Questions On Seperation Exam + Ventting

[MrFreedomforAll]

Good Evening.

My wife is a traditonal reservist that had been on active duty orders for about 4 years straight. She had really bad migraines and has since 9/11. She was in the Pentagon when it was attacked she was not hurt physically but emtionally she is wreck. She is okay until someone mentions it and then you can see the look on her face change. She totally avoids everything that has to do with it and does not even want to talk about it.

I think that she has PSTD.

Back to the migraines. She goes to the hospital at least 6 times per year if not more to get pain free from the headaches. About 2 months ago she was hospitalized with staus migrainous. She has not had a very many neuro consults because the hospitals here are so backed up. So she has not been boarded and does not want to either. She can not work a regular job because the moment she gets stress she get a migraine that last for days. She has to take a naroctic to get some relief.

She has a phsyical scheduled late next week. Any thing that she need to ask the doctor to do, or order. She will be going back to be a traditional reserv.

She also has the following medical issues as well

Back Pain ( They would not order a MRI by they wanted her to do PT, she went about 3 times but she said it was hurting her she stopped going)Knee Pains ( She hurt her knee a couple of years ago and has a LOD for it

PSTD? ( I am not a doctor) She does have a previous note of adjustment disorder when she miscarried a set of twins

Sexual Abuse ( Right before I meet her, while she was on oders she was raped by one of her family members)

UTI's

Flat feet from wearing thoses boots.

She is a good woman and a work-a-holic. Her unit abuses her. She can be on leave and they will call her in to do something. She stays late and comes in early.

Since she has been on orders she has become a different person. Only concerned about work. She does not take care of herself anymore. Her eyes are bad from sitting at the computer so much. She types so much at work you can see her rubbing them when she comes home. She takes care of everyone else. I do understand Service Before Self, but she is literally killing herself. Last week her unit told her they were taking her off orders. She does not know why. Just a bunch of rumors. She had started to have chest pains and will not go to the doctor because she is afraid of getting boarded.

She is so tired when she comes home that she has no patience for me and our children.

What do you all recommend to ask the doctor for in her Pysical Exam? I am going to the doctor with her so I will make sure she gets squared away. I plan on having her put in a VA Claim after her orders are finsished.

Any recommenations... Anything you all can think of that will help

Please

Thank you

[Pete53]

It sounds to me that your wife is not in the kind of shape to continue this type of work and should be medically retired with benefits but most important she needs to be treated cause it is only going to get worse if untreated.

Good Luck

[Berta]

Why is she afraid of being boarded- I assume you mean a MEB?

I can understand that to a certain extent-

but it seems she is already having problems that will impact on her employability when she is a civilian-problems that VA could compensate as to their affect to her ability to work---with inservice nexus.

She might have PTSD but as you said you are not a doc and neither are we- she would need a diagnosis of PTSD in order to pursue a claim for it.But she should claim it of course,and any of the other conditions.

It looks to me that she has many physical and emotional issues that need to be recognized in her discharge physical.

And the VA will require an inservice nexus (link) for anything she claims.

Make sure when she does leave the Mil-that she has a complete copy of her SMRs.

The migraines seem to be well documented in her SMRs.

"She was in the Pentagon when it was attacked she was not hurt physically ..." etc

Does her Personnel file support that-I guess I mean was she working at the Pentagon on duty when this happened?

[MrFreedomforAll]

Yes the migraines are well documented. She has a number of ER visits that would make your head spin.

She works in the medical field and knows the MEB process. I think that is what is holding her back. Plus you know that the system is so messed up. I think that is why she is not getting the help that she needs.

I know that she has a copy of her old orders and she has an award that she was given as well.

Is there anything else she should ask for at her physical.

[out_here04]

just helping with some acronyms:

PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

MEB Medical Examination (or Evaluation?) Board

SMR Service Medical Records

The following is kind of a repeat of what Berta said, but in other words. Someone please correct any inconsistencies, if necessary, please.

