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Lottery

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Moe

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I will be stoned for what I am about to say but I have never won a popularity contest.

It leaves a bad taste in my mouth when people act like they have won the lottery when granted a disability award. This is evident at all vet forums not just here. I know it is a long and torturous process from personal experience and everyone should feel relief and joy at finally getting the "Envelope." But when folks say "now I can go buy this and that toy" it doesn't sound right. Almost like they beat the system out of something...

I am rated 70% and feel like it is simply compensation for the loss of physical ability to perform meaningful employment. It defrays the cost of having things done that I can no longer do myself. I will not seek IU because in my case 70% is adequate compensation. This not meant to suggest that others do or feel the same, I encourage everyone that feels he/she deserves IU to pursue it. I will even assist if I can.

Guess being retired military gives me a different slant.

Also, I am not painting with a broad brush. Not all, not even most fit the description I have drawn. But when I see it I get a bad feeling..

This is just MHO and I probably will regret saying it, but had to get it off my chest..

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Moe- I respect what you said but a VA award for many many vets means they can pay up their property taxes, stave off a mortgage foreclosure, and have a nice Christmas for their kids.

I dont think it matters what a vet does with their retro.

At least they are still alive to enjoy it. My husband never saw a penny of his retro and the other day when I typed in Buffalo -2006 at the BVA ,within minutes a few claims popped up where the veteran had already died during the appeal process.

One of my vet friends was kicked out of the VAMC DOM years ago- because he was NSC. Then he became homeless. Then he won his SC award after a decade and took a trip to Europe.

It still bothers him that when the DOM kicked him out he was actually a 100% SC vet,per the award letter, and should not have been homeless at all.

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Well, first I don't have a problem with your conclusion. But maybe looking at it a different way will help.

Quality of life is one of the considerations in VA compensation. Being disabled with a roof over your head and food in your belly and the care to keep you alive is one thing. It's a good thing. However, if I cannot enjoy life because I can't afford to do anything but eat and sleep with the roof over my head, it would be a miserable life indeed.

Yes, when I got my envelope it was simular to the lottery. I could get back some of the stuff I had lost while waiting. I could keep my house that was in forcloser. I bought a new truck and horse trailor. Keep in mind that over the years that I had gone with no income, my credit is shot. Cash from retro pay is the only way I could buy anything. The retro is money that, had I been recieving it at my first denial I would have these things allready. I would not have lost so much. I would have the credit and ability to get these things. I had a truck that I couldn't repair so it was useless.

No, a person should be able to enjoy themselve's whether disabled or not. If that means buying a boat and heading out to go fishing I'm all for it. Let's face it. Some of us can afford a toy or maybe two. But we're not talking about a vintage car collection, a mansion in malibu, or a personal Lear jet to travel on. We're talking about rebuilding a vintage car as the finances become available, or a timeshare summer cabin, or airline ticket's to where ever for vacation. A big difference. These are things we would do if able to work for it. Living as the working class live. To me, it seems something is wrong when a veteran can be as happy to get VA beniffit's and live as a middle class person, as is the person that has joined the upper class by winning the lottery. Hmmm, how did the veteran feel before the award to make this such a big deal?

So, not to be arguementative, but I disagree. I have a hard time being stuck in this house because I don't feel well. If I had to stay because I had no 'toys' to play with when I do feel well enough, I would certainly add my name to the suicide list.

Quality of life is a huge factor in a disabled persons health. So yeah, most of us are quite happy to have it. Maybe we shouldn't say so. Certainly we don't live the life of Paris Hilton.

Time

Edited by timetowinarace
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When you are sick, disabled & suffering from unbearable pain, then add the guilt you feel that you can no longer provide for your family (financially, emotionally & physically), because you gave all you had to your country - who no longer needs you.

You began to feel like a burden & worthless.

Yes - when the award finally comes thru - it does feel like the lottery - You are in some way able to contribute to your family again & that feeling is the "lottery".

