ptsd Desert Storm Vet Needs Help With Claim Process

[TANKERJOE0]

HELLO ALL.I AM A USMC DESERT STORM VET.MY MOS WAS 1811 TANK CREWMAN.

I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM NUMEROUS AILMENTS SINCE THE WAR.

I AM IN THE COMPENSATION PROCESS NOW FOR A DISABILITY RATING.

I HAVE MY FIRST EVER C@P EXAMS ON JAN 15, 2009 IN GAINSVILLE FLORIDA.

I AM IN NEED OF SOME HELP AND INFO ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE EXAMS.I HAVE AN EXAM FOR PTSD.I HAVE AN EXAM FOR HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS.ALSO FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF SYMPTOMS RELATING TO DESERT STORM SYNDROME.

I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE LOCAL VA OUT-PAITENT CLININC IN JAX,FL FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS. BEING SEEN FOR ALL OF MY SYMPTOMS.I FILED FOR DISABILITY ABOUT THE SAME TIME.MY DR AT THE OUT-PAITENT CLINIC HAS DIAGNOSED ME WITH PTSD. I HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS ANTI DEPRESSANTS AND ANXIETY MEDICINE FOR THE LAST 17 YRS.I AM CURRENTLY SEEING A PSYCHIATRIS AND PSYSICOLOGIS AT THE OUT-PAITENT CLINIC.I WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED WITH A MINOR HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS.HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED PAIN MEDICATION FOR MY CHRONIC DIBILATATING PAIN FROM THE OUT-PAITENT CLINIC AS WELL.ANY HELP AND TIPS ON WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE C@P EXAMS WOULD BE GREATLT APPRECIATED.THANKS TO ALL

SEMPER FI!!

TANKERJOE0

[john999]

I would google PTSD and look at the symptoms. If you have a verifiable stressor then what you need is to exhibit the classic syptoms of PTSD. Just tell it like it is and hold nothing back. Describe what you feel like on your worst day. If the shrink asks you how you are doing don't say "fine". Talk about your symptoms. Don't dress us like for a job interview. Just keep it real.

[TANKERJOE0]

I would google PTSD and look at the symptoms. If you have a verifiable stressor then what you need is to exhibit the classic syptoms of PTSD. Just tell it like it is and hold nothing back. Describe what you feel like on your worst day. If the shrink asks you how you are doing don't say "fine". Talk about your symptoms. Don't dress us like for a job interview. Just keep it real.

[TANKERJOE0]

THANKS JOHN,I DO BELIEVE I HAVE A STRESSOR.I WAS IN A TANK AND MY TANK HIT A MINE IN THE PROCESS OF CLEARING THE MINEFIELD.IT BLEW UP THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TANK.WE HAD TO EVACUATE AND ABANDONE THE TANK AND GO ON FOOT AS THE TANK WAS DISABLED.I CAME IN CONTACT WITH MANY DEAD IRAQI SOLDIERS WE HAD KILLED AND WAS FORCED TO THROW A DEAD IRAQI IN TO A DITCH BY MY 1ST SGT.I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING WITH THE CONSTANT MEMORIES EVER SINCE.I AM WITHDRAWN FROM ALL FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME FUNCTIONING ON A DAILY BASIS.THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND INSIGHT.

TANKERJOE0

[mags1023]

HELLO ALL.I AM A USMC DESERT STORM VET.MY MOS WAS 1811 TANK CREWMAN.

I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM NUMEROUS AILMENTS SINCE THE WAR.

I AM IN THE COMPENSATION PROCESS NOW FOR A DISABILITY RATING.

I HAVE MY FIRST EVER C@P EXAMS ON JAN 15, 2009 IN GAINSVILLE FLORIDA.

I AM IN NEED OF SOME HELP AND INFO ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE EXAMS.I HAVE AN EXAM FOR PTSD.I HAVE AN EXAM FOR HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS.ALSO FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF SYMPTOMS RELATING TO DESERT STORM SYNDROME.

