ptsd Greetings All - Va Too Young To Remember?

[brokebird]

Hey all. Just found you in a fit of frustration over being denied PTSD/MST claim. Haven't gotten up the fortitude to read the details, but it seems pretty obvious that the eveluators are under the age of 30. I don't think they realize what we were facing back in the 70s. (And still do.)

Rape was a woman's fault, because only nuns could be raped. Everyone else asked for it.

Women in the military were either whores or lesbians. Both deserved to be raped.

Women weren't emotionally capable of being in combat, but nurses were expected to deal with a flood of mutilations and dead bodies on a daily basis. There was no thought that the situation might have been traumatic for them. In fact, they were repeatedly told they were lucky to be 'safe' behind the lines.

If you got pregnant, you were discharged. Everyone expected you to get pregnant. Now.

If there was a Gyn posted to the local med center, their priority was seeing wives. Three month waits for a routine appt were not unusual.

Female officers were pressured to join the Officer Wive's Club. And go to the meetings.

If you filed a sexual harassment complaint, you were shunned by everyone. Because everyone knew all the details.

If you object to being humiliated, you were too sensitive and were told to suck it up. After all, you chose to join up.

I was twice denied assignment at CENTCOM because I was female. Females, particularly officers, were routinely barred from deployment with their units because they were too much trouble. Newt Gingrich said women couldn't deploy because we get infections in field conditions.

After the 1st Gulf, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Merrill McPeak (chosen by Cheney) testified to Congress that he would never allow women to fly fighters. Then he told his officer corps that if you were not a pilot, the Air Force did not owe you a career, because only pilots could command units.

I was in 4 years before women had the option to wear pants or a long sleeved shirt. Because they didn't exist. Lots of fun in Arctic conditions.

There was a lot of resentment because the services were cracking down on racial discrimination. Women took the backlash. But none of it was written down or official.

That just scratches the surface. But my young friends seem to have no clue of the realities back then. Maybe we need to go back and explain that reality to the VA.

[carlie]

brokebird.

Welcome to Hadit.

I remember, Honorable Discharge 1978.

I edited the topic of your thread and added "Triggers" to it,

as reading it may "Trigger" some vets.

I also moved the topic to the PTSD Forum.

Again - welcome to Hadit.

Post in whichever Forums are of interest to you.

carlie

[*Bergie*]

Hey all. Just found you in a fit of frustration over being denied PTSD/MST claim. Haven't gotten up the fortitude to read the details, but it seems pretty obvious that the eveluators are under the age of 30. I don't think they realize what we were facing back in the 70s. (And still do.)

Rape was a woman's fault, because only nuns could be raped. Everyone else asked for it.

Women in the military were either whores or lesbians. Both deserved to be raped.

Women weren't emotionally capable of being in combat, but nurses were expected to deal with a flood of mutilations and dead bodies on a daily basis. There was no thought that the situation might have been traumatic for them. In fact, they were repeatedly told they were lucky to be 'safe' behind the lines.

If you got pregnant, you were discharged. Everyone expected you to get pregnant. Now.

If there was a Gyn posted to the local med center, their priority was seeing wives. Three month waits for a routine appt were not unusual.

Female officers were pressured to join the Officer Wive's Club. And go to the meetings.

If you filed a sexual harassment complaint, you were shunned by everyone. Because everyone knew all the details.

If you object to being humiliated, you were too sensitive and were told to suck it up. After all, you chose to join up.

I was twice denied assignment at CENTCOM because I was female. Females, particularly officers, were routinely barred from deployment with their units because they were too much trouble. Newt Gingrich said women couldn't deploy because we get infections in field conditions.

After the 1st Gulf, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Merrill McPeak (chosen by Cheney) testified to Congress that he would never allow women to fly fighters. Then he told his officer corps that if you were not a pilot, the Air Force did not owe you a career, because only pilots could command units.

I was in 4 years before women had the option to wear pants or a long sleeved shirt. Because they didn't exist. Lots of fun in Arctic conditions.

There was a lot of resentment because the services were cracking down on racial discrimination. Women took the backlash. But none of it was written down or official.

That just scratches the surface. But my young friends seem to have no clue of the realities back then. Maybe we need to go back and explain that reality to the VA.

I'm sorry for all the frustration you've had to endure, but what ever you do don't give up. The VARO want that. You have a year from the date of the denial to develope your claim further and then file a NOD. Use the time wisely and get whatever you need to prove your claim. The VARO always likes to deny claims unless you prove it definatively, when they cannot deny they low-ball in the hope that you will take it and shut up. I firmly believe this and I'm sure others will agree. That is why you should never quit. Here at Hadit you will find the help if you need it.

Take care,

Bergie

[halos2]

brokebird, I feel your frustrations too. Were you able to find any valid info in your c-file? What about upon discharge did you seek any treatment at all? Any buddy or family members who can write/document specifics of the occurrance and how it has impacted you/your life all these years?

I see you are 40% sc, so can any of your records validate ptsd episodes too? As others reminded you appeal with a DRO and De Nova review. You could also request a personal hearing with the DRO. They will(VARO) schedule you with a female DRO too. Best to take another female in with you to the hearing too.

Edited June 1, 2010 by halos2

[carlie]

You could also request a personal hearing with the DRO.

They will(VARO) schedule you with a female DRO too.

Best to take another female in with you to the hearing too.

halos2,

Do you have a link or anything to support this in regards to being able

to specify and receive a female DRO ?

I have never seen this anywhere.

carlie

[john999]

I would also be interested to see regs where vet can choos sex of their DRO. I would like a female DRO I think. When I had my Discharge Board Review I had the women weeping. I was pathetic, so I think they had more mercy on me as I looked like a motherless duckling.

[hedgey]

Oh, man, me too.

But on the other hand, if I have to bear my broken, brutalized soul to some guy in a suit, they will have to mop me up off the floor. With a woman, I feel so much safer, maybe it wouldn't help me.

But brokebird, I remember. I was in during the early 80's when they'd done away with the WAC and were integrating women into the man's army. They were supposed to be accepting us and treating us like comrades, but in reality they hated us being there, and/or considered us conveniently located. The general attitude was that only two kinds of women joined the Army: women who weren't really women but wanted to be men, and women who wanted to be with men. Any men, any time.

I was just thinking about something. Around here, there used to be a Courtesy Patrol downtown and at the mall (Shore Patrol, in Navy think). They made sure that the soldiers were in proper attire (Class A's, B's or civies) and that they were behaving honorably in public.

For some reason they stopped that. Now when my daughter takes me to the mall, there's BDU's everywhere.

My point is that the young people in the military today are having a very different experience than ours from 20, 30, 40 + years ago.

I'm sorry it's making it harder for you than it should be.