Should veterans and retirees be "Triple Dipping?"

Well I guess I am one who does this, but it is not easy to get. I have Tdiu 100 percent due to I have had both my shoulders replaced with prospective joints. So once this was done I no longer was able to perform my job. So the Company I work for had nothing I qualified for so they put me on long term disability. Now the long term disability people force you to apply for SSI . This is to see if you are disabled by Social Security Standards. If you fail to apply for SSI then your long term disability is reduced by the amount you would get from SSI. So I had the VA And Social Security determined based on my age which was 53 at the time and solely on my service disability which are my shoulders , which will have to be redone in about 5 years , that I could not perform any work I was qualified to do. My military retirement I earned by serving . So if all these agency's say you are disabled , I say it was earned. Trust me I rather have use of my shoulders than some money.

I am retired. And have a 60 percent service connected disability. And I get both and still make less than half my active duty paycheck . Guess I feel I should and have no issue with others doing the same.

Rather concern over this small group, we ought to be more outraged at the larger number that scam for a disability rating they don't qualify for. I had vets at a campground brag about their 'can't disprove' hearing and back pain claims that they used to buy motor homes. And how often I'm challenged by fellow vets because I didn't seek any disability rating after retiring.

I’m 100% employable and get ssdi. I applied and got approved. Don’t get frustrated with the vets. Boards approve the compensation so they deem it necessary

If the VA had a better rating system and process that counted how disabled are you instead of how many things can you list, people wouldn't need to scam the system. How is it my ankle I can barely stand on (3 failed reconstruction surgeries) is 10% although it prevents me from doing so much, while some other bogus disorders are higher that people list because they can get way more. I know more than one person who claimed E.D. but still had multiple kids after. I'm barely getting by on my disability, 9/11 BAH and crappy job because I can't do most jobs that require standing and lifting with my ankle and back. VA says I have muscle spasms, so lets do an x-ray... cause that's helpful... idiots!

RATE PEOPLE BASED ON EMPLOYABILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.

So for the 12% who vote "you should not make more retired than you did serving", you are obviously too stupid to comprehend to comprehend that which you opine upon. I will break this down for you:

Military retirement: this is not an entitlement, but rather future earnings under a defined benefit plan that is funded entirely through employer contributions. You know, the kind of pensions companies paid before the advent of the 401k defined contribution retirement plans of our parents, ourselves, and future generations. Only 17% of those who enlisted prior to the recent overhaul would ever serve long enough to collect a retirement. In theory, the other 87% is reinvested to continue drawing interest to pay the 17% who retire. In practice, the 87% gets reprogramed to fund other programs...raided just like Social (in)Security. When that money is transferred out, well, the fund can't earn dividends on $0, hence Congress' argument that the current system is insolvent...because they made it that way! So where do the annual deposits come from? Prior to 1984, retirement was paid on a "pay as you go" basis. In 1984, it switched to accrual funding. This means that the DOD apportions a certain amount equal to a percentage of total base pay into the retirement fund from total annual MILPERS account funding. In other words, retired pay has already been earned, but you don't vest until you are retirement eligible. To find out more, visit http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB3005/index1.html.

Disability: Instead of costly and lengthy litigation to be made whole for loss of enjoyment of life, recovery of pain and suffering, and other damages arising from personal injury claims in all other species of employment in America, Congress has decided to essentially admit government liability for someone leaving the service less whole than when they enlisted. This is not an entitlement either, but a liquidation of damages pursuant to a contract having been executed and one party winding up at a disadvantage. Retirement and disability can be viewed together on a Venn diagram: one can be disabled and not retired, one can be retired and not disabled, or one can be both retired and disabled. Apples and oranges. One should not offset the other, yet once upon a time Congress decided it could steal more money from the retirement account if it offset retired pay with disability compensation. Would you ever have your retired pay from Boeing or Ford offset by long-term disability compensation? NO! So what made Congress think it should do that to us? Simply put, because it could. Since then, Congress has decided that this was too unfair, but to get a change passed, it struck a 50% threshold compromise to avoid a $2.8B annual payout from the retirement account.

