Claimed Denied

[Last of a dying breed]

I have been denied several of my claims sleep apnea,severeanxiety,depression,kerotoncontis.These diagnosises were given by the V.A.,I served as a combat Infantry air assault soldier for six years 1998 - 2005,I have never been deployed.Unfortunately, When my unit came down on orders to deploy to Afghanistan is recieved orders to go Korea.Which made feel like a coward.I'm dealing with this issue with my MH team which I don't trust due to them working for the VA .I have serious trust issues and very hypervengalent.So I'm reaching out for guidance to group of my peers who I feel that I can trust and can relate.

[broncovet]

Welcome to the "group" of about 85 percent of Veterans who are denied on their first time claim!  (Only about 15 percent of first time claimants are awarded benefits).  

Is it fair?  No.  What to do about it?  

TWO words:

Appeal and persistence.  Those work when other stuff, like quitting, fails.  

Most of us who have been awarded benefits have been denied multiple times.  I think I counted 12 denials in the since 2002, when I first applied.  However, I have been awarded 100 percent and am now appealing the effective date, and Im close to done.  

What should you do?  File a NOD disputing these denials.  Order your cfile, and make sure you have all 3 Caluza elements.  Get those, if you dont have them documented.  

[Last of a dying breed]

I have requested my military records and they sent a letter stating that they have exhausted all their resources in finding my MSR. So I don't know where to start.Fortunately I'm service connected at 70% and I'm greatful but I feel that the things that are  really hindering my ability to adapt to the civilian world is not reconnized by the military even they diagnosed me.

[FormerMember]

<<<<severeanxiety,depression>>>>>>>      <<<<<<<When my unit came down on orders to deploy to Afghanistan is recieved orders to go Korea.Which made feel like a coward.>>>>>>>

I do not mean to be rude or argumentative but how does a change of orders cause a major depressive disorder? I was bummed out when I got assigned to Thailand instead of Vietnam in 1970. Two months later I got my wish but I didn't get bent brain syndrome until I got into combat. Can anyone enlighten me as to how or why you would get MDD over a non-combat assignment to Korea? What am I missing? Surely, if this reaction is prevalent, there must be some of you here on this board who can explain it to us. VA is going to be asking some rather pointed questions as well. 

Vets serve their country. Some sign up in peacetime and some in war. If you signed up in a time of peace, it was understood all that could change in a heartbeat. Think Grenada or the Middle East. However, it sure doesn't demean your service if you didn't serve in combat. Trust me. You didn't miss anything except warm beer, no ice or soda water for the Scotch, really skanky food and the stink of dead bodies.   As for depression, I can understand if you went on R&R and didn't get a CIB or a PH but all your buddies got nuked by friendly fire and were killed. But seriously? Depression over deploying to Korea versus Afstan and missing out on combat?  

I don't mean to disparrage your feelings of  depression and anxiety. They are debilitating illnesses and can cause other secondaries. Generally speaking, VA is going to ask you some really hard questions- far harder than what I'm asking here. You will need a stressor that you feel precipitated the MDD in order to get SC for your condition. That would generally be, at a bare minimum,  fear of the enemy overrunning your position or some like stressor. If you do not have that, VA is going to be a bit dismissive of your contentions. VA doctors often spot other ailments and diagnose you with them. Unfortunately, that doesn't make them service connected. Not everything that happens to us is SC in spite of what we'd like to believe. Best of luck on your quest for more/higher ratings, sir.   

[Last of a dying breed]

To answer your question Asknod,I have trained with my soldiers for years and we hurt, bleed and cried together.When I came to from Korea, I was attached to the rear d.there I was in charge of those soldiers coming back from the combat zone so which I trained before deploying.Seeing my peers and fellow soldiers come back traumatized to pointbof not knowing their names,injured and some died made me feel some kinda of way.I even attended to of my best friends funeral who was killed in combat.This is when I felt like a coward and started to drink in order suppress my anger and second guessing my loyality to my brothers I arms.I felt guilty,suicidal  every day thinking about my soldiers and friends who lost thier lives and their ability to function like they use to.

[Buck52]

last of a dying breed

I believe if you were never deployed to a combat zone but was in  fear for your life ''waiting to be deployed'' and you have been diagnose for PTSD by the VA Them self..you have a legit right to file a PTSD Claim.

You don't necessarily  need to be in a combat zone to qualify for compensation.

Any type stressor can be applied  like in fear for your life waiting to be deployed.

I'll put up a link you can read.

Note: this is a long read and mentions more on the deployed side if things rather not being deployed also the prevalence is mention

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4168809/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5047000/

 

They  (VA) makes it easier for combat veterans since 2010 that they don't need to prove a stressor  but for the veteran that never was in combat but in fear for their life  ''waiting to be deployed'' to a combat zone can qualify as a stressor ,  and never was deployed .

you need a VA PTSD DIAGNOSES and a letter from a Qualified Dr stating that your symptom's were in fear for your life waiting to be deployed is the reason you have PTSD  or something close to this.

Now for some of us old Vietnam combat Dogs like Asknod and Gastone broncovet and my self included  we have the stressors from Vietnam and unfortunately we have the PTSD...I wish I didn't have it , but I still have that old fear for my life and other reasons I wish not to disclose  and currently still working on it in VA Treatment sessions to learn to cope with it using the tools they learn us in therapy,  but it still sucks big time.

If you have been in fear for your life  and waiting to be deployed to combat zone but never was,  you still should meet the criteria as if you were in a combat zone diagnose for PTSD by the VA using the DSM 5 Criteria then in my opinion you do have a legitimate argument to file a Claim. 

JMO

Edited August 13, 2018 by Buck52

[Berta]

It is possible you are reluctant to reveal a valid stressor.

I worked at a vet center in the 1980s and found this was prevalent in some of the combat veterans.

But non combatants certainly can experience stressors-

Can you scan and attach here the C & P exam for the MH issue? Cover C file # , name prior to scanning it.

I do not consider fear of deployment as a stressor. I bet many, if not most men and women who served or are serving now-would have that same concern.

However this veteran succeed at the BVA, due in part to fear of deployment:

https://www.va.gov/vetapp17/files2/1710389.txt

"ORDER:

Service connection for PTSD is denied.  

Service connection for chronic adjustment disorder with depressed and anxious features is granted.  
tment disorder with depressed and anxious features is granted.