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: 465
SFC Tracy Donahoo
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If you are totally correct about him, ask yourself if you would trade places with him.

If you are totally incorrect about him, would you want to trade places with him?
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SP5 Ron Rowland
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The VA cares, no written proof, it did not happen! I know a faker when I talk to them, just ask a few combat questions. ,
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PFC Stephan Hanna
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How do you get evidence that indicates the veteran is faking? I know at least one person that's collecting benefits that maybe shouldn't but I have no idea how to substantiate or even report.
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SSG Randall Speck
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I was in Iraq in 2003! Thought that I had a heart attack but was later diagnosed with PTSD. Being a HET driver I had a lot of issues with IED's and random shots coming my way (I assumed) I got a thing called Hyper awareness. (Looking for danger everywhere) I was just trying to do my job and keep my head on my shoulders. I never fired a round, and my truck was never hit. I guess it was a collection of over 12, 000 miles of keeping my head down. Also I was 44 years old. I don't know what happened but one day I just sat down in the sand and didn't care if I was killed there. That same day a series of events and I volunteered my HET to do a 30K run to pick up a broke down dump truck in Naja. We got popped at, but took no damage. When I got back to the assembly area I had chest pains, and they Med Vacted me out. Now I am 100%. I'm still affected today and I have bad days. My wife puts up with me and is my caregiver. My CP exam took 7 1/2 hours. I don't know what they discovered, but that was that. I have weapons but don't hunt, and don't like to shoot. Folks can fake their CP exam, but mine was very long and I'm not sure someone can fake a doctor thru that type of scrutiny. I loved my job, and had 11 years active as a Tanker in the RA. I was a HET driver in the TN National Guard. To this day I feel embarrassed that I didn't get hit, like many others did. I hope in some way I have answered your questions!
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CAPT Executive Vice President
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I would refrain from trying to determine whether this is is is not a genuine injury unless one is a medical doctor familiar with the case. So many factors can be involved here that no one knows about except for the doctor and the member. And never firing a weapon in combat has nothing to do with whether of not one can get PTSD.
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Lt Col Joint Interface Control Officer
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VA Social Worker here. This seems like a narrow definition of PTSD, but if you suspect fraud can report it through OIG… https://www.oversight.gov/taxonomy/term/42
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Lt Col Joint Interface Control Officer
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All I can say is the same thing I say to my vets when they ask if it's even worth trying to apply for VA disability: "If you don't try, you have 100% chance of not getting it." You can also try calling the National VBA number and ask them [login to see]
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SSG Security Officer
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Yeah this is definitely an issue. We had male soldiers that were TERRIBLE dirt bags and tried to game the system and get some kind of % without serving even a year in garrison. I think only a few of them were successful in getting anything from the Army or VA.
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SGT Dennis Bolin
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his ass needs to be convicted of fraud with prison term!!!
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PO1 Operations Specialist
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Seen this happen with a guy in the Navy. Goofy bastard. Served 2 years and some change. Claims he was raped by another sailor. Maybe it was true, maybe not, maybe he liked it?. Well, 8 years later, he bagged 100% disability and $20K backpay after many failed attempts. Claimed that incident scarred him for life but I call BS. This guy is fully functional, always out partying with women and doing drugs. Has multiple kids with different women. Nothing that happened in his two years of shining his boots and ZERO deployments that has scarred him that he needs 100% disability for life. However, I am not inside his head nor am I psychologist. But i can sniff out a mean BS loaf from a mile away.
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Okay so dang lots to un-wrap… a PTSD claim does not even need a primary event to be awarded… PTSD can be awarded for a plethora of issues during service. As long as one meets the requirements for the basic award. When it comes to claiming it… a lot of people distrust the VA because they tend to preclude on the “this dudes gonna hurt people” side. Member was fit for duty if he passed the investigations. In most states as long as he does not have a 100% rating for PTSD he still has the rights to carry. If the member does not have PTSD one should be able to report to a proper authority of fraudulent claims, and defrauding the federal government.

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