Also, she should get it in her medical records that she needs psych treatment to deal with PTSD (not just other non-service-connected events like the sexual trauma, and especially not anything pre-service--VA likes to hold that against veterans)while activated (like now, if she is still on active-duty orders). The physical would be a good time to make sure it is documented for later inclusion in a VA claim. GET YOUR OWN COPIES and COPIES FOR VA AFTER THIS HAPPENS! (things get lost, as many have unfortunately experienced). What's important seems to be that the doctor puts in writing the service connection for the PTSD stressor (event) and how it affects her. Even though recalling the event may cause her stress, it is important that she has the connection documented. She can get the neuro appointments as time permits, but she needs to get documentation that will link future help to a service-connected event to qualify for VA benefits in the future.

Also, her personnel records should show she was on orders and possibly get that backed up by buddy statement(s)from people who know she was there. (VA has a form, can't remember which) that witnesses verify that she was AT the Pentagon when it was attacked. Performance reports, decoration certificates, etc., can prove that. I had a PTSD stressor event that I never really discussed with psych docs or anyone else, but I was luckily able to track down a former commander who sent in a buddy statement to VA (I still don't know what it said, need to get a copy of my c-file, claim file, for when I got my 100 percent rating last year. The PTSD was not the core of my claim, but it probably is in your wife's case.

As far as trying to keep "toeing the line" and be a good troop, despite possible repurcussions or other servicemembers taking advantage of or even creating a hostile work environment, my psych doc helped me through the "getting out" part by asking me if I would have less stress out of the military (I really wanted to stay in). In the long run it was the best decision for me and the service.

Local VA Medical Centers have PTSD groups that seem to meet one day a week and I just found out that they may even give travel pay to and from (if living a distance away) if she winds up getting rated service-connected by VA once you get that far along in the process.

Otherwise, having experienced similar experiences as your wife, she needs to take a five or ten minute break an hour off of the computer. A stress break will rest her eyes and head and other physical and mental aspects of grinding away at a computer screen. Stress management is important so she doesn't "lose it or go off on somebody" and thus put an honorable discharge at risk. Some VA benefits, I think, others can correct, but require no "OTH" or Other Than Honorable discharge. GI Bill and home loans come to mind.

Later on, when in the VA compensation and pension (C&P) exam process as a veteran she will have her ducks lined up to possibly qualify for up to 100 percent, which is about $3000 a month. Mental ratings, if 100 percent, seem to preclude work or even using the GI Bill. The main thing is that she gets the medical/psych/even financial assistance to deal with her issues that but for military service would not be there.

I hope all goes well. I thank her for her service and you for being a supportive husband.

out_here04

[pacmanx1]

Wow, I am very sorry for what happened to your wife but you are keep saying she had orders when certain things happened to her which may not be considered service related. As to the sexual abuse (raped by a family member) VA may say that this is not military related and could cause depression/PTSD to include the UTIs. On orders during the time of 9/11, unless her military duties required her to be there the day of the incident, I am still not sure if related. A lot of people received awards during this time but I am just not clear about your post. Yes, I am the slow one here and no I am not a doctor but it seems that a lot of things could be the cause of her depression and possible PTSD but they may or may not be service related. Hopefully someone will chime in or you could clarify it for me but I am not sure what VA would say. I think the main thing would be is to get her in to see a psychiatrist and get her a physical and go from there. As to her upcoming physical just have her ask the doctor to check what ever is bothering her like chest pains, knee problems, migraines, stress and anything else.

Edited August 23, 2009 by pacmanx1

[MrFreedomforAll]

She was on orders starting in April 2001 and then she was assaulted in July ( she went to a miliarty hospital after it happen) and then 9/11 happened she did not get off orders until then next April.

Her orders cover the exact day. At her orders state that location from like April 2001-April 2002. She was working at the Pentagon, she helped with the recovery efforts.

Should I have her get the buddy statements now or wait until later? She has a copy of the award write up, the award and pics when it was presented to her. She was also featured in a newspaper.