ptsd Home From Iraq, Cant Work.

[martin]

Hello everyone, my name is martin spears, a returning Iraqi war veteran. i have been in the military (active and reserve) for 22 years. i missed the 1st gulf war, i stayed at camp pemdleton on ACB. this deployment was my real first combat experience. i was an embedded advisor to the Iraqi 3rd Infantry Div. our living condition were deplorable compared to our active duty conterparts. we lived with,trained, and fed the Iraqi's and took them out on combat missions.(i have 65 that i took my guts out on) we were known as 'dances with wolves' as we went native with these people. when i came home for the last time, i was on the Syrian border, firing my weapon on july 23rd, i was home drinking a beer at home on july 28th. i was discharged the following week. i8 returned back to my civilian job. (i am a police officer) i wasnt permitted to take any vacation time i had on the books to decompress.i was told that someone had been baby sitting my slot, and i could take off later. so,i came back 6 weeks after firing my last shot. i was O.K. until Nov 20th. i was having such weird physical symptoms, i thought i was going to drop dead at any moment, not to mention sleeping all the time. well, things got worse. my wife forced me to go to the local V.A. here in Houston. i was going over the deep end fast, and had thoughts of something I HAD NEVER thought of..suicide. i was diagnosed with PTSD, and given medication. its been an up hill battle. august 17th i was called in to the captains office who said i didnt write any tickets last month. my reply to that was, i had a large amount of call, and reports, and i didnt feel motivated to go sek extra activity, i am tired physically, and feel like i have the flu half of the time. i then said i was diagnosed with PTSD and am on medication. they freaked out, sent me home from work,and said dont come back until you get a release from your doctor. well, my doctor isnt releasing me. he feels i cant handle the stress of being a policeman anymore. i think my job set me up for failure. now i was 2 years short of a full county pension, now i have to settle for a medical which isnt anything to brag about. whenever i go and check in at the office periodically, the big wigs come out of their offices and start giving me the old grip and grin, really sucking up. i think their afraid i'm going to sue the dept. i filed a claim through the V.A. last i was told my GAF was 45 last month. i have a wife a 4 kids that depend on me.i am down to 2 weeks of sick time on the books, and i dont know if my retirement will even be approved.i have proof of stressors, i was awarded the usual awards like a CIB,purple heart,bronze star, and the usual campaign stuff. everywhere i turn i run into a brick wall, all because i told my job i was being treated for PTSD. well, thats it. i joined this forum, because we all have something in common, were vets, and were getting screwed one way or the other. what ya think, any input would be appreciated. i dont know what i'm asking for actually...just feedback.

[Guest jstacy]

Martin, check into the family and medical leave act. Also check into wether or not the County has a Long term disability policy. Get the paperwork and have your doctor fill it out. File a claim with the VA. The VA is going to take some time to kick around the claim so you need to be prepared. ALso file for SSD benefits. That may take another extended time period. I am going to advise you to go ahead and get a disability attorney. This attorney can cut through the red tape with the county and the SSA.

Good luck. I hope it all works out quickly for you.

Another thing to consider is to go to the VA personnel department and check into the VA police officer positions. The Work is not as stressful as a Road Policemen. Just walking and checking the parking garages. Besides, The pay aint too bad either. You can look them up at www.usajobs.com type in Houston for the search area.

[carlie]

Martin,

Please file a claim (form 21-526) for VA disability compensation ASAP, for your self and your family.

It seems like (from your post) you have never filed a claim with VA so this would be your first. It will be very important (down the road) that you list every possible disability you may have from your active duty on this first - and original claim.

Also, it is important that you file the claim within one year of discharge.

These are areas you might want to study quite a bit.

Good luck,

carlie

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-.../38cfrv1_02.tpl

http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/M21_1MR.html

Edited October 10, 2006 by carlie

[timetowinarace]

Welcome to Hadit. Hope we can help in some way through some of the tough times.

Hang in there

Time

[BoonDoc]

Welcome Martin,

Do you have a copy of your SMR's (service medical records) yet? You can get any of your buddy to write statements for you to help with your claim. After you file the claim, since your stressor is combat related, the VA will send you the stressor letter be specific and tell it all...I've heard that they want the very gory details that may be very difficult for you...I use a micro cassett recorder and just turn it on, and start remembering and talk until I want to stop, then you can have it transcribed onto paper on the VA form to submitt. Make a few copies of course before sneding it all to the VA. If your just starting out a accordian style folder to put all of your copies sent to the VA, or hand deliver them and get the date time stamp on the copy for your file, then you will have a neat VA folder where you can easyly find all of your VA papers, etc.

Just a suggestion to make it easier dealing with the VA.

I'm sure that the "top dogs" at the police dept where you work. are being real nice to you now!!! They don't want a law suit for the dept., county, and each individual involved in not letting you have the needed down time for debriefing/counseling prior to returning to work like you requested.

What do you think about counseling for you and your wife/kids to help to get through this? It will help you all understand better what is happening. I just mention this because I have been married three times, and didn't have anyone suggest it to me back when I first had symptoms.

Hang in there with the VA and SSD claims they take time, and I used a lawer on the third time I was turned down for SSD and he got it for me...well worth the money!!!

Use the CFR and M2-1 and any other rules and regs that the VA has in your favor while writing up your initial claim.

Several people suggest using a VSO when filing the initial claim, and then making sure that you are pro-active in the claim..who else has as much to loose or gain than you!?

Your going to get through this brother,

hang in there and remember that your not alone in having PTSD.

Semper FI!

BoonDoc

[john999]

Martin

It sounds like a playback of what many Vietnam vets went through except there was not concept of PTSD. I would file the claim right away for PTSD and you can flesh it out later with the stressor letter and the reat. You want to do as Carlie said and file for every single disability or medical condition you have during the first year after discharge. The feeling tired could be some disease or something we don't even know about yet, but may discover in the future like Agent Orange illnesses.

[Pete53]

Martin:

Welcome home Brother. Hadit can help.