Are fake disabilities affecting other Veterans?

Definitely hurting Veterans with real disabilities,if for no other reason than the time and energy spent on them that could be put to better use on Veterans that have true disabilities.I am not naive enough to think it will change,the fakes will keep coming.

My answer is yes. I work for a defense contractor and God bless em, they hire a lot of vets & retirees but I have noticed over the past 5-6 years especially that there are certainly too many DV Commandos out here and most of them, sleep apnea and minor aches and pains. Then there are the older fellows (like me) who spent years as flyers or tactical and are pretty much broken down (some from normal wear & tear) but others from years of banging on the body while AD and we do chuckle as we have our maybe 20% while the late 30-40 ish are at 50-60 percent because they snore or had knee surgery while on AD from too much racket ball. I listen to AD and recent retired troops today and all you hear is how they seem to automatically calculate X-$'s into their anticipated retirement check as if it is all a big joke.

Yes. It takes away resources from those in need

I myself I just got out 6 months ago from active duty due to RCP. I got out totally deaf in one ear, I suffered with sciatica nerve, Lumbar spinal stenosis in the back, degeneration of cartilage in both knees., and a whole host of other injuries and surgeries sustained while on active duty. I do so feel your Pain SSG Reilly. Having the sciatica nerve and lumbar spinal stenosis pain in your back is no joking matter. percocets are my best friends. I'm still waiting on an answer from the VA since April 30th. 2015 We are now in September pretty much going into October.

So that being said! I called it BS, if he had that time to go to the gym, and work out especially with a bad back pain no way., He's hurt I think not! He's just milking the system for money, and for people like us who are genuinely hurt getting sh**tted on. that's just my opinion.

I have worked with some one on active duty who did the same thing, but this person came in the military with back problems and did you not know, this person blame the military for hurting their back and got out 100% disability. It really pisses me off me off to see a great deal of these fakers walking around scamming the, and looking and lurking to see what illness another person has so they can get paid for some one else's hurt. I hope the system will one day be able to stop these "FAKERS" and held them to the highest responsibility of paying back all the money they've gotten, and give to the rightful people who really are disabled and deserved it.

I don't believe that they are hurting the system, I do believe that they are hurting themselves in the process of stealing from the system and the veterans who deserved their rightful benefits. This will get caught up to them in the long run. I would have my child, away from an idiot like that. To me that's dishonesty.

When I first saw this post, I immediately was reminded of a piece written by a West Post prof that made the point of the current disability system pushing veterans to not wanting to pursue employment or even rehab for injuries. But I can't find it. The search continues

From my foxhole, I've seen many who have "worked the system" for higher ratings. I'd like to see some fraud investigation on some of these folks.

I am 80% service connected disabled, and will likely be 100% when my appeals are finally considered SSG Richard Reilly. I was in the Army nearly 33 years, and after all that time, I had a lot of wear of tear.; most of us do. 100% disabled is a VA term, based on a cumulative accumulation issue by issue; it is also not simple addition. Neck, back, Knees, TBI, Eye injury (IED), and even health issues like sleep apnea and gastroparesis are all included. I have no veteran, DV, PH, or HC license plate, even though I could; nor would I ever. But, that is my choice.

Like SGT Kristin Wiley stated, I would be careful about judging. I was at Walter Reed one time visiting several of our WWs and on the way in I passed a WW would was moving fast on the way in. He had shorts and a tank on. Had he not, I would not be able to tell he had prosthetic legs and a prosthetic arm.

100%, 90%, 80% etc are VA terms based on the sum of many things.

I would be careful about judging, but the BS flag is your right. I also know many who work the system. Two for example, I know... could not deploy... but still run marathons and triathlons.... They are both 100% SC disabled....

Yes it hurts the system, yes I do care that people take advantage of the system. It is no different then those taking advantage of the WTU system. I have seen this first hand and it makes me sick to my stomach because if you honestly live the Army Values you wouldn't be lying and taking advantage of a system that is already overburdened and understaffed and was originally constituted to help those come back from a "COMBAT ZONE", not a friggin stateside deployment where the most physical thing you did was get out of bed in the morning. I wouldn't let my kids near this guy with a 10 foot pole.

The nature of pain and combat disabilities make jumping to conclusions risky.
My dad lost his hearing due to spinel meningitis picked up in N. Africa. The only way he would hear a 155 going off next door was feel it. He never received 100% despite being unemployable during that time period. He had also been bayonetted and bombed while under water in the Med. He usually appeared fine, but now I realize the weight of PTSD he lived his whole life under.
I'm now 80% but if you saw me climb into a racecar you'd say "WTF" I trade 3 hours in that racecar, my shrink office, for a later week of bed bound and Vicodin. My 80% is for hearing, PTSD, and some agent orange issues, although it should be for the 6 blown discs, stenosis and nerve damage from a large mine. I receive nothing for that so I guess it evens out.
Walk a mile in their shoes before calling someone out.
Better that we give to many undeserving than miss one that is.

1) People that may or may not be using the system are they really hurting the system?
-If they are not using the system, they are not hurting the system.
-If they are using the system fraudulently, then yes they are hurting the system and making it harder for vets with legitimate service connected disabilities to be seen or get compensation.

2) Do you care if people fake disability to get more from a system?
- Yes, I 100% care. People who defraud the system should be prosecuted.

3) How would you handle your kid around this guy who you know is a freaking idiot?
- People who have little integrity tend to not find themselves anywhere around myself or my children. That's how I would handle the situation around my kid. If the guy is a parent in my son's cub scout den, I seriously consider withdrawing my kid. If he's a parent at my kid's school, I tell my kid that they should not trust a word that leaves the lip of that individual's mouth.

As for the leadership stuff... As an E-4 in the Air Force, you can be put into leadership positions. Usually after graduating from ALS. So, while I tend to lean towards not really, I would urge caution.