what to tell a child about parent?

[paulcolrain]

if in world war 2 a civilian woman lost her life trying to help a soldier by working in an armament factory.?

if in Vietnam a man gets off the plane and shot?

if in iraq war never seen combat but died exploding ordinance?

if an 17 year old goes to meps and signs up takes oath dies with recruiter in car wreck home?

if an 19 year old joins during war time but breaks his spine in boot camp ?

who is and who isnt a vet folks? not the definition cus the definition is they all are im looking for your true feelings.... i still feel completely they all are!

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by paulcolrain

[brokensoldier244th]

You are pondering the legal vs philosophical definition.  I was injured in ait,  and eventually discharged,  but the process from basic to discharge took over a year,  and I was 2 weeks from graduating from ait  with my mos when I was hurt.   Legally im a veteran,  though sometimes I don't feel as such.  What others think,  I don't worry about... most don't know enough to question,  and it was 15+years ago at this point.  Those that know what happened know and feel a little sorry for me,  mostly because of lost opportunity.  It never really hit me until i had a 100% vet military id card in my hand again. 

Edited July 10, 2018 by brokensoldier244th

[Berta]

What to tell a child ? That could also be what to tell a spouse.

There is only one answer-the TRUTH.

This is a little off the mark on yuour posts but-

I had the unfortuate experience of being contacted by local family  members of a few veterans-( there is a VAMC 20 miles away from this farm community- many vets live in this area) who were told a 'story' that fell far short of the truth.

I went with a vet and his wife and sister once to see a Vet Rep and when I got there, his story completely changed-

it had taken me hours to even hear the story from him-and his wife and sister in law kept calling me with more details...it sounded like he had a a good claim  but the vet rep called VA and then told the veteran he was not eligible at all for any VA benefits.The vet did not seem surprised- at all. His wife was stunned.

I guess he had gotten a Dishonorable Discharge ( he said his paperwork was still in another state so he could't show me his DD214 ) and he never told his wife .

Also a local widow who asked for my help told me a far different situation that her husband had about his VA disabilities and his Vietnam experience.....after trying to help her understand what she needed for a DIC claim, I found out she was not even his wife and we are not a Common Law state.

And there was no basis for a DIC claim anyhow-

 

 

 

[broncovet]

Berta,  Great minds think alike.  I was suggesting the same thing.  Tell them the truth!!

Telling the truth works for other stuff, too.  When you are used to telling the truth, a lie feels very, very, very awkward.  

I dont like it when people ask me to lie.  

I dont lie to VA, either, even tho they are not always honest with me. 

This means I sleep well about my benefits.  I dont have to worry about a lie being discovered.  

Im actually very pleased that my first BVA decision stated, pretty much, that, since my testimony was consistent with the known facts, I deserved the benefit of the doubt and was awarded benefits.  

[Berta]

Broncovet - I knew you would support what I said-

what gets me is that the "widow" I mentioned cried the blues to everyone that she had no money and that the VA had denied her DIC claim.( 3 months after he died)

A year later she called me up and told me she wanted to apply for 'what you get' meaning DIC- and told me she had never opened the packet I sent her with the 21-534 in it.

I  asked her if any local vet rep had helped her apply for DIC yet and she said no.

The VA had not denied her claim-but maybe she realised they would because they would  need a copy of the marriage license- and there is none.

What did she tell the veteran's adult children?   One lie can lead to another.

 

 

[paulcolrain]

SO MUCH HERE TO THINK ABOUT... THESE ANSWERS HERE ALL DO POINT TO TELL THE TRUTH BUT ALSO BEWARE BECAUSE WE ALL DONT UNDERSTAND... MY STORY IS SIMILAR TO brokensoldier244th AND AS OF NOW I HAVE A HARD TIME ACCEPTING THOUGH I KNOW BY LAW IM A VET. SO AS OF THIS WRITING I TELL MY KIDS THAT GET EXCITED FOR FREE EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THEY ARE DEPENDANTS THAT, YOU WILL BE DENIED BUT YOU WILL THEN NEED TO SUBMIT MORE INFO AND YOU WILL BE GRANTED.... MY POINT IS IT SUCKS ON DEPENDENTS THAT A VET IS A VET BUT FOR GETTING SERVICES WE NEED ALL FORMS OF ID.

[brokensoldier244th]

My son had no problem in nebraska.  I showed unl my dd214 and benefit letter and they took it from there.  He starts next week.  First one lt of the house,  three more to go....