Should veterans and retirees be "Triple Dipping?"

Apply for more, PTSD, do you have ringing in the ears, if so apply for that. Get the service connection up to 50% and you can draw both.

SGM Mikel Dawson you should contact Veteran Guardians, they will help you get reevaluated and get the higher rating. They’re mostly veterans themselves and know the system.

https://vetsguardian.com/

Limiting your income is nothing more than socialism...

SN Dale "CG" Veach - They're not limiting your income. They're simply supplementing your income differently based on that income. You can make as much as you want, and they can't/won't stop that.

COL William Oseles - I agree; and he probably would've still got the VA Rating but probably not the education bennies. The kid is very astute so that's probably what he based his choice on. It also gave him two years of Post Exchange privileges which was good because he did an internship with the FDIC in Washington and lived right outside of Ft. Myer's (VA) back gate. Also, his university was Robert Morris not far from another PX (Oakland Army installation). Retirement would have given him a "forever" access too however.

COL William Oseles - This would've depended on how the military wrote up his Medical Retirement. I helped a Marine buddy of mine make his choice. When presented, we went to the DAV. The went through EVERYTHING. They discovered the way his retirement was written, he would not have been able to get a VA Rating. Most "retirements" (not all) are 50%, with full medical thru Tricare. VA under 50% is treatment at VA facilities only for service-connected disabilities (30% qualifies for Voc Rehab way better than GI Bill). 50% or higher, ANY ailment is treatable at any VA facility, service-connected or not.
If anyone knows someone presented with this choice, have them go to the DAV before they make a choice. IF not, at least see a lawyer who is versed in Military Compensation because the military and the VA is setup to deny your claims and they word things to make the least beneficial for you sound the most attractive.

SSgt Stephen Mills - I draw 100% retired pay (Navy) and 100% disability from VA. However, I do not draw SSI because that isn't permitted and if you do draw SSI, they will come back to you for the money.

SSG (Join to see) - A retiree (non-combat) has a VA disability less than 60%, then the retiree will forfeit the same amount of money as he/she gets from VA.

SSG John Eroh - I'm in the same boat as you are. Mine was so bad that when I went in for my C&P exam the Doc went and got me a wheel chair. Been in one ever since if I'm up for more than an hour. The more you force yourself to walk the worse it gets also.

To add insult to injury, the FY2012 Defence Authorization act changed the rules for CRSC if you were medically retired after it was passed, as I was in July 2013. The new rules state that if you are a medically retired reservist, and your pension is more than your reserve pension would be, your CRSC will be reduced by the amount you are over. This results in most medically retired reservists not being able to qualify for that offset. The people at DFAS on the phone were stunned when they had to explain the change in rules to me. It also explained the extra 12 months of delay in processing my retirement order. I bet they did this to a whole bunch of people.

I sent a DD149 to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records along with my VA rating ( must be 30%or more). Three years later they retired me retro active to the date of my separation and paid me the back pay. I have a retired ID and all of the benefits other retirees have including my dependents

Something I took while in the military triggered a upheaval in my endocrine system. This lead to osteoporosis. The VA said my spine was 70% the strength of the average 70 year old man.
I live in pain 24/7 have had cervical vertebrae fusion, was injured and deal with nerve damage that leave something uncontrollable.
I attend my Dr appointments, everything. take the meds the VA sends me.
one of the best spinal neurosurgeon looked at the rest of my back and said simply "Your back will never hold the screws we need to use to stabilizer it. I cannot say I can help your pain."

Double or triple dipping??? No I get VA and now Social Security but I am 65, I also paid into SS for over 50 years. So is it double dipping? NO I earned it!

That 10% listed above do not know what to hell they are talking about.

LCDR Mike Morrissey - There's no way you can get a 20 year pension AND SSI. SSI is income-dependent, no matter the source, although there are some income credits, of which a military pension is not one of:

https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-income-ussi.htm

SSG (Join to see) - Yes, it is.

https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-income-ussi.htm

SN Greg Wright - Another misunderstanding as to terms. I referenced SSI meaning social security insurance. I never referenced the supplemental aspect. I most certainly receive my 20 yr military and my social security once I reached the age required. The normal social security payment is dependent upon first getting the required quarters and then the amount is governed by earnings taxed followed with living long enough —my case 66...didn’t take early of delayed rates.

You might have been better served to ask for clarification before leaping....??.

PO1 Harry Heinz - VA Pension is basically for certain indigent vets and family. It’s paltry but it’s at least a life line. However it is income dependent. With some exceptions every dollar earned from work is subtracted from the allowance. Some folks and advisors confuse it with VA disability compensation. If there is a choice, I’ve told vets to take or at least apply for the disability comp. as then a vet can take odd jobs etc and not have to hassle every yr with income reporting. In any case, vets in this situation are in such condition that it’s hard to get out and will, for example, remain in Seattle tents or cars.

