Posted on Jul 31, 2020
MSgt B Grimes
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What are your thoughts given some basic info? Fraud, Criminal Intent, PTSD & psychology.
An Army infantry soldier completes a first term 4 year enlistment, excited following 9/11. Possibly serves only one overseas tour, and never fires his weapon in combat. Gets out of Army following enlistment and joins Army Guard. Within first year of guard duty (upon orders for overseas tour) claims PTSD threatens to kill his comrades. Is released from duty.
Member has tried for 12 years to get benefits, and finally receives 100% disability. Claims to his family that his PTSD disease is cured. Does not follow psychologists prescriptions, as they are not really needed.
Was member fit for duty when enlisting in the Army Guard? Or did this member fraudulently join having pre-existing condition?
Can this member have concealed carry and go hunting, when he claims PTSD for gunfire?
would you consider this member to be defrauding the government and taxpayer?
Soldier has lied to family members claiming to be heroic sniper, only to reveal as lies later, having never fired his weapon in actual combat. Possibly used similar lies to VA psychologist.
How would you approach situation? VA does not seem to care, and does not offer path for investigation.
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Responses: 402
SSgt Marvin Cole
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Every veteran who has served in a combat zone suffers from PTSD at some level. Some very small, some very large.

Some Veterans bring their Anxieties and Mental Issues with them when they enter the military. The nature of Service Connected simply implies that whatever that person did in the Military resulted in less than maximum participation in the workforce.

It is way to complicated to find simple solutions. The process of obtaining a PTSD disability is strenuous and goes thru several level to ultimately reach the level of disability.

War Zones changes people.

I am 90% Service Connected, paid at 100% because I am unemployable. The process I went thru was filled with Psychiatrist, Psychologist, and Counseling visits. Immensely helpful. I function well today, because I do not have to worry about finances. I do not have to worry about medical care. I do not believe I could do it without my VA disability.

You cannot always tell what's in a book by it's cover. Judging others without the benefit of all the information is just rumor mongering and just being a busy body. The professionals in the VA have done their job! None of us, should judge them without having the proper credentials.
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TSgt James Warfield
TSgt James Warfield
2 mo
Wow, very well said wish I had read your post before I posted mine.... your's hit the nail on the head.
Your right, way to many people get upset because they think someone is getting ahead of them, instead of being happy for them they are disgruntle.
However with the above said, there are those who have learn to game the system and work it for their favor sometimes at the expense of someone else.
It's not easy to know, and I would rather see one person get by system, then make it even harder for those who need the support and help to get it and all to often that is what happens when to many people start complaining of what they think is abuse of the system or what those in charge seem to think is abuse.
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PO1 Robert Ryan
PO1 Robert Ryan
2 mo
Sgt Matthew Cline. If you are still looking for a Veterans Group, find out if there
is a Veterans Reach Out Center in the area you live in. I attend a Vet Group at the Vet Center Here in San Antonio. The Vet Centers are not VA run, and are staffed by people who have been treated for PTSD and have degrees on PTSD treatment and offers counseling as well.
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SPC Zoe Jane Halo
SPC Zoe Jane Halo
1 mo
Seconding this.
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GySgt Michael Payne
GySgt Michael Payne
22 d
It is easier that you think to get over on the system. I see, talk with, and interact with thousands of veterans every year. You can not tel one with PTSD from those that are playing the game. Why, they spend hours at the VA clinics talking with vets and staff to get the needed info to get past the PhD's. (I see it everyday). Nothing against the Doc's, they are trying to help a vet in need and he has all the right answers. So, that vet is diagnosed with PSTD and is in there right mind. I really hate the whole PTSD issue. Treat the Veterans that need treatment, place them in a PTSD care facility for six, nine, twelve months (Like Drug Treatment Facilities) and see how many stick around for the check.
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SFC Intelligence Analyst
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Edited 3 y ago
Why do you care? How does this affect you personally?

Also PTSD = Post Traumatic Stress Disorder...so anyone can suffer from it if they suffered from trauma. If one is in a serious car accident, sexual assault, etc, you can get PTSD. Childhood abuse, domestic violence. The list goes on. People need to stop thinking you only get PTSD in combat.
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SPC Gloria Anderson
SPC Gloria Anderson
2 mo
SGT Donna Millar - I have been fighting the MST fight since 1997. The VA has had me enrolled in a PTSD clinic for over a decade for the rape, but has me listed for Anxiety... I am still fighting this.
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TSgt Don Dollinger
TSgt Don Dollinger
2 mo
I agree that there are many causes of PTSD other than combat, the problem I have is it has morphed into everyone that has ever experienced a traumatic event cries that they have PTSD. Example: Read recently where a woman is on SSDI due to PTSD. Her traumatic event was that her home was burglarized. She was not home at the time and they captured the culprits and she recovered most of her stolen property. PTSD? I call bullshit. This is only one of many stories like that circulating. Not only is it an affront on us taxpayers it also detracts from individuals that truly suffer from PTSD.
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SFC Intelligence Analyst
SFC (Join to see)
2 mo
TSgt Don Dollinger - You don't get to decide who does or doesn't have PTSD. Who gives a s*? She had to have been diagnosed with PTSD to get SSDI. Also it's pretty hard to get disability. It took my dad's wife like a year to get disability for fibromyalgia.

