Veterans "gaming" the system for PTSD claims?

[Jimmer]

Hi Everyone, I wanted to share with you a article that I read on military.com in which a Bruce (whatever his last name is) testified to a group on how the veterans are "gaming" the system, and getting PTSD claims approved.  First of all, I would like to meet this guy face-to-face and tell him what an idiot he is. (I would like to do more, but restraint  would be necessary).  First of all a V.A. doctor has to determine that you have PTSD, not someone from the outside.  Does this clown think the V.A. doctors are willing to "look the other way" on claims?  Quite the opposite.  Then you have to have a "stressor", that ties the PTSD with an military event related to the PTSD.  It took me four years to get PTSD disability, and the V.A. went thru everything with a fine tooth comb.  Lucky, I c-file confirmed my "stressor", and I had been going to the V.A. mental health facilities, meeting with various doctors, sessions, etc.  I still see them three times a month, and take five different  medications.  This guy, Bruce, based his information on veterans talking to one other about applying, saying it was easy, blah, blah, blah.  I don't know of any vet that has received disability compensation for PTSD, that had an easy road, and I have talked to a lot of them.   It is comments like this, that really anger, me, and gives the false impression, that vets are just "scamming" the system, and a way to give fuel to cut disability benefits.   I would love to here you comments, especially those of you getting PTSD disability benefits.  I am sure you did not have any easy road, the V.A. makes sure of that!

[Victor Ray]

Buck.

The records are locked away. They have not been shredded, they are just being withheld as they stated in two different letters in 2015 and 2017. I can not accept that the only lab work available is from my hospitalization in Vietnam, GAS, Group A Strep. 

After my return from Vietnam there is No mention of kidney pain, pruritus/extreme itching, extremely low blood pressure, eye pain, migraine headaches, the acne/chloracne, back and bone pain, broken tailbone, and hardly any mention of the disabling abdominal pain, gastrointestinal problems, prostate pain, the peripheral neuropathy, insomnia. 

From what I read, and if the White House can’t do anything, then perhaps I can get the malpractice suit going. They denied the records that were created on the base where I was standing, while I was there. Those are the ones I need, and hold the X-rays, blood smears showing High Dioxin Levels and what ever else, and the P-3 should have been a P-4, and they knew it. I will answer again.

victor ray

[Buck52]

Victor

I don't see anything that would help  with these type records.

Have you requested your  up-dated C-File lately?

if not do that  request  your C-File from NRPC  RMC For all medical records from the dates you enter the military (name the date  to the present date

request all pages of the medical records to be on front page and back page for any and all medical notes type or hand written to include the front flap as well as the back flap and middle flap

The should send you a re copy in electronic format copied to a C.D.

Most medical records are place in electronic format now days.

 Also email this lady & request your up-dated C-File or and any Records she can find on you.

send in a signed FOIA  Records of Release form

MaryAnn.Wentzel1@va.gov

She is or use to be one of the Records Managers At  RMC in St Louis.  RMC ( Records Management Center)

[Victor Ray]

Buck.

MaryAnn’n name is familiar, but I don’t think any amount of evidence at this point would make a difference much. I need someone to step in that has some authority, and ask these raters if any other veterans were awarded claims similar to mine, and if so, why wasn’t I. 

It seems their approach rings true for my case, “It’s hard to pick and choose which Vietnam Veteran’s that were boots on ground, and hospitalized for disabling conditions from unknown sources, had permanent multiple defects from these sources of undetermined and unspecified origin, so we will concede your exposure to Agent Orange considering it was sprayed at every location I sat foot, however we are going to withhold the benefits awarded to others with these conditions. 

That’s kind of the way I feel and the way this has gone all my life. This has been a malicious CUE. The Army knew what they were doing and the records were purposely withheld to suppress evidence of Agent Orange causing any conditions at all, and the VA is defending that bad decision they chose in 1971. If they had their way completely, we would still not know what AO is, or what it did and continues to do. 

Their biggest friend is Father Time and even though we die the VA lives on, withholding benefit after benefit of veterans survivors. They are withholding evidence and make up laws as they go along to protect their secrets. Just look at the FBI and DOJ, and you can see the corrupt forces at work, but who will call the VA out on this? 

