. All the smoke and mirrors of public hoopla is just that, a crock. In reality they could care less if you and I get whats coming to us by law. Which reminds me, did any of you out there know that the VA in conjunction with the Social Security Administration, and the Dept. of Health and Human Services (who computes the poverty levels) places a cap on the amount of compensation or pension we get? There is a maximum that a Vet can can get if they can get through the VA BS.

We need to get this changed as well as many other out dated laws that are designed to deny us who have provided the very fabric of what this country is supposed to be about. The welfare peoples out there have more rights and benefits than we do? If anyone who reads this out there wants to say hi and discuss things further I can currently be reached at rlamborn1@tampabay.rr.com Would love to hear from fellow Vets and concerned people who really care enough to actually do something to change and reform the system. :D

[Pete53]

The problem is that for politicians the price of a good Veterans policy is to much.

Welcome to Hadit.

Veterans as a whole are not good advocates for themselves.

[USMC_HVEQ]

I think a huge problem is the lack of the congressmen (senators and reps) that really have a stake in teh A anymore. What is the percentage of those that served? or have immediate family serving/served? if they did I think they would be dealing more with those issues. I sure hope Obama is ready to tackle these issues. I believe McCain might have, since he was a former POW himself, but ya never know with politicians. SOme like to forrget what got them there or where they came from.

We need lobbyist, with $$$ to get things to change. It's sad and unfortuante but a reality...just putting my 2 cents worth into this discussion.

[john999]

Carlie

Notice I said "hypothetically". I had a congressman , Sam Gibbons, who was dropped behind German lines on D-day. He was a Airborne Ranger. A few years in congress, and he turned into a jerk who never lifted a finger for vets who asked for help. I think he hated Vietnam vets. He probably thought we were all communists since we were sore about treatment we got when we got home. He got a parade. We got the loving arms of the VA. Vets are not organized and they vote against their own best interests. McCaine would not have lifted a finger to help us. What did he do when he was in the Senate for 20 years to help us?

[Commander Bob]

You have something there john999 , [ "If we were awarded interest on retro payments that would add some incentive to speed up these claims."] Allan also noted that interest on retro payments would also cut down on the VA's denial till death scheme. Excellent incentive. Like you said john999, "hypothetically speaking.

[john999]

Allan and Bob

We joke about the VA's death scheme, but I think it is real. My mother was in a nursing home and was entitled to some kind of A&A. The VA just stalled until she died. The claim died with her. The county VSO said that was the VA's plan all along to just stall. You know if there is significant evidence to link heart disease with AO they will stall on that til most of us are dead. I wonder how many RVN vets are alive as we speak. I read in the obits about at least one or two dying in my area every day at age 59-60 or something like that. If you ever get the feeling that someone wants you dead you can just look at your local VA. Your paranoia is justified. Now they have plenty of replacements due to OIF and OEF.

[poolguy11550]

It simply a legal tactic- stall and file counter suites, thus stalling more. Whomever can last the longest at waiting will win. This how the upper core of VA lawyers crafted policy for there clients in what is suppose to be a non-adversarial process.