Va Envelope Recieved, Need Massive Help Please

[usdart]

They want more Evidence so I have to fill out some forms.

21-0781

21-4138

21-0781a

Since my VSO has flown the coup I am lost.

What are some key words I should use in my descriptions that will help?

I do not have a puple heart or any of the list of Service medals.

Is a Viet Nam ribbon a Combat Action Badge?

Can I use my DD214 which says I participated in 'Operation Rock Crusher'.this was the routing of the enemy during the incursion into Cambodia. The last major campaign of the War. Wikipedia has a very good discription of it that I can also include. I was never officially awarded this either and should have been according to my DD214.

My 'stressors' were incured during this Offensive so I want to describe them using the right verbage to shine the brightest light I can.

Edited January 17, 2014 by usdart

[usdart]

PR , and some of us other advocates, have learned to be sort of abrupt sometimes, in an effort to understand, in hyperspace, exactly what evidence a claimant needs. We are all on your side.

Believe me, if he can help you, he sure will and he knows his stuff!

“I have read after action reports (only found a few) In one it says my Unit fired 22,190 rounds during Op Rock Crusher. I wish it had been 90%. “

If you were in that unit at the same time of this after action report, have you sent this info to the VA?

Possibly this link will help?

http://www.military.com/HomePage/UnitPageHistory/1,13506,102156,00.html

Maybe this is better:

http://www.bravecannons.org/the_gun/unit_org.html

This is the list of Field Artillery Units prior to and after TET.

http://www.bravecannons.org/the_gun/unit_org.html

Then again there should be more info on the net regarding your unit and Ops Rockcrusher, s well as TET just by googling your unit designation.I am a civilian so my links here might be way off base but it is amazing what one can find on the net.

PR , and some of us other advocates, have learned to be sort of abrupt sometimes, in an effort to understand, in hyperspace, exactly what evidence a claimant needs. We are all on your side.

Believe me, if he can help you, he sure will and he knows his stuff!

“I have read after action reports (only found a few) In one it says my Unit fired 22,190 rounds during Op Rock Crusher. I wish it had been 90%. “

If you were in that unit at the same time of this after action report, have you sent this info to the VA?

Possibly this link will help?

http://www.military.com/HomePage/UnitPageHistory/1,13506,102156,00.html

Maybe this is better:

http://www.bravecannons.org/the_gun/unit_org.html

This is the list of Field Artillery Units prior to and after TET.

http://www.bravecannons.org/the_gun/unit_org.html

Then again there should be more info on the net regarding your unit and Ops Rockcrusher, s well as TET just by googling your unit designation.I am a civilian so my links here might be way off base but it is amazing what one can find on the net.

I found those too. I am going to use different search terms and see what I can find.

Meawhile, Is there a site to fill out those PTSD forms on line and print or save

them for free?

Thanks to everyone for trying to help. I would really be lost without this site and these good people.

[Loose Cannon]

PR , and some of us other advocates, have learned to be sort of abrupt sometimes, in an effort to understand, in hyperspace, exactly what evidence a claimant needs. We are all on your side.

Believe me, if he can help you, he sure will and he knows his stuff!

Agree with Berta. I've had my share of what I perceive to be harsh responses...and I've also written much that others perceive as harsh. Nobody's here is perfect. And Berta makes a very valid point about "hyperspace" and how difficult it can be to have readers accept what a person means without assuming the worst.

I think it's fair to say we've all been there in our experience with social networking forums. Dart, a person who has PTSD has even a stronger sensativity to feelings of "being under attack." Sometimes we get it right but more often than not, we get it wrong. Please don't let it stop you from asking questions or seeking advice here. And nobody will fault you for grammer or spelling.

Thanks so much for your service. I hope you take my comments to heart. God bless you brother.

LC

[usdart]

I see on my Awards and Decorations page it shows Sanctuary Counter Offensive and to the right it says

DAsg10130Z Dec71 RUNCM 6/68 DEV AR670-5

(this one is fuzzy

so I am not sure)

Anyone know what this is?

[Berta]

All I found on googling Sanctuary Counter Offensive was this:

Counteroffensive, Phase VI

2 November 1968 - 22 February 1969

http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/vn.html

I believes involves receipt of either of these ribbons ,which should be listed on your DD 214.

These are common awards to Vietnam veterans.....

I googled the other initials and came up with nothing..... please correct me someone if I am wrong on what I think the Sanctuary Counter Offensive designates.

I think all incountry Vietnam DD214s have a similar description regarding the counter offensive, etc.

[usdart]

All I found on googling Sanctuary Counter Offensive was this:

Counteroffensive, Phase VI

2 November 1968 - 22 February 1969

http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/vn.html

I believes involves receipt of either of these ribbons ,which should be listed on your DD 214.

These are common awards to Vietnam veterans.....

I googled the other initials and came up with nothing..... please correct me someone if I am wrong on what I think the Sanctuary Counter Offensive designates.

I think all incountry Vietnam DD214s have a similar description regarding the counter offensive, etc.

The yellow, green and Red is standard issue for Viet Nam Service. The Offensive medal is a seperate line on my DD214.

I was thinking this would verify Combat Action that they want to see proof of?