The VA is the reason for veterans suicides, because they see the fight is rigged, and they have no chance when the VA owns the fight and has predetermined the winner. James and Berta nailed it. The money is a score keeper and the VA does not learn. 

I’d like to skip the board because it is there to wait for veterans to die, and changes one life at a time. I would like to change a hundred thousand at a time, and get the proof out about brain damage and deformities from damaged DNA of all Vietnam Vets, not just female and their offspring. I was done dirty like so many others, but I have the evidence to push it through if we can get an attorney on our side. Many of these PTSD VICTIMS have actual brain damage and the VA has the proof hidden. 

I will write MaryAnn, but they have told me they have sent me all they have, on the CD. That is completely false. They have no pay records, no morning reports, no record of my exact location, but I do have a few conflicting travel records, being assigned on verbal authority. They just don’t want me to know any facts. 

Do any readers know what AR 635-40 is for? Who gets a PEBLO? I did not return to my unit, but was medivac’d to Japan for more testing. Those results have also always been withheld.Thanks Buck

[Berta]

Victor-this is my search link because much popped up for AR 635-40 and one link is supereded by the other- so it has changed-dont know what regulation your discharge would fall under.

https://www.google.com/search?q=AR+635-40&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS695US695&oq=AR+635-40&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4023j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

PEBLO Physical Evaluation Board Liason Officer-

I noticed here years ago OEF vets needed a PEBLO but the Mil had not hire enough of them...

" If they had their way completely, we would still not know what AO is, or what it did and continues to do."

Yeah , and the movie "Unnatural Causes" is a true story:

https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/10/arts/nbc-film-on-agent-orange-dispute.htm

When Maude Devictor, as a VA employee, started to see unusual disabilities in Vietnam vets ( attributed now to AO) she was reduced too having her office at VA ,put into a broom closet.

They did this not long ago to aother VA employee, a doctor, because he spoke out about too much the VA wants to hide.

Agent Orange is still killing Vietnam vets- and the Shulkin fiasco again put the potential new AO presumptives on the backburner----but maybe Blue Waters will finally have a chance wityh HR 299.

 

[Buck52]

I think its for evaluations.

Disability Evaluation for Retention, Retirement, or Separation

 

[Victor Ray]

Berta.

thank you for the links and information and I will check each one out, and look for the movie, UNNATURAL CAUSES. I thought I knew what AR 635-40 was for, but I never saw a PEBLO when I was in the hospital or afterwards. I was sent “Home Awaiting Orders” and went before a board, not even knowing what their intentions were. Nobody said anything to me about going before this board, and I never got a diagnosis for the cause of my permanent defects, why I swelled so bad, had this rash (papular rash) around my eyes, ears, neck, abdominal pain, bone pain. The OIC in Vietnam said the Chloroquine challenges had no particular effect on me, (in the records)not one of the three or four 300mg  treatments, and I was sent to Japan for further testing. There they still could not resolve the cause, and could not treat me, so on the CONUS.

However, the report I finally got from the Chicago inpatient stay after 45 years of requestings, says that “I said, I broke out every time I took malaria pills.” I never said that. I said I thought I had Malaria. Something gave me a stroke, migraine headaches, symptoms of cerebral malaria, brain damage, and acoma just months after discharge. Chicago also said I had a skin disease, and Urticaria 708.9 (unspecified). Basically hives. Now, I know hives is a symptom and not a cause, but they figure we are all ignorant. The immune system was going crazy, blood cells bursting, plugging up capillaries causing the wheals, and maybe the swelling, but it was bad. 

The Army never named any cause, just the result or symptoms. Upper Respiratory Infection, Undetermined Organism, Urticaria unspecified, possible this and that. 

Paula Padene got stuck in a basement as punishment also for whistle blowing, but she may have saved a life too. They settled with her too.

i had written Shulkin too, then he made the news. Can we not get any honest person in government? Dang! 

Oh, I listened to you on the podcast the last show. It was great to hear you too, and educate us. Thank you, Thank you!

victor ray