I know someone with disabilities, PTSD, back who was on the Korean DMZ

[kanewnut]

This individual served in the early to mid 1980's. I have heard him and his deceased wife talk about waking him and he has her by the throat before he is completely awake. They talked about how you had to wake him with a stick or something so you didn't have to get too close to him. He had told me about being unable to wear his c-pap because of feeling like he is being strangled/chocked. He was a 19D, a calvary scout. The only place he could serve was the Korean DMZ and the border between east and west Germany. He has talked about "destroying equipment" when they fired on stuff in the DMZ. His sergeant told him to look at it that way. He has said his VA doctors have told him he has PTSD. What do you think? 

He has done handy man work for years. Right now he has been down with his back for several weeks. I think that issue may have come from service. I am having trouble getting him to fill out the form and apply. He talks about no records and stuff being classified. He has documentation of being at the Korean DMZ. He was paid hazard/combat pay. I think he still has pay stubs. Anybody have any idea how I might help convince him to apply for the benefits he earned? 

[Berta]

He is out of tthe Agent Orange DMZ criteria:

 

https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/locations/korea.asp

"He talks about no records and stuff being classified."

My daughter was told her Top Secret Classified MOS would be declassified if needed for VA purposes.

VA did declassify all military records for a friend of mine (now deceased)who had succeeded in an AO claim.

Since he is out of the AO DMZ timel you got good advice here-look into the Special Ops download, above, and make sure he gets his inservice SMRs as well as his inservice 201 ( Personnel File).

If the VA doctors diagnosed him with PTSD,there might well be something in his VA medical records ,which he needs to get as well, regarding a stressor, that he would have to prove.

. "Anybody have any idea how I might help convince him to apply for the benefits he earned?"

That is a good question. I tried to help a local vet  many years ago, who kept forgetting to show me his DD214, and said many other vets had told him to apply for VA benefits.

Finally he showed me his DD 214 and I had to advise him to take the steps to try to get a better discharge. He said his PTSD was why he got bad paper. Possible -but there was not anything else I could do for him, accept give him advice as to how to get the discharge changed... a long process and I dont think he ever pusued that. 

But another local vet denied having PTSD ( he had 2 Purple Hearts) After many years of me asking him to apply for PTSD, he finally did and got awarded.

Not saying this veteran is not sincere on his military experience,

but on his DD 214 you will find his unit degination and the unit surely has a web site and/or history of the unit's involvement in Korea 1980.

Nothing is impossible.

I searched for US Army Korea 1980s and this popped up- there might be some info or op there that he could recognize.

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+army+korea+1980s&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS695US695&biw=1280&bih=577&ei=ZEZoYavvB_S2qtsPsaeG2AE&oq=us+army+korea+1980s&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjoHCAAQRxCwAzoOCC4QxwEQ0QMQkQIQkwI6BQgAEJECOggIABCABBCxAzoOCC4QgAQQsQMQxwEQowI6BQgAEIAEOggILhCxAxCDAToECAAQQzoKCC4QxwEQ0QMQQzoLCC4QxwEQ0QMQkQI6DgguEIAEELEDEMcBENEDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToFCAAQhgM6BggAEBYQHkoECEEYAFDdMViWcmDkjwFoAnACeAOAAYcMiAHnmAGSAQg2LTcuMTAuMZgBAKABAbABAMgBCMABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz

 

 

[broncovet]

Great post, PWRslim.  

In as much as we may WANT to help a Veteran, you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.  I have a family member who finally applied, got 70 percent, but refuses to apply for PTSD/TBI which he undoubtedly has.  (He has a purple heart from a bomb going off and taking sharpnel in his head and feet).  

His reasoning is that "the government could take his guns away" if he gets rated for PTSD/TBI.  This isnt true.  

Its a logic error, actually.  It goes something like this:  I have 3 rocks, all of which are round. Therefore all rocks are round.  

The government will protect its citizens from people who are "a risk to others or themselves" but not necessarily those who have been diagnosed with PTSD or TBI.  Not all people diagnosed with PTSD or TBI are crazed people ready to take a gun to Chucky Cheese.  And, not everyone who does take a weapon to Chucky Cheese and starts shooting has PTSD or TBI. 

    Case in point:  Columbine school shooting.  Neither of these boys were in the military nor did they have TBI.  

But they were bullied by their class mates, and wanted revenge.  Revenge is never a good thing, except in the movies, played by hollywood actors.   

 

[pwrslm]

The Founding fathers never intended for the Federal Govt to interfere with our right to own weapons. Matter of fact, the plainly stated that what powers were not granted to the Fed Govt, were retained by the States, and the people. By stepping in to remove weapons from anyone, the Fed Govt violated the intent and spirit of the Constitution.

Enough said on that. States like Illinois, where they allowed Chicago to ban guns outright, triggered some of the worse gun violence we see today. On an average week, dozens of people are shot and many deaths reported, yet they had the strictest gun laws in the nation. Other places, like Texas, has no place comparable to Chicago.

States should follow Texas's example. Common sense "should" rule.