Posted on Jun 10, 2022
What types of treatment have worked for you for concussive injuries to your arms from being taught to "fire while driving"?
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88Ms & other drivers, have concussive injuries to your arms from being taught to "fire while driving"? If so, has anything been done for you? 16 years of pain, further work after injury & I'm ready to cut my arms off myself, it hurts so much. I've been denied 6 times by the VA. What worked for you to get help?
Posted in these groups: 
88A: Transportation Officer
Veterans Affairs (VA)
88M: Motor Transport Operator
88A: Transportation Officer Veterans Affairs (VA) 88M: Motor Transport Operator
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
Ok. I have to call bullshit. You're saying that you were trained 16 years ago to shoot and drive as an 88M and that you've been dealing with the concussive pain of that tactic for the last 16 years? Yet in your post of "Correct Etiquette" posted on 7 May 2022 you were asking about proper etiquette for saluting a GO with all hands full. In that post, you led to the illusion, by the manner in which you asked, that this particular Officer engagement had just recently occurred. And now, here you are talking about concussive pain from being trained to shoot and drive? I've been doing the Army for a very long damn 24 years of time, and nowhere in those years have I ever come across driver's training where we were instructed to shoot and drive. The common sense level of risk for that "training" alone is too much for any commander worth their weight to allow. The operations of military vehicles normally require the use of both hands. Especially them big vehicles, like the HETT. Conclusion: You're not what you are projecting yourself to be. And this leads to my secondary conclusion that this is why you've been denied by the VA 6 times. I mean, seriously. If concussive injuries were of a real concern, then the VA would be getting claims from EVERYONE that has served. Let's look at the facts. The standard M-16 or even M-4 are too long really to effectively fire from a vehicle window one handed. Let's not forget that their recoil is NOT THAT HARD. Now, taking into account a sidearm like the M9, seriously....there is no damn way that could cause concussive injuries. It has less recoil than the M-16.
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PV2 Kristie Wyant-Byington
SGM (Join to see) And see my home falling apart bc I cannot afford to keep its upkeep. Watch the rain dripping in, bends in the walls bc it's falling apart, stairs I've fallen from twice now that are loose and breaking too, no job bc NO ONE will hire a fall risk or a driver who passes out whenever, or wipe my ass for me bc my arms are jacked up, change my pads when Aunt Flo visits, pay $1k a month for weed so you aren't puking or screaming in pain. Sure would.
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SSG Scott Johnson
PV2 Kristie Wyant-Byington - A lot of people doubting your service time. Please tell us when and where you went to basic and what unit/location you were stationed that instructed you to shoot while driving. You have stated that you were using the M4 during said incidents. I've fired many large caliber rifles exactly like you indicated and not once did I ever have any pain at the time or later from concussive injuries. It could be possible that you've got some underlying issues that may have exacerbated these issues. I'm not a VA rep and I cannot tell you that you'd be covered for this issue because of extenuating circumstances. If you can go to the VA Hospital ED maybe they can run some tests that could lead to either a CT or MR for a definitive diagnosis.
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PV2 Kristie Byington
SSG Scott Johnson I served Basic Training @ Ft. LeonardWood, MO starting 04/20/05. My AIT was served @ Ft. Bliss, TX & my duty station was Ft. Drum. During Basic, I was instructed to "stand sideways to your weapon, put the butt in your elbow with a sandbag behind it, your left wrist on the guard & fire" by Drill Sgt. Brisben. He was worried about my grouping, asked what the problem was. In the normal position, I was stretched & strained to the point I could barely see, due to the weapon's length & my arms not having enough length. "Do that, just until you get your scores". I spent the rest of the time in that position until I had a GO on the range. At Ft. Drum, Sgt. Davis was in the LMTV. Yes, some have ports for the .50cal up top. These did not. "You need to learn to fire while driving." I did as instructed. Now, my right arm is stuck, level 10 pain w/o marijuana, my left hand is "slightly off" of my wrist. I cannot bend my left hand , no rotation or I'm screaming...I don't want to live this way. I don't want to be an "unproductive" member of society @ 47 yrs old...unable to work. I was a workhorse for 14 yrs AFTER these injuries too. I had 3 kids to support bc their father doesn't like to be a productive member of society, bills & survival to think about. Let ppl doubt. I have documentation of injuries, live it in a broken down old trailer that I have trouble leaving & make my bills with some FINALLY left for personal choices. I have worked 2-3 jobs at all times except for the Army. I thought
...stupidly, that others would be like me in the Army...raised to see it as an honor. To be the higher standard. Seeing the comments about me...I see it has fallen since my uncle's time. Deeply fallen.
...stupidly, that others would be like me in the Army...raised to see it as an honor. To be the higher standard. Seeing the comments about me...I see it has fallen since my uncle's time. Deeply fallen.
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SSG Scott Johnson
You've got the documentation of service, now you need a good service rep from the VA. Go see the DAV in your area and talk with them to see what they can recommend. I'm no lawyer but that might be an option. If proven you COULD get back pay if that's a thing with the VA. A lawyer would of course take his/her percentage. Contact the people you served with to see if they would write letters to back up your claims. Contact your Congress person/Senator. That never hurts your claim. IF everything is on the up and up you should be able to get this done.
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As a CSM over units deployed to combat, and having been the Senior Enlisted Leader over training in USAEUR this type of training never occurred. Even if a local commander had initiated it, it is nothing that would have been allowed on any firing range. Further, as stated earlier, the recoil of assigned individual weapons would not account for such an injury.
I am not challenging your integrity as I do not personally know you, I recommend you have your doctor evaluate your arms for what is truly wrong with them.
I am not challenging your integrity as I do not personally know you, I recommend you have your doctor evaluate your arms for what is truly wrong with them.
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PV2 Kristie Wyant-Byington
I have. A VA Orthopedic Surgeon agrees with me. He won't replace it until I'm 50. Idk what to tell you, but our unit did this. We were on the range in the vehicles learning this before Afghanistan deployment. Thank you for not questioning my integrity. The values are my backbone. I was raise on them. I've had offers to "help raise" the percentage I have through less than proper channels through these years & said no bc I could still work, even through the pain. I can't now.
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CSM Darieus ZaGara
You can raise your percentage, your job is not affected. Speak to the DAV, easy google search. If this do for agrees with you they will know how to tighten up the process. Take care. PV2 Kristie Wyant-Byington
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Even the AF guy knows there isn't a single small arms platform in the inventory that would cause "concussive injury" to your arms by "firing while driving" as the only practical weapon for that would be the M9. The M-4 and M-16 also lack the recoil force necessary to cause "concussive injury". Furthermore, I've been around the block a time or twelve and have NEVER encountered a single solitary other person who claims to have the injuries you've described. As your profile appears to be that of an unverified member, I question the very authenticity of the account as something the Admins need to investigate.
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PV2 Kristie Wyant-Byington
MSG (Join to see) Thank you. What is needed for them to verify? I have it to provide. Wow. I am so sorry you all encounter lying jackasses all the time. I left FB & other social media platforms for negativity & assholes...but even in the military they can be found. Sorry you don't see a sister in pain & want only to cause more crap instead of being supportive too.
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MSG (Join to see)
PV2 Kristie Wyant-Byington I can't support a bullshit story. And this is a bullshit story.
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