Just Got Out Of Mental Heath

[ranger11bv]

I just got out of the mental health ward at the VA in Phoenix. I was wondering if I should file and what for??

[Commander Bob]

Vet Center; services to Wartime eras ... link

http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/Eligibility.asp

KOREAN WAR - 27 June 1950 to - 27 July 1954 (eligible for the Korean Service Medal)

WORLD WAR II - Three eligible categories - European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign-Medal (7 Dec. 1941 to 8 Nov. 1945), Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal (7 Dec. 1941 to 2 Mar. 1946), or American Campaign Medal (7 Dec. 1941 to 2 Mar. 1946)

AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINES – In oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, 7 Dec. 1941 to 15 Aug. 1945

VIETNAM WAR - 28 Feb. 1961 to 7 May 1975

LEBANON - 25 Aug. 1982 to 26 Feb. 1984

GRENADA - 23 Oct. 1983 to 21 Nov. 1983

PANAMA - 20 Dec. 1989 to 31 Jan. 1990

PERSIAN GULF - 2 Aug. 1990 to -

SOMALIA - 17 Sept. 1992 to -

GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM - Veterans who serve or have served in military expeditions to combat terrorism on or after September 11, 2001 and before a terminal date yet to be established.

Includes OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM & OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

edited to include additional info...

Edited August 3, 2010 by Commander Bob

[LarryJ]

By the VA regulations posted here by The Commander, et al. you have to have been in a "War Zone"..................NOT IN COMBAT, but in a WAR ZONE..................which, to my remaining 6 brain cells, they, all 6 of them, figure that the WHOLE Vietnam COUNTRY was a WAR ZONE!

(Including the U.S. Embassy & I got the Kodak's to prove it).

SO, if the Vet Centers are telling you that you have to have been IN COMBAT before you can avail youselves of the services at the Vet Centers, then they are blatantly incorrect and someone needs to simply print out the VA's own Vet Center information page from the VA.gov website and lay it on the nearest desk when you go into the vet center.

Edited August 3, 2010 by LarryJ

[Commander Bob]

By the VA regulations posted here by The Commander, et al. you have to have been in a "War Zone"..................NOT IN COMBAT, but in a WAR ZONE..................which, to my remaining 6 brain cells, they, all 6 of them, figure that the WHOLE Vietnam COUNTRY was a WAR ZONE!

(Including the U.S. Embassy & I got the Kodak's to prove it).

SO, if the Vet Centers are telling you that you have to have been IN COMBAT before you can avail youselves of the services at the Vet Centers, then they are blatantly incorrect and someone needs to simply print out the VA's own Vet Center information page from the VA.gov website and lay it on the nearest desk when you go into the vet center.

Thanks LarryJ, for that clarification. Yes... War zone vets during the eras posted earlier. Again, you do not have to be a combat vet. I just called several vet centers, to confirm...

*Also, I was told by a vet center employee, Vietnam vets that served during the Vietnam war but were not in country are also eligible to go to vet centers. That rule must have been grandfathered in.

This of course does not help "ranger11bv", who served 1985-86, outside a war zone or era...

We are back to 'Ranger11bv'...JMHO ~ Follow up on the VAMC outpatient treatment, if that's the only source of treatment you have available. Sometimes, some places, have county services, MH clinics.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Commander Bob

[Commander Bob]

SO, if the Vet Centers are telling you that you have to have been IN COMBAT before you can avail yourselves of the services at the Vet Centers, then they are blatantly incorrect and someone needs to simply print out the VA's own Vet Center information page from the VA.gov website and lay it on the nearest desk when you go into the vet center.

I just tripled checked and had to pry the "war zone" eligibility out of them. Although, my impression is that the Vet Centers' just ramble off the combat thing, without thinking. They were very cordial, when I pinned them down about war-zones. Yes. *** WAR ZONE duty included***.

[ranger11bv]

So how would this help my PTSD claim??

[john999]

Ranger

You have to prove by the record that you were attacked. You are telling us that you just stayed in your bunk and sucked it up and never went on sick call or reported the attack. How do you expect to prove this PTSD claim? TestVet was attacked and he had much proof and it took him years to win his claim. What kind of discharge did you get? Was it a medical? You have been out of the army for over 20 years. Were you in any combat zones for anything?