SSI: I am not going to debate this with anyone. Social Security is funded 50% by us, and 50% by the employer. Again, not an entitlement, but a return on investment.

Soooo...let the arguments begin. By the way, if this enlisted man can get it, there is no reason for anyone else not to get it, other than that they think it is unfair to justly compensate those who broke their bodies for the benefit of the ignorant ones. For the responding 12% in the survey I broke this down for, well, my language toward you is unfit for a "civil" discussion forum such as this, and my contempt for you is boundless. All I can say to that is that I broke my body and mind for the other 88%.

Why not? The only issue I would have is if you're retired Military like I am, and expect the federal government to count or give you credit 'again' for your years of service... I don't think that's fair. I will reach "triple dipping" status in about a year, but not the way I envisioned the process. Most, if not all, triple dippers are physically or mentally broke. In some case both! I would much rather be working right now... I didn't attend and graduate Grad school hoping I could retire before 62... Therefore, yes is my final answer. Lol

I first saw a FB response question about this ... and this is what I posted ... and I'll repeat it here!

Triple dipping? By federal law, if you are 50% or higher service connected disabled, and a military retiree, you get concurrent (meaning both). Likewise, if you are 100% service connected disabled & unable to work, you can apply for SSDI (see included link for more info on SSDI for 100% S/C DAV). None of these have any impact on other retirements that may have been employer or employee financed. It is potentially possible for a multi-career 100% service connected disabled veteran ( say for example, a Vietnam vet with presumptive connection due to later in life cancer from agent orange exposure) to have multiple benefits eligibility. We paid into the social security system, we paid taxes, we didn't ask to become disabled from our service ... we don't get workman's comp if injured 'on the job' from military service related injuries, ailments etc...

Be grateful it isn't you if it doesn't apply!

https://www.ssa.gov/people/veterans/

If you did your 20, you've earned the right.

Getting all the Dips is not as Easy as it sounds. A lot of it is Luck. I have many of the Same issues all people who get paid disabilities and I do not get paid for them. If you were Active Duty and went to Sick call for Everything you have a very good chance of being given a % for everything you have. If you are a Reservist and Deployed for 1 Day overseas and have a Record of everything you should be Ok. If a Reservist and you go to VA and tell them you have 30 years of Service but 4 of those were Active the VA will only Credit you with 4 years of Service. They can careless about your Reserve Time. Unless your Injuries were during a Deployment on Active Orders VA could CareLess. You Must Get an LOD of All injuries from your Reserve Unit, again which VA could care less about and you may have to fight with at appeal. I just happen to be a Military Tech/ Dual Status, I was Retired through PEB with 30 years, 11 mo 28 days give or take one week 2014. So I was able to Draw a % Full Retirement @ 53, didn't have to wait till 60 as E-7. Then Two weeks later My Civil Service Position Retired Me Under Disability @ 53 as WL09 with 29 years, 11 mo, 28 days give or take, That's 2 Government Retirements. Then Applied for VA after the Army said all my Disabilities was Caused by Service, VA Denied All. I am still Fighting, was told if I had Deployed I would have been Given all with no argument. Since then I applied for SSDI and have been Approved. Later VA Gave me 10% for something Else which cut my Retirement by 10% but fight goes on.

Now I need Upper Back Surgery and Lower Back Surgery all excepted by the Army Yet VA will do the Surgeries but will not Compensate. Have had Surgery on Both Feet non-Va, Nerve Left Arm affecting Left Hand through Elbow VA, Right Hand from small finger tip to Wrist, Repaired Cut Tendons, Broken bone and Carpal Tunnel, 0%.

Now and Later with TSP added and SSI replacing SSDI.
Army Retirement
Civil Service Retirement
SSDI/SS
VA
TSP