[Berta]

This is why I stress that often Vietnam incountry vets should send in a DD 149:

In Part:

  “He received 
the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service 
Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.  He was 
not awarded any bronze service stars which indicate presence 
in a combat zone during a named campaign.”
and
“In attempting to verify the appellant's stressors, documents 
were obtained by the RO from the Environmental Support group 
(ESG) (now called the U.S. Armed Services Center for Research 
of Unit Records (USASCRUR)).  A May 1994 letter from ESG 
indicated that the appellant's unit included soldiers with 
the names given by the appellant, but that the Army casualty 
lists did not show that soldiers with these names in the 
147th were wounded or killed during the appellant's Vietnam 
tour of duty.  The operational reports for the first quarter 
of 1968 show that, on February 29, 1968, 13 soldiers departed 
from the 147th on temporary duty (TDY) to Chu Lai.  The 
morning reports show that the appellant reported to the 147th 
on March 3, 1968.  The operational reports for the first 
quarter of 1968 do not show any attacks on the battalion 
other than 12 rounds of rocket fire in the small arms storage 
area on January 31, 1968.  The ESG noted that they were 
unable to verify whether or not the appellant was on 
perimeter guard duty or patrols, or whether or not he 
participated in killing the enemy.”  
and
“VA's General Counsel has defined the phrase "engaged in 
combat with the enemy" to mean that the veteran must have 
personally participated in a fight or encounter with a 
military foe or hostile unit or instrumentality.  VAOPGCPREC 
12-99.  The fact that the veteran served in a "combat area" 
or "combat zone" does not mean that he himself engaged in 
combat with the enemy.  Id.  Moreover, a general statement in 
the veteran's service personnel records that he participated 
in a particular operation or campaign would not, in itself, 
establish that he engaged in combat with the enemy because 
the terms "operation" and "campaign" encompass both combat 
and non-combat activities.  Id.  Whether or not a veteran 
"engaged in combat with the enemy" must be determined through 
recognized military citations or other supportive evidence.  
No single item of evidence is determinative, and VA must 
assess the credibility, probative value, and relative weight 
of each relevant item of evidence.  Id.  The claimant's 
assertions that he engaged in combat with the enemy are not 
ignored, but are evaluated along with the other evidence of 
record.”  Id.  
And
  “A Republic of Vietnam 
Campaign Medal was awarded to all service personnel within 
the cited theater, and it does not rule in, or rule out, 
combat.  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MANUAL OF 
MILITARY DECORATIONS AND AWARDS, at 7-7, September 1996.

In this case, for the following reasons, the Board finds that 
the appellant did not engage in combat with the enemy.”
This PTSD claim was denied.
http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/view.jsp?FV=http://www.va.gov/vetapp00/files4/0030205.tx

However this vet finally succeeded:

“Report of Transfer or Discharge, shows that the veteran’s 
last duty assignment and major command was “C 1/8 ARTY 
USARPAC” and that his specialty number and title was “13A10 
FIELD ARTY.”  Someone handwrote in pencil “cannoneer” next 
to the specialty number and title.  The DD Form 214 also 
reveals that the veteran’s decorations included the National 
Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the 
Vietnam Campaign Medal.  A DA Form 215, Correction to DD Form 
214, Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, 
states that the Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Service 
Medal should be deleted and that the following should be 
added:  Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Unit Emblem, Vietnam 
Service Medal with Three Bronze Service Stars, Republic of 
Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device (1960), Sharpshooter 
Badge with Rifle Bar, Sharpshooter Badge with Automatic Rifle 
Bar, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit 
Citation Badge, and Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor 
Medal First Class Unit Citation Badge.”  

The CIB,PH,or CAR,on a DD 214 will allow the V to concede a stressor without verification by JSRRC.In this vet's case the RO did not properly handle any JSRRC inquiry.

The Three Bronze Satars on the Vietnam Campaign Medal in this case, denotes 3 campaigns,that dont raise to the level of a CAR, or CIB on a DD 214/215 but still denote combat zone participation along with the overall DD 215 narrative.

Although the RO buggered the ESG requests tro verifgy the veteran's stressors the BVA correctly made this statement:

“The RO has not forwarded the veteran’s DA Form 20 and 
attempted to obtain records regarding the veteran’s verified 
organizations and units from the United States Armed Services 
Center for Research of Unit Records (USASCRUR) (previously 
ESG).  Additionally, the RO has never sent a list of the 
veteran’s claimed stressors to ESG or USASCRUR.  However, the 
Board finds that the aforementioned evidence, to include his 
principal duty as a cannoneer with the artillery in Vietnam 
from June to October 1968 and his numerous awards and 
decorations, sufficiently establishes that the veteran was 
exposed to combat with the enemy.”
and 
“Thus, there is a clear diagnosis of PTSD, credible evidence 
of stressors, and medical evidence of diagnoses of PTSD based 
on the reported in-service combat-related stressors.  As 
such, the Board finds that service connection for PTSD is 
warranted.  38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f).”

http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/view.jsp?FV=http://www.va.gov/vetapp98/files4/9835446.txt

The Vietnam Campaign Medal, if there are no Bronze Stars on it, will not move the VA to concede a stressor.

I not only think most Vietnam incountry vets need to apply for a DD 215 but, when it comes to a stressor and the corrected DD 215 might not reveal the CAR or CIB ,they should write to JSRRC themselves .

There is always the chance that more vets like this one suffered without a proper SC award for PTSD sooner because some dimwit at the RO didn't follow up properly on the JSRRC request for stressor verification.

We had a vet here and the RO denied saying JSRRC could not verify their stressor.I didnt buy what the VA was selling to this vet.

I told the vet to write to JSRRC themselves. They did, JSRRC verified the stressor, and they finally succeeded in their PTSD claim.

I regret Honorable men and women have to go through all this BS to Prove things to the VA, but that is what it is. There might be a template here for JSRRC requests (formerly called ESG and CURR by the VA in many BV decisions.)