Memory ha, that is what I am dealing with right now and I am sill in, just past 20yrs. And I totally, those that meet the the requirements deserve every penny. We all know how hard it is to be Soldiers 24/7. It ain't easy. It breaks you down. A lucky few walk away without any disability. Good for them.

SFC(P) (Join to see) - So u can retire now?

MAJ Ken Landgren yes I could, but I just arrived in Germany and would like to enjoy this tour before I retire in '24.

I think u will enjoy the German culture. What I like about them is they will show u if they like u. If they like u they go all out. They definitely have some nice quirks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmGSArkH_ik

SFC(P) (Join to see)

I feel like Humpty Dumpty, and all the King's men can't put me back together.

SGT Gene Wright - tell that to my now deceased WWII POW Stalag XVIIB. B-17 survivor father who lived with shrapnel, TBI courtesy of SS and Gestapo etc till he died at age 88. Tell that to my wife (DS-1 VET) who has significant systemic problems.

Both have all 4 limbs.

SGT WRIGHT—-YOU HAVE INSULTED MORE CURRENT VETS AND THEIR PREDECESSORS THAN YOU KNOW.
AND MY WIFE—IF I LET HER READ YOUR REMARK.

As a present VSO I agree with you 100%. I deal with this situation all of the time. An equally good reason for veterans to get their entitlements squared away I’d for the sake of their survivors benefits. Burial entitlements and DIC for example. If you as a veteran didn’t navigate the VA administrative minefield, how do you expect your grieving widow or children do it after you get put in the long box? Dealing with an elderly widow who is trying to collect on DIC or burial benefits who can’t relay more than her husband was in the army or Navy, marines etc but no more info than that - “what’s a DD214?” Is the saddest thing I deal with.

I am lucky and have gratitude.

This article is talking about FRAUD. I am retired uniform and civilian, get VA disability comp, and I'm on SOCSEC disability- all above board, all legal. I was told to apply by the associated agencies. AM I cheating? NO

A question JUST how dose the fact that some people who are being pad money the have qualified for directly impact your life?( IT DOSE NOT)

I'm in pain all the time, lower back. I can't stand or walk for any kind of distance. my wife passed 2 yrs ago, so now cooking for myself become an issue. my bedroom is 72 feet from the kitchen, the bedroom has a sitting area TV, couch and coffee table. so I eat in there and i spend my hole day right there. so prepping my dinner or breakfast become and issue. why because when it's all done getting from point B and back to point A hurts like hell I have reach my limit. if I need something done out in the barn or one of the pastures, I have to wait for my son to come out and help me. I had 4 horses about 6 yrs ago, I was in the hospital for almost 4 months. I was in a coma for the first month, I wasn't able to eat food until after the third month. I had to learn how to walk again during the last two weeks. sometimes I'm just down emotionally because I can't do what I use to do. my oldest son and I would deer hunt at Ft Stewart. yeah I use to stalk deer and have killed more doing that than up a tree closest one was 30 ft, farthest was 75yds with a 357 mag handgun. but now do to the pain and being so limited in walking or standing. I had to give up my horses and now if I need something done majorly like the barn I have to hire someone to do it. but the pain I'm in did not show up right away, it was there it just wasn't as bad as it is now, but it was part of the driving factor after retiring in 1986 that finally made me file a claim. why didn't I file way back then, well I felt that the guy that were in Nam needed it more than me. and my youngest son went in the Army but only for three years and went airborne (I know i tried to get him to stay) and he file for VA on his feet, so he talked me into it. I can drive but even sitting for an extended period of time it starts, so I can't even drive to North Carolina to see me oldest son and my grandkids there.

I’m with you SGM..... nobody’s business but the veterans

SMSgt William Hassiepen - Look at your member of Congress and Cabinet Secretaries. Those are the vermin collecting all the money and benefits denied the servicemember.

SMSgt, as a former Senior NCO you should know the statement you have made is incorrect. I hope you are a former rather than a current member of the Services.

Wow, there is a lot of ignorance in those 7 words.
Please explain your position on the how these “illegals” get into this system to collect any type of money that “you are owed”
I certainly hope you are inflating your rank so your racist bullshit gets any traction because if you are a senior NCO then your command must have been toxic because if you.

I agree

Thany you Sergeant, and thsank you for your service.

Yes you are

I'm on my regular retirement after 21 years of Active Duty Navy...and I receive a temporary 100% from VA (90% VA after the temp subsides in October) and now receive SSDI...no one's been beating down my door or returning calls, and I can't even get Civil Service/USA Jobs to even look at my resume when I apply....in the meantime, my bills are still there. I put a lot of money into my 401K and IRA, which I can't withdraw without a 10% penalty and taxes for 2 more years....so it's a hassle to touch savings. We paid into Social Security, and I worked 15 years post Navy...and I look at this as an earned benefit.

Sir, take care. All I can say is that keeping the weight off, stretching and icing what hurts has helped me limit the pain and residual issues.

Pull every cent equivalent to what you paid!