Veteran Needs Help

[Fat 235]

Talked to a female veteran whom was discharged from the National Guard, basic training, after fracturing her hip.

She says she still has problems from the hip fracture 7 years later.

She wasn't aware of VA disability.

I forwarded numbers to the American Legion and DAV to ask questions.

She said, since I wasn't in for 180 days, I thought I didn't qualify for any benefits.

The veteran currently doesn't have health insurance, but most municipalities have a indigent care fund for the uninsured.

Any suggestions on veterans short of 180 day criteria?

Any other benefits veteran might qualify for besides VA housing certificate?

If she is service connected, will a basic minimum rating qualify for VA healthcare?

 

All comments welcome..........

 

 

 

[Buck52 2,945]

I ALSO AGREE WITH BROKEN SOLIDER 244TH  THATS SOME GOOD INFO.

[Fat 235]

Thanks for the information.

[brokensoldier244th 544]

6 hours ago, GBArmy said:

Brokensoldier is spot on. This 180 days stuff scares away a lot of veterans. It just isn't true. She just has to prove out s-c, like everyone else. If she was md boarded out or discharged for the injury, it would be  slam dunk. I got a friend get benefits (50%) for a disability that happened 50 years prior in basic. The problem is many people, including VSO's just repeat this 180 day thing without understanding the rule. If it happens in-service, you are service connected.

Yeah, mine did that, too. The important thing is that she doesn't even have to have the records in her possession. When we pull her OMPF and STRs it will be in there, along with any counseling actions, etc. as a result of it. I was medboarded during Basic for a sort of similar situation (obstacle failed during our final FTX, and I fell 8 feet to the ground while  carrying a SINGCARS. Landed in a seated L position, fractured two vertebrae, ruptured 1 disc, severely bulged another). I completed the iteration, the next day, and the road march back to Company. It wasn't until a month later after I went to AIT that I finally had been on profile enough that my Senior D pulled me aside and gave me the speech about malingering. My dad was a Recon Marine, so salty was my jam and I was used to it.

I weathered his teardown, and when he freed me to speak I explained what happened. He went back to Company and got hold of my 201 with the LOD in it and then he was PISSED. I was a good troop other than some physical limitation and having to recover a lot during smoking sessions and PT-now he knew WHY. He ORDERED me to the post medical rather than sick call the next day. After a few weeks of steroids and ibuprofen (you know the drill) they finally sent me to Portsmouth Naval for xrays, that turned into MRIs, that turned into HOLY SHIT- He really BROKEN!! The medboard started soon after than, and I was given a pass basically to be permanent party within the battalion area, and assigned a job in Company or Battalion as needed daily since I was older, already college educated, and had computer skills. At this point it had been like 2 months since my injury and I hadn't felt my toes from midfoot down for most of it. I was boarded (about 6 months), counseled by my XO and CC, got a wonderful reference letter from my Senior D, and a few upper cadre, and then in the darkness of night about 3 am I got on a plane and went home. It was a blur, most of it.

Optempo was nuts- I was in AIT when Sept 11th happened, for example, so I got to see a base go from 'peacetime' to 'WTF' overnight. But since I had a pass to move about the battalion, that included the PX so I spent a LOT of money in the internet cafe, reading and printing things. My Senor D and CO both gave me the 180 days line and said since id hit it Id be fine once I got out, but I knew that I was covered anyway because I had an LOD and I had saved all the slips from all the profiles and sick calls. 

[GBArmy 1,047]

Brokensoldier244th This might be a little old for you, but my kids heard yogi say 'Smarter than the average bear."