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[Guest rickb54]

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Edited February 19, 2007 by rickb54

[vaf]

Calnight, I might have missed something, but I'm not getting the same message from this thread as you are, no one is blaming younger vets or faulting them for anything regarding the demand for veterans disability benefits. I'm reading that it will be easier for the government to change the VA disability eligibility standards before current and future active duty personnel start applying for them, to make criteria stricter and thus try to reduce costs, instead of doing so now with current veterans receiving disability payments. No one said you're any less deserving.

My personal opinion is if any veteran, regardless of age, applies for TDIU, goes through the wringer trying to prove eligibility, and the VA finds he/she is eligible, then that's nobody's business but the veteran's. Every penny that goes to a person in this position is one less penny going into a congressman's pocket or to a foreign nation as welfare support.

[JR Reihs]

Vicki,

Well said........A Veteran is a Veteran regardless of where they served, regardless of what congresspuke Buyer says.

[john999]

All vets need to pull together to protect and support each other. Age has nothing to do with it. The young guys in Iraq are catching hell and I hope they get all the benefits they deserve. I just think the government is going to try and welsh on future benefits if certain groups remain in power.

[Guest jstacy]

John, I totally agree, We need to be proactive and ensure the buracracy does not ever succeed in the reduction or the severance of Veterans Benefits.

[Nathan104]

I totally agree that the system is sometimes abused, but I honestly think the younger vets are more to blame for abuse than the older ones. Many of the older ones could have been and should have been drawing IU for many years and have not. When you had guys coming home from Panama and getting IU we have abuse in my opinion. I think your comments maybe came across in a way you never intended. If so, I apologize if I offended you. I would still love to know your time in combat, decorations & MOS.

Cavman (old vet)

This statement is just sad. Im 28 years old. I served for 8 years. I was broken and put out on disability. Im 28 years old and have had major knee surgery and major back surgery within the last year and a half. Im 28 years old and have severe hypertension. Some days I can hardly walk and others the pain down my legs is so bad I want to die. The Oxycodone only helps for so long. You throw all younger vets in the "abuse the system" group. This is bull. You should be ashamed of yourself. So, because a soldier went to Panama, they didnt see enough or werent "really" soldiers or what? Well, I wasn't even in Panama. But, I am filing for IU. Do you want to know why? Because I am unemployable. I cant work. Some days I cant drive. Most days all I can do is lay around. And if you need to know my "credentials", I was in the regular Army for 8 years. I went in as a PVT and made my way up to CW2. I spent deployment time in Macedonia, Kosovo, Egypt, and Iraq. And I have 5 rows of ribbons to show for it. But, even if someone had been in for a year, had only an army service ribbon, and never left the states, accidents, injuries, and trauma happen. You cant group everyone into a pile. We are supposed to be here to support each other. Not to bring others down and talk bad about them. There are plenty of the younger crowd, includiing myself, that frequent this site. We come here for help, info, and support. Maybe you are surrounded by other vets and people who understand what its like. But we are all not as fortunate. To be disabled at 28 is horrible. Try having two small children who always want to play with you and you have to keep saying no. Sorry, I cant pick you up. Sorry, I cant play soccer with you. Think about what you say and how it may affect others who read it before you type. Age has nothing to do with it. I served and I have just as much right to IU as the older vets have. Thats all Im going to say in this topic. Thanks.

[vaf]

I absolutely agree with you Nathan, and my husband does too, a Vietnam-era veteran who did over 20 in the USAF and has been retired for 13 years... The only abuse that concerns me is that directed by the VA at disabled veterans and their families. Otherwise, I say good for the veteran, regardless of his or her age...

My opinion is that anyone who thinks a veteran who survives this grueling process gets something for nothing is sorely mistaken.