I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE LOCAL VA OUT-PAITENT CLININC IN JAX,FL FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS. BEING SEEN FOR ALL OF MY SYMPTOMS.I FILED FOR DISABILITY ABOUT THE SAME TIME.MY DR AT THE OUT-PAITENT CLINIC HAS DIAGNOSED ME WITH PTSD. I HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS ANTI DEPRESSANTS AND ANXIETY MEDICINE FOR THE LAST 17 YRS.I AM CURRENTLY SEEING A PSYCHIATRIS AND PSYSICOLOGIS AT THE OUT-PAITENT CLINIC.I WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED WITH A MINOR HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS.HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED PAIN MEDICATION FOR MY CHRONIC DIBILATATING PAIN FROM THE OUT-PAITENT CLINIC AS WELL.ANY HELP AND TIPS ON WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE C@P EXAMS WOULD BE GREATLT APPRECIATED.THANKS TO ALL

SEMPER FI!!

TANKERJOE0

TankerJoe:

Sounds like you have things pretty well under control. Make sure you write down all the conditions you suffer from and bring them up during your exam. Don't let the examiner skim over things or they will treat them as minor. If you are having problems dealing with real life issues, let him know that you have social and occupational problems. Are you working?? If so, do you have to take a lot of sick leave??? Remember, your conditions need to be chronic and not just flare ups. As far as your PTSD goes, look at CFR 38 under mental conditions. What have the VA docs documented in your progress notes?? If you have copies of them bring them with you. If you don't, go to the VAMC in Gainsville and get those copies from the release of info (RIO) office. Make copies for the Dr you are going to see. Don't give them your's because you won't get them back. Call his office next week and if it is close, see if you can drop them off in advance so that he will know your history prior to the appointment. Make sure you have a list of all meds you are taking and have taken in the past. We get confused and forget things when we are in with the docs, so if you have them written down it will jog your memory. As a tank driver tinnitus should be a given. Let the doc know you have ringing in your ears and it is worse at night when there is no background noise to offset it. Do you have any sleeping problems? If so, bring those up. Hearing loss is cut and dry, they'll test you and if you fall in a certain range, you'll be rated. Have you had your Persian Gulf Vet physical exam yet? It's important to be classified as a PGV, in case presumptive diseases are identified in the future. Good luck and let us know how it goes. s/Mags

[TANKERJOE0]

THANKS MAGS1023,I JUST FOUND THIS SITE TODAY BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME INFO BEFORE GOING TO THIS C@P EXAM.I DIDNT WANT TO GO TO IT UNPREPARED.I APPRECIATE ALL THE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL PEOPLE TO RESPOND SO FAR.I HAVE NOTICED WHENEVER DEALING WITH THE VA THEY ARE ALWAYS SKEPTICAL AND UN BELIEVING.I OFTEN FEEL AS THEY ARE NOT HERE TO HELP US BUT TO DISCREDIT AND DENY US PROPER TREATMENT OR COMPENSATION.I WAITED A LONG TIME TO FILE MY CLAIM THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE.I HAVE YEARS WORTH OF FAMILY DRS RECORDS TO BACK UP MY CLAIMS THOUGH.I HOPE I DONT HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LONG DRAWN OUT PROCESS AS MOST OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS SITE HAVE HAD TO DO.IT IS A CRIME WHAT THEY MAKE VETERANS GO THROUGH AFTER HONORING AND DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY.THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INPUT.

TANKERJOE0

[broncovet]

Tanker Joe

Thanks for serving our country. Here is my advice, and, I have been there:

The VA Regional Office will do everything in their power to Delay, Deny, Discredit you. Accept that and beat the 3D's with the 7 P's..Proper Preperation Prevents Poor Performance then aPpeal, and Persist. You may even get lucky and get approved the first time, depending on your regional office though that is rare.

When you go for your Audio C&P exam..do your homework. Always be 100% honest. Explain how military service trashed your hearing, for example, you fired weapons without ear protection, had to listen to jet engine noise, your superiors constantly yelled at you, etc if that is the case. Also be prepared to answer a question regarding occupational noise exposure after the military, and be prepared to answer the question, "why did you get hearing loss when your MOS normally does not have lots of noise". If you were a company chaplain, but were required to work in a hangar with jet engine noise, then tell the audiologist that. Ask your audiologist to put in your exam these words, "hearing loss most likely caused by military service".