People worry about the dumbest things and then act like they can diagnose someone without any medical experience at all.
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1LT Neal Schwartz
1LT Neal Schwartz
29 d
TSgt Don Dollinger - Our home was burglarized, they used our pillow cases off the bed to carry their loot. My wife would not sleep in that bed, and she could not touch her pillow. New pillows did not help, we bought a new bed. Her thoughts of them touching things in her house did not go away until we moved out of the area. Then new trauma. She missed her friends and shopping seriously, she cried for two years, almost every night. We made a trip back to visit friends two years later, and saw the disgusting rise in crime, filth, homeless camps, and such in the Seattle suburb we had lived in. After visiting our friends and returning to our new home it all stopped, she was okay again and thankful for the move. She seldom brings up the burglary anymore, but can openly talk about it. This has nothing to do with disability benefits, but may give you some insight as to a woman's PTSD issues that might be quite different than a man's. My issue on the burglary just made me really mad (sever anger), mainly because we know who did it but the police were too cautious to charge them for lack of proof other than their car description and license number from a young man that observed them coming over our fence with the loot on their backs. I was more traumatized by the lack of police's inability to do anything about it I considered a personal lawsuit but the culprits had nothing that could benefit me. Someday they may just get caught and literally taken out, that is my salvation.
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CSM Darieus ZaGara
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No offense but there is certainly a lot of he said, she said, and speculation. As for PTSD, many pepp op or are affecting by things in life differently. It could be that he made up stories about his experience in order to justify his level of PTSD, not wishing to admit that the environment itself got to him. As for telling his family one thing only to recant is a classic sign that he may be dealing with deeper issues, I.e. there is nothing wrong with me, you have nothing to fear I mad me it all up. This is done, in some instances, to take the concern from the family. As for not taking meds, that too is a common issue.

The psychologists at the VA have the distinct advantage of accessing his entire military and medical record, they know where he was, for how long, and in most cases what he experienced.

If he is legit, then his Family should ask to attend a family counseling session with the VA in order to learn how to support him, he’ll he is troubled either way, PTSD or not. So money aside he needs help. Also, the VA reassess all levels of compensation about every five years until about 55. They will also review over 55 if the condition is one that is thought to be repairable. So, if he is a fraud he will be found out, and removed or reduced.

So my first thought would be the benefit of the doubt, if he won’t attend a family session, I recommend his loved ones seek counseling and read up on how to help and cope with him. Soldiers are very adapt at masking their feelings. God Bless.
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CSM Darieus ZaGara
CSM Darieus ZaGara
3 mo
It is based on a rating. To a certain point they expect the Service member will work as they are not at that threshhold. Anyway, the only way to change soemtingvlike that is to appeal to local governemnt to give it a voice.

However the current Congress is discussing reducing it all together. Only time will tell.
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SPC Rebecca Cann
SPC Rebecca Cann
2 mo
CSM Darieus ZaGara - posted 1 year ago to the right of the very first post in this stream.
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SSG Elyzabeth Cromer
SSG Elyzabeth Cromer
1 mo
LtCol Matthew Rajkovich that is one of the more accurate descriptions of 100% benefits that I have heard. I think for many Veterans receiving 100% is the reason they are able to maintain their lives at the level they do; many are not able to not to function in a full-time work environment and having health-care (including behavioral health and prescription coverage) is crucial to their ability to function in society. A truly excellent explanation.
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SSG Elyzabeth Cromer
SSG Elyzabeth Cromer
1 mo
CSM Darieus ZaGara if you were referring to my comment about warehouse workers in the portion of the thread discussing service members who have never been OCONUS, that example was intended to illustrate that a service member in a "non-combat" job could have a traumatic incident that would cause PTSD. I used warehouse worker instead of an MOS or other skill identifier because it is a term that is familiar accross all services. I suppose I could have used MP or gate guard but I thought in the context of the conversation my point would be clear. I will keep your comment in mind for future posts.
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