ptsd Ptsd Fraud

[Ol'Man]

:D :D :o :D :D

Just read on VA Watchdog where many "veterans" are lying about stressors in order to claim benefits. I was a Dog Handler in Nam "70" - "71", 101st 47th IPSD. Tried for several years to get SR benefits for injuries and PTSD received while overseas but always got the same old story....WE NEED PROOF OF STRESSORS. Now after almost 40 years and many sleepless nights and nightmares, failed relationships, going from job to job, etc., I'm finally coming to terms with my past "life". I'm close to receiving benefits for Dabetes II and anxiety disorder, the latter not PTSD because I don't believe the "examiner" did his homework. My question is, am I going to have trouble with PTSD claim because only one out of three of my stressors was documented. The other 2 are true but were buried due to the nature. Can we say "cover-up" ? Been waiting for 2 months now for decision. I know I will have to file a NOD but am not letting the VA screw me again.

[LarryJ]

I am not jumping on an Elder. Was just voicing my opinion on what I thought to be an unfair statement on Vets being suspicious for filing for PTSD. I will still stand by that opinion. If you think I was jumping on an Elder I can't do anything different. The last time I looked, this is still America and I am still a VietNam Veteran that fought for the right to give people the right to stand up for what they think is right and what is wrong not matter who that person may be. If that cost me the right to post in this forum so be it. But its still a right for every single Veteran in this forum to be able to voice their opinion right or wrong without having the fear of being ridiculed or banned. I think the last time I checked, that was called Censorship and thats not suppose to happen in this country.

Okay.......alright already...........you're a good person, you didn't mean to demean (or be mean) to anyone, you were standing up for yourself (for a perceived wrong that really wasn't "aimed" at you, BTW)............we are glad you are here and taking part in our discourse...........and want you to stick around.........and we can certainly use some good minds to help us along............(maybe you can help me find my mine....seems I've misplaced it due to stress, etc.)...........now, let's all participate in a group grope and a hearty HIGH-FIVE.

sheeeeeeeesh! :)

Me Tonto, Keemosabe!

[Commander Bob]

Okay.......alright already...........you're a good person, you didn't mean to demean (or be mean) to anyone, you were standing up for yourself (for a perceived wrong that really wasn't "aimed" at you, BTW)............we are glad you are here and taking part in our discourse...........and want you to stick around.........and we can certainly use some good minds to help us along............(maybe you can help me find my mine....seems I've misplaced it due to stress, etc.)...........now, let's all participate in a group grope and a hearty HIGH-FIVE.

roger that...

[jbasser]

I am not jumping on an Elder. Was just voicing my opinion on what I thought to be an unfair statement on Vets being suspicious for filing for PTSD. I will still stand by that opinion. If you think I was jumping on an Elder I can't do anything different. The last time I looked, this is still America and I am still a VietNam Veteran that fought for the right to give people the right to stand up for what they think is right and what is wrong not matter who that person may be. If that cost me the right to post in this forum so be it. But its still a right for every single Veteran in this forum to be able to voice their opinion right or wrong without having the fear of being ridiculed or banned. I think the last time I checked, that was called Censorship and thats not suppose to happen in this country.

We have been here a long time and we have been through this many times before. Lets just keep it real. Sometimes it is difficult to cope with th e folks on this board but in the long run we are all here for a common purpose. That purpose is to give and receive help for our VA situations.

Hang in there as you have my support. I feel for the RVN Vets because they really got the shaft and continue to get shafted each and every day.

J

[Ol'Man]

:) Good Morning Everyone;

I must apologize for taking so long to get back on here before things got out of hand. Let me try a clear this up. First I'm sorry for not putting into post where on Watchdog I actually saw the article, when I first read it I got scared because I have filed claims for PTSD for 10 or more years but never had the courage to write about my stressors. Like many of us Viet Nam Veterans we have tried to forget the past and what we endured over there as well as what we have gone through since returning home. With the help of my PTSD counslers and PTSD group sessions I am slowly trying to come to terms with my past.....here and overseas. My life before going to Nam was hope filled. I was supposed to come home to be a State Police Officer in Michigan. Had most of my life planned with marriage, family, and the GOOD life. When I returned home all that was gone, replaced by things I seen and did while in Nam. My first try at suicide was 1 month after I came back, from there it was all downhill with no way to stop. Never could hold down a job, failed marriage, estranged from my entire family, drugs and alcohol, constant failed relationships, etc. But enough of that because we all know where that leads.

Now to the point of all this. I wrote 3 stressor accounts for the VA. It took me almost 3 months to complete them. After submitting them along with my 9th claim for PTSD I only let one other person read them and that was my PTSD counsler. He makes it a point to keep in contact with me at least once a week. One stressor is easily verifyable because of records, the other 2 are not due to the nature of the incidents and the cover-up's of the people in charge of the Units I was supporting. I was a Scout Dog Handler and supported many different Units.

Needless to say after reading the article in Watchdog and knowing I'm now waiting for a rating decision on my numerous claims I got spooked and needed reassurance from fellow Vets. I really did not mean to start a rucus.

Sorry,

OL'MAN

[john999]

Ol,Man

You know I think I have a PTSD stressor. A dog handler lost control of his dog one night on guard duty. I was asleep inside a bunker. The dog jumped into the bunker with me. I woke up looking into the deep black eyes of what looked like a wolf. I about wet myself. The dog guy got his animal under control before it ate me. These kinds of things happened so often it makes me wonder who the real dangerous people were in Nam, us or the enemy. The dog handlers had the worst job walking around the small air base I was at. FNG's would sometimes fire at them by mistake. It was pitch black out there and you would hear the dog handler coming very slowly towards your bunker calling out to make sure he did not get shot by one of his own. The would stick guys out there with their M-16 and not even tell them to expect a dog handler to come by at 2am on his rounds.

[Berta]

Ol Man you didn't start a ruckus-at all - I did.

I can relate to all you said. I was volunteer in a Vet center and they voted me into the PTSD combat Rap group.1984.

One of the Nam vets called me up for a special PTSD group meeting one night -he was finally going to reveal his stressor to us all and wanted us all at the Vet Center.

He already got 100% for PTSD but wanted us to finally know what happened. It was horrible.Another vet opened up that night too on one of his stressor and that was terrible too.

I met my husband at the vet center and he was pretty focal about his stressors,but told me not too long before he died that he had never revealed to me or anyone the really horrible things.He said he would not even tell the VA-they were of unspeakable horror.

I was shocked because I had no idea he still kept stuff in.

The 'stuffing' of the stuff is what causes PTSD to be so disabling for many vets.

and it wasn't like you all got a great welcome home to the 'world' and a receptive audience to what your TDY was really like.My uncle forbid me to even mention Vietnam in his house due to 2 losses in the family.

I sure have no doubt of what you went through and certainly have had personal experiences with vets who cannot bear to talk about certain things.

We hopefully will be doing some more shows at SVR on PTSD soon.

You only need one stressor confirmed -not all three.Once they confirm one stressor -they dont look any further at JSRRC.

We have new members here and I need to remind them-I am a civilian but Vietnam is still an important part of my life every day and it would take a short book to tell you all why.OK a LARGE book.

The Vietnam War altered me as a civilian Forever.It is why I am here at hadit.

It caused me to realize that the 'world' had become dinky dau-if you catch my drift-during the war-and this added to the problems you men and women had when you came back.