Officers Are Veterans Too!

[Buck52]

Officers are veterans too.

My question is, Do they have a priority at the VAMC over Enlisted Men & Women?

or is everyone equal and rank does not matter?

I 've often wonder about that...anybody know?

Thanks in Advance!

[Notorious Kelly]

When Kalispell CBOC had 90-day waits for appointments they stated it doesn't matter if you're 100%, so I doubt rank comes into play either.

And they are just a CBOC- so it was 90-day wait to get referral to Helena (an overnight trip) to wait more months for care.

And there is a civilian hospital and tons of medical facilities across the street from kalispell CBOC.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Notorious Kelly

[Philip Rogers]

Maybe if they were a general but then what general would need to be seen at a VAMC? jmo

pr

[GuaymasJim]

I was both an enlisted Marine and a commissioned Marine officer. (For those that are unfamiliar with the process, they sneak up behind you, turn you upside down, shake all your brains out, then slap a little gold bar on your collar. At that point you are, by statute, senior to 90% of your fellow Marines; and nobody trusts you.) I am in Priority group I. At no time during the 42 years I have been dealing with the VA has either status given me any benefit. I wait forever for my appointments, my meds get screwed up, I have to go to the BVA to get correct ratings, and on an on. The fact that I had been a commissioned officer is mentioned in my medical records just once and it was just background info during a C&P exam.

I have never been treated as a veteran at a military hospital post discharge, so I don't know if it makes a difference there, but I doubt that it does. Active duty commissioned officers will certainly get priority.

FYI, I happen to agree that veterans that had been commissioned officers SHOULD NOT GET PRIORITY VA medical treatment based solely on their former rank.

A vet is a vet is a vet!

Semper Fi!

[Buck52]

OIC,Ok

I Think everyone should be treated the same veteran is a veteran no matter what rank...my reason I ask, officers had a priority active service and WHEN they get out of the service they BECOME veterans and ..well I was thinking maybe they had some clout to help as for as making a change in the VA SYSTEM being an officer?

.....Because it don't seem to do any good when we enlisted men complain.

[Navy04]

I am under the Wounded Warrior program and I don't even get any preference, Lol!!!

[Slick]

I was on both sides of the street (enlisted & officer) and don't see a difference. When I had a Doc in Richmond was tough to get an appt.

Now in Wilmington NC took some time to get initial appt. and at that time scheduled follow on for three months down the road