Veterans Compensation Act Of 2009

[broncovet]

According to what I have read this ACT 407, "The Veterans Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment Act of 2009" which has been passed by congress but not yet signed by the president, will give us a raise.

If you read the link, those changes, if the president signs it, would mean about a 5.7% increase, or about a $150 more for a 100% disabled Vet effective December 1, 2009.

I dont know..maybe I dont get it, but it looks like we are getting a nice raise unless Obama vetoes it.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/ge...:s407es.txt.pdf

More is here:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-407

Considering that vawatchdog.org says that our normal COLA would be about 0% this year, I would say 5.7% is a much improvement from that.

http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfjun09/nf061809-1.htm

[Philip Rogers]

broncovet - I understand all that! I went thru all the same things. Only, I lost two houses, wife and eventually had to file backruptcy. My car wasn't worth taking. Now, I'm back in a house, vehicle is fairly new, I like living alone and have moved on. I've forgiven the VA or at least don't let them ruin my day, any more. I know, now, they weren't just out to get me but do screw everyone, as they are equal oppurtunity yada, yada, yada!!!! It'll get better, even if it's only after we die. jmo

pr

[Josephine]

Please don't take this wrong, as I am one who waited most of their life

for compensation.

Was it my fault, no it wasn't. My Psychiatric Records were intended to

be destroyed, but a Saint of a Doctor who treated me in service and

assisted me with my discharge, personally sent my military record to

The St. Louis Archives for me to locate 40 years later.

The Regional Office always told me they didn't exist.

I located them myself and spent 7 years from 2001 - 2008 before I saw

a dime of money.

I went from the R.O to the BVA remanded to the AMC and back to the

BVA Judge to grant me fair compensation.

Why did it take me so long, I had filed for benefits at a much earlier date.

The claim was re-opened and all Hell broke loose for me.

It was called Deny anyway you can and this they did.

It took a trip to D. C to for an Independent Medical Opinion from an

Expert Forensic Psychiatrist to tell them in writing what they already knew.

Yes my retro was paid back 16 years. Low balled of course, but I am grateful

for my 100% now.

Am I better off today?? Financially Yes, but my health No.

I know that I have the evidence to go for the other money, but I am grateful

to Hadit and its' members for helping me secure what they did grant me.

I may have rattled so much that I am off the Topic Thread.

I am like Phillip, I just do not allow them to ruin my days.

I was fortunate my husband remained employed and their was no

loss of my home.

I am sorry for those who did.

Edited June 28, 2009 by Josephine

[Testvet]

It has been my experience watching these vet boards that few if any get the 100% off the jump, almost all the 100% veterans have at least one divorce if not more I have 4 ex's I have lost everything I own, filed bankruptcy, it took me from Oct 2002 until a month ago when I got the last backpay for the cardiovascular issues so it wasn't easy for us either, I went from renting a room from an Uncle to what we have now that road took from June 2002 until now so no it wasn't an easy path, my stressor took place on Feb 5 1975 can the VA or the govt make my life right back to the day I was almost killed no and no matter what I do they can't and even if they could how do they repair the damage to my ex's my children how do they make me "whole" for the past 34 years?

Bottom line is they CAN'T and I have learned to be greatful that life is good now, I don't feel that I owe anyone I paid my SS every pay day like everyone else part of it was for SSDI insurance that check is an insurance policy I paid for like any other insurance policy (long term disability) that is an earned and paid for benefit mine was apporved solely on my heart problems so to have the VA claim I am only 60% disabled by coronary problems is ludicrous but it's not worth appealing any longer either 60% or 100% I still would onl;y get SMC S so it's time to let that fight go

My PTSD was caused by many stressors the assault and robbery in Alaska the human experiments at Edgewood, the many incidence of death I witnessed at NTC, the border incidents on the DMZ in 75/76, my best friend in Germany getting ran over and killed by a German driver while we were walking done the street in Schweinfurt (we had been drinking) still watching him get struck and killed will never leave me. But the VA likes to pick one stressor to focus on for the PTSD claim so the 7 fellow soldiers charged with attempted murder and robbery in Alaska and 4 of them sentenced to 15 years in leavenworth by General Court Martial was indesputible, the other 3 were given Field grade article 15's reduced to E1 and then given BCD's. They couldn't ignore that issue.

Every vet that is 100% has a history of a screwed up family life nad if their spouse stood by them they were lucky and they know it most spouses didn't, we all have had to rely on relatives or public programs and ended up homeless and lost everything we owned

but staying mad only makes us miserable there is nothing and I mean nothing the govt can do to make up for the screwed up years I agree with Flip now that you are here 100% learn to enjoy it many of us still have issues that make life less than 100% enjoyable but we can make our "caves" as enjoyable as possible me I have a hot tub and a pool I live on vacation now, I thought I would like to travel but I can't drive any longer and my wife can't drive an RV she hopes we can find a friend to drive and we pay most of the expenses and travel to places who knows that may happen one day other than that I tell her to watch the National geographic channel

will life ever be perfect? No but then even Donald Trump is not happy all the time I have watched vets spend years trying to get compensation back to the day of the incident and it will never happen, and some of them you can't talk to one guy wants 100% back to the day his ship sank in the early 1950's he didn;t file a PTSD claim until the early 2000's never happen, Keith Roberts wants to be paid back to 1969 never happen now they took away his 100% PTSD comp and put him in jail because he made the wrong people mad.

Sometimes it is better to accept how far we have come and let the sleeping dogs lay....nothing will ever make us whole nothing

[Philip Rogers]

Good post, Mike!!! I hope to get my hot tub soon! These old bones need it! ;-)

pr

[john999]

I have paid a very steep price for every dime I get from the VA in pain and suffering. I would rather have not paid it since I was doing quite OK before I became disabled with a wife and a mortgage and a car payment.

[boblandstar]

OMG

Read the bill.

In the event of a likely negative COLA this year our increase will remain at last years 5.8%.