Should veterans and retirees be "Triple Dipping?"

Don’t confuse the three different programs. First if you qualify for a retirement that is a separate thing. The vestment period for military retirement is 20 years , that is 4 times the vestment period of a private industry pension program. If you leave at 18 years you get nothing. It has nothing to do with disability. Disability from the VA is based on your medical records and VA examination. You don’t decide disability...the VA does. The average 45 year old that has never served does not have 4 to 8 acute injuries that would get you 50-100% disability. Finally SSD is something you paid into with FICA. It’s your money and dam hard to get if you are under 55. If you qualify for all 3, I guarantee you need it. Talk to some veteran retirees who qualify for all three....they aren’t getting over. Their health is bad and their QOL isn’t great.

I wouldn't worry about the one's who say triple dipping is getting over on the system. Believe me if you are getting it you deserve it.

If you payed into it, put the time in. Then you earned it. End of story. Anybody who says different is just jealous.

If they meet the standards, I'm all for it. It's the folks that sham the system I can't stand.

I have served 5.5 years active and another 8.5 in the reserves. So far i have not broken anything, I hope I never do.

On multiple occasions I have had soldiers tell me to go get my ratings, you deployed you are entitled to something. Too many people are trying to get one over on Uncle Sam because "he got one over on me".
I am a huge believer in taking what you need even if its less than what you deserve.. But threat choice is mine not yours.

The damn poll is a pos. Its not scamming the system. 20 years and combat related retired. Paid in the Social Security all those years and many years maybe before and after military service. You took medical retirement rather than the 20 year plan.
Yes either unemployable, the definition for this pretty simple, you maybe workign a job but its not one you could earn a substantial living at. Or rated 100%.

You live in pain everyday, I know somedays its hard for me to get to moving. i.e. combat injured, compression fractures in the thoracic spine all vertebrae. Also supper from Chronic diarrhea, (cannot be controlled by meds, its nerve damage) posterior and anterior vagal never damage due to injuries in the Army. Sometimes run away heart rate with this crap. plus a bunch of other things , knees ankles Like I said pain everyday all day long.

VA compensation is paying you for the pain and the troubles. Army is pay you for doing your duty to God and Country. SSI if you are getting it is paying you for not being able to work. My age I get SS retirement.

Really you have to be as My Doctor says Pretty fucked up.

I recently changed clinics as my Dr. left for the civilian world. The new clinic redid all the test and x rays, and also headed to CT scan, and surgical consult. The new Dr took over 90 minutes with me. Looked at all the xrays, his word are did you apply for this, did you apply for that He even advised me that the VA can pay for a bathroom remodel when the time comes I am in a wheel chair. Ok that hit me hard no one wants to think about being in a chair. Once I an stuck in the chair the wife can get paid for taking care of me.

I still do some work, it is not gainful. The VA even has paid for some training, my state voc rehab paid for additional training. That was 20 years ago and the pain is now worse as it will be as you grow old.

I also have a friend who the Army just allowed him to ETS, this guys was in his mid 30s. he had a major heart attack while on duty at Ft Riley. I helped him walk his way through the VA, he is 100%, he tried to work some easy jobs, but those too were hard for him, we got him vocrehab, that turned out not well because of his heart. I found him a good lawyer after the SS turned him down, 3 times. He now draws SSD. So by soe standards he is double dipping, but it is earned. YOu dont get any of it with out being FUCKED UP.


You are

Military retirement, Civil Service retirement, combat related special compensation (which is taken from military retirement), 60% VA disability, and SSI (reduced because of Civil Service retirement).

I don’t understand what all the butt hurt is about, everything you are talking about is already earned. Unlike still being in, you don’t get a big raise if you advance, you DONT advance! As for social security, if you’re totally and permanently disabled, you may as well sign up since you paid into it already..

FOR

I am rated at 60%. but the VA pays me at the 100% level because I am considered "unemployable." I also receive CRSC (Combat related special compensation) in lieu of retired pay. The amount is identical, but retirement pay is taxable, while CRSC is not. When the retirement people asked me which one I wanted, it was sort of a no brainer.