Did you wait till you were out to get your disability rating? If so, how long before you made your first claim?

Mistakenly, I waited 32 yrs. Wasn't approved in 1999. Reapplied 5 yrs later and received 100% disability. Wish I had known sooner!

More important than the date you file is documenting your health issues and every thing that has affected it. This is crucial because ratings can be revised and increased as well as denied! Having record of your claim and medical assessment and treatments will be crucial! As time goes by , issues that did not get a rating can get worse and then become rated because they were mentioned and documented! Get and keep copies of all records that relate to you health and incidents that can change later! You have a right to request copies of all your records, don’t remember if you need 3 or 5. Do not give your last copy of any document away. You must keep a complete copy of you military records. Do not forget to collect copies of treatment in civilian facilities and other military facilities!

I have been out 15 years, just filed new claims.

Aprox. 100 of us took our discharge physical at 10pm in a classroom. The doctor stood up front and told us what our blood pressure was, our temp. and our vision. We were then released to get our fittings for uniforms and on to our welcome home steak breakfast. I went to the VA in Waco 6 months later with foot problems. Was told my exit exam showed I was in perfect health so don't bother them. They were such asses that I said I would never go to another VA clinic or hospital. My brother went though the same problems when he returned six months later. This was 1969. I took a friend to the Austin VA in 2006. While there waiting for him I started sweating and having chest pains. A passing doctor told me I needed an EKG and set it up for later that morning. The then told me I had a heart murmur and would need surgery, Told him I was scheduled for the surgery the next week. He said , " I hope you are not letting us do it." I was not but he set me up with a appointmet with a person to get me enrolled with the VA.
When I went to the VA in Austin to inrole the clerk told me I did not qualify, I could not prove I was in Viet Nam. There was no record of my unit being there. I had my DD214 and my Commendation citation. She said there was no record of the 52nd Sig Bn being in Vietnam. Could I show her the patch we wore? I thought, here we go again and was ready to leave. I did not know that everybody did not hear ringing all the time. That got me 20% disability. One of the reps at the VA started checking my illnesses after my open heart operation. We put in for 75%disiblaity due to heart problems, hearing loss and diabetes. Took almost 18 months and many exams with other doctors but finally approved for 100% due to Agent Orange.

Unless things have changed, you can set up your VA appointments for them to examine you while you are on terminal leave. I am not certain if they have to give you time off for these appointments, but get all of your examinations done, if you can, prior to your ETS date, but the VA will do nothing with it until the day after your ETS.

Many of us have been beaten down by that commonly used term "malingering." It was a commonly used term to convince us nothing was wrong and that we were to return to duty. So, even though we had medical problems, we overlooked them until they become more problematic. My first attempt was after I was discharged from active duty, but my evaluators convinced me there was nothing wrong. I actually went on to serve 12 years on active Reserve status afterwards, being approved as fit for duty during the intake physical. During stateside duty while activated for Desert Storm, I suffered an episode of acute back pain and leg spasms which made it difficult to complete flight line duties of accepting in wounded and triaging to stateside facilities. So, another attempt after being discharged form active Reserves because of this problem. The mandatory psych evaluation I was required to have at the Baltimore VA led to a vile case of slander by the practitioner who called all of my physicians to tell them not to prescribe me any medications (before I had even left the premises). My Rheumatologist contacted me to verify the identity of the person who called her and relayed the message he left. Was it because I abused anything? NO. It was because I honestly answered the question about knowing anyone who used illicit drugs. Who hasn't known anyone doing some sort of drug abuse whether prescription or otherwise? It's so common anymore. Does that mean that I'll abuse or sell any of the medications I'm given? NO again. Does it pay to be honest? NO. This guy ruined my reputation with my providers by putting me under suspicion. Who would they believe, him or me? Along with the 2008 Countrywide Mortgage Crisis at the time, (I was also a victim where the VA refused to help so I could keep my home), I was forced to actually move out of the area to find housing elsewhere and to rebuild my reputation. Fast forward from 1979, 1992, 2008 to 2023 and now 2024. I was finally awarded my 100% disability but not until I was destroyed from stress, medical problems from worsening conditions, and my life expectancy is far less to keep the VA from wasting too much money on me. Sadly, the cheapest bidders get to do our disability exams, and if we get any referrals or specialty exams to back our case, those referrals can ruin our chances or can improve them. Take for instance, an EMG which can either approve or disprove a medical condition. The interpretations are as varied as the different clinics, the practitioners, and the extensiveness of the study. I painfully, and voluntarily, underwent 2 EMG studies at different facilities to prove this point because my rating had been downgraded by a previous exam. Radiculopathy versus none, polyneuropathy to maybe technical error or something else but, more often than not, psychiatric. If the studies don't back up one another and nerve disorders can't be seen- unless there's gross overt abnormalities (like contractures or paralysis), it's got to be psychiatric. At this point, I can't or don't care about what they name it, but I got the rating and the pay. Unfortunately, it doesn't compensate for the accusations, and all of the many years of personal, out-of-pocket expenses to prove I wasn't lying. My integrity is intact.

I am trying to locate my buddy, John Louis Evans.
Our first and middle name are the same.

We went throuugh boot camp in San Diego in May and June. We were in the the drum and bugle corps and we were sexually harassed. Then to the Anacostia Naval Air Base for 6 months mess cooking. Before starting training at the National Navy School of Music I was brutally raped and I think my friend was also. It was covered up.

I would HIGHLY encourage anyone that is still active duty to file a BDD Claim while you are still in and right before you get out. It is a much easier process than waiting to file your VA Claim after you get out. As it was explained to me, the burden of proof is on the military to show that it didn’t actually happen while you were active duty (because we’re considered on the clock 24/7) versus filing it after you get out and now the burden of proof is on you to show how it was in fact caused during your active service. I hope that makes sense. Also, take a moment and really think about everything that bothers you. Ringing ears? Sit in silence or cover your ears and just listen. Do your feet hurt? Maybe you actually have pes planus or plantar fasciitis and that “normal every day pain” isn’t so normal after all. That injury you sustained at Airborne school five years ago that’s been causing your hip to hurt ever since but you’ve just been living with it? Get it checked out and record it. Did you struggle with issues mentally while in but just dealt with it cause “it is what it is”? Talk to someone and actually open up.

It’s all a daunting process, but get everything documented and then get all of your records and organize yourself. Good luck!

I waited 30 years to file, mostly out of denial. I was only given a 50% rating for PTSD due to MST.

As I was out processing out I went to speak with the VA because of my injuries sustained while on jump status. I had not considered the other issues that I had. When I received my ratings my neck feet and knees were rated but I also received 0 % on several ratings which is ok. You should at least have a record of injuries even if it is not considered severe enough for a high rating, particularly because some injuries will only get worse over time. Years later when my condition worsened I just got reevals.