Edited by gwvet90
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  • HadIt.com Elder

Yes, I am PROUD to admit I am one of them that felt like they had won the lottery, because if you put it in perspective I had, all the SO's had told me that I would never get the VA to even address the Edgewood Arsenal test issue let alone get SC for the medical problems caused by the exposures three decades ago, then I had an SO refuse to file my claim for PTSD for in his words "I will not file a PTSD claim for a non-comabt incident" "you just need to get over being in a bar fight" I was not in a bar fight, I was mugged by 7 fellow soldiers and left for dead in a snowbank at Fort Wainwright Alaska in 20 below weather.

I had lost my home, my credit, my ability to work, the VA had put me in a power chair at least, they did provide excellent health care at the hospital I went to, it may just be the fact I got lucky and was assigned to an excellent cardiologist, primary care doctors and pyschiatrist that cared about the veterans they treated, which has not always been my experience.

So yes to get that envelope was a lottery win, I am sorry 2000 a month for life is a lottery win in many states, Georgia has a game that pays that amount, the difference is I had to give up my health, my "life" as I knew it and fight with the VARO for 4 years to get it, so was it a win, Hell yes, and I and my wife and the fine folks here at Hadit did it, not any SO's because as far as I am concerned they are all useless, AL, DAV and the VFW the only one I have any respect for is the PVA because they gave me respect something the other SO's didn't

I spent 14 years in the Army and the National Guard and 17 years at the Post Office and the PTSD led me to walk away from everything in 2000, my retirement for medical reasons, work, my kids, etc, I am glad some feel they get enough from their military retirement and are happy getting 70%, like others are happy with their 10% or 30%, I am 100% P&T not IU and I still have COPD, and heart damage both which are 100% by the examining tables, yet the VA still will not discuss MKULTRA, yet I still have the issue's on appeal I just had an exam on Oct 30th I file for the reconsideration in a few weeks now that I have the letter from DOD/VA informing me that I am one of the 7120 men used at Edgewood Arsenal from 1955 thru 1975 in some experiments, maybe they didn't go that far, they just state I am one of the men that was assigned there , but it only took them three decades to issue that letter, I owe no one for CELEBRATING my families good fortune after years of neglect by the VA and DOD.

My "toy" was a hot tub for the herniated disks in my back they refuse to operate on due to my heart problems, I am on a medicate until I die, no surgery plan, frankly I wish I was healthy enough to waste their money (my money) on a deep sea fishing boat, that was my dream retirement until Edgewood Arsenal and PTSD exacted their toll everyone is entitled to their opinions but their were costs to these lottery wins as you call them ask my families 4 ex's and the current they paid the highest price, they had to deal with me

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If John gets anything from VA I to will feel like its a lottery, But I need to add my 2 cents in, not that I want to cut anyone down.

I had mentioned to my brother who had just got 50% this year, how some of you had gotten some big rewards and how it took you so long to get it. Then I mentioned on how some said they where going to spend it, buying a Harley, New Caddy, Well his responds was and I kind of agree is if you are PT how can you ride a motocycle or why would you want to spend that kind of money on something like that or a New Caddy. When you are medically retired or can no longer work, you should be thinking of years a head of you, fixing your house or finances, credit, health insurance, and so one and being more realalistic, I agree with most of you, Its a long time coming but the way this life of ours is going you need food on the table and a roof over your heads, I know I would like to take a nice vacation, and I would like to do this before John loses is balance and can not walk or losses his eye sight, but I need to be realistic, we need the roof on our house fixed before in collapses, new garage doors put on and so fourth.

When John filed for SSD, we didn't know if we where going to have to fight for it or not, so we put our house up for sale and was going to buy a mobil home, we didn't know if we where going to have health insurance or not, I am also on SSD and have been for the last 3 years, So when John recieved his notice of acceptance he was able to get his health insurance through work because they then turned around and retired him, other wise we would of lost that. It cost us &7000.00 a year to keep it up, but we need it for our prescribtion drugs. So when Moe talks about the lottery I feel he is think on the lines of my Brother and of John, spend it wisely and think of the future it may not always be there. Believe me I have lots of dreams but I have to be realistic also,

Just thought I would add my two cents in hope no one gets upset with us

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Mrs John M, I truly agree with you. It seems prople feel guilty for some reasons and post whatever is in their heads. I also believe the post was out of line.

Vets dont win the lottery, They often get back pay for that they deserved and the money should have been theirs years ago. That is not a lottery, That is justice.

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