Posted on Jul 1, 2015
What do you think Dakota Meyer's (MOH recipient) statement on veterans and fireworks?
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I added a photo of what Dakota M. Was talking about. Please be respectful when responding to the question this is not a competition to see who is the toughest guy/girl. I just ask that we respect each other and have a spirited and educated discussion nothing more I hope this question is thought provoking and nothing more.
Fireworks
PTSD
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 16
I agree with him. If someone has a problem they may need to seek help. But imposing on my neighbors some kind of firework ban is foolish. In the US we are able to celebrate it how we see fit, as long as it is legal. I had my issues but I didn't try to burden my neighbors. I did speak to my neighbors often. If I thought it would have been an issue I would have asked instead of putting out a sign.
But he is right. So many veterans are all Billy Bad Ass and then all of a sudden they put out signs saying that can't handle a loud noise. A lot of vets are police officers. Should we tell criminals not to use a gun because we Vets with PTSD?
We need to stop segregating ourselves. It doesn't help. It makes use look bad. If someone needs help there is help there for you. I am sure there are other vets to help with that. But a lot of these signs are for attention for than anything else.
But he is right. So many veterans are all Billy Bad Ass and then all of a sudden they put out signs saying that can't handle a loud noise. A lot of vets are police officers. Should we tell criminals not to use a gun because we Vets with PTSD?
We need to stop segregating ourselves. It doesn't help. It makes use look bad. If someone needs help there is help there for you. I am sure there are other vets to help with that. But a lot of these signs are for attention for than anything else.
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SSG Ike Phelan
I think you misunderstood my question I was not defending the veterans who put up those signs I do believe that it is just a way to call attention to the fact that they are veterans. I mean really put in some noise cancealing headphones and turn up the volume on your TV. I get all of that its what he said not the subject. (Please read my first comment it explains in detail what my issue is with this posting)
The way he makes it sound you are only allowed to be a bad ass if you went to Iraq or Afghanistan and came back the exact same person as when you left. Here is a true story when getting my phyc eval for a spec ops mission the doctor actually told me that they did not care if we where a little bit off mentally a matter a fact they prefer that we are. So yes, they are checking to see if you are crazy they just want to make sure you are "The right kind of crazy" exact words from doctor.
What I did not agree with was the way Dakota M. Handled it. Look those guys over at Article 15 are a great group of guys and they are funny and almost everything they say is said in jest and none of them are recognized member of our service with foundations. They also do not have a ton of veterans who look toward them for support or encouragement hey I am not saying he can not say stuff like this he just should not say it to the entire world he could have found a better way to say the same thing or he could have just made that post viewable to only his friends and family. I believe he has chosen to play a role in veterans lives which means he needs to be mindful of what he says in a public formate.
The way he makes it sound you are only allowed to be a bad ass if you went to Iraq or Afghanistan and came back the exact same person as when you left. Here is a true story when getting my phyc eval for a spec ops mission the doctor actually told me that they did not care if we where a little bit off mentally a matter a fact they prefer that we are. So yes, they are checking to see if you are crazy they just want to make sure you are "The right kind of crazy" exact words from doctor.
What I did not agree with was the way Dakota M. Handled it. Look those guys over at Article 15 are a great group of guys and they are funny and almost everything they say is said in jest and none of them are recognized member of our service with foundations. They also do not have a ton of veterans who look toward them for support or encouragement hey I am not saying he can not say stuff like this he just should not say it to the entire world he could have found a better way to say the same thing or he could have just made that post viewable to only his friends and family. I believe he has chosen to play a role in veterans lives which means he needs to be mindful of what he says in a public formate.
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I think Dakota M. Has done his part for this country and he is allowed to do and say what ever the hell he wants. But I got to say the first time I came back from the war I was shaking uncontrollably by the end of the 4th of July fire works show now this was back in 2004 before all the Talks and what not about PTSD and all that so of course I thought it was just me so me not wanting to look like a pussy I sat thru the entire show even though I was a wreck by the time it was done I did not show it (attitude) to those around me but trust me my adrenaline was up and my hart was ready to jump out of my chest and my hands looked like I had Parkinson's it was dark so no one noticed and I had the ride home to calm down (I did not drive) and collect my self before saying good bye to my friends that night (I was in Dallas with family and old friends). I will say this I think I do a good job dealing with it now. What I don't get is, Is it one or the other either I made it thru the war and I am tha same as when I left or I came home different and now I can not wear any T-shirt that says I am or was a war fighter. That is the way his post makes it sound like if you have a hard time dealing with fireworks noise you are a pussy and you should not wear anything that says other wise.
I of course left a public post supporting Dakota saying he has the right to post what lever he wants with out catching any shit (which is my public opinion when it come to Dakota) but in private I think that he is wrong for posting that. He got the fucking Medal Of Honor (which comes with a $3,000.00 or 5,000.00 a month stipend for the rest of his life) I am sorry but he does not get to live the private life we do and he needs to watch what he says because there are a lot of veterans out there who look up to him and with him posting shit like this trust me it does not help the 22 foundation he more then likely made more then one person feel bad about themselves. But hey that is just my opinion I would love to hear what you think.
I of course left a public post supporting Dakota saying he has the right to post what lever he wants with out catching any shit (which is my public opinion when it come to Dakota) but in private I think that he is wrong for posting that. He got the fucking Medal Of Honor (which comes with a $3,000.00 or 5,000.00 a month stipend for the rest of his life) I am sorry but he does not get to live the private life we do and he needs to watch what he says because there are a lot of veterans out there who look up to him and with him posting shit like this trust me it does not help the 22 foundation he more then likely made more then one person feel bad about themselves. But hey that is just my opinion I would love to hear what you think.
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SSG Ike Phelan
I like what SGT Ed McEvoy and 1LT Eric Rosa have to say and I love that both of you make very educated and well thought out answers. Thank you!
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CPT (Join to see)
Sgt Ed McEvoy - There are people out there that milk the system for everything they can. It is sickening. The one thing we don't do very well is policing up our own. We see Vets act ridiculous and let it happen. As you should there are vets that claim PTSD from basic training or something just as foolish. As a whole we turn a blind eye to it and blame the VA for everything. I don't think the VA is perfect by any means but they are overloaded for what they have to deal with .
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SSG Ike Phelan
CPT (Join to see) -
LT I have a hard time defending the VA becuase they treated me like crap and part of the problem is they are over loaded with veteran claims but that is a very small part of the problem that can be easily fixed with more or temerary workers. Seriously we have been at war for more then 10 years now with a lot of military members coming home with physical injuries and the VA did not and has not adjusted his staff to handle the work load they knew they would be receiving a large number of claims and new patients long before it became a problem. You are an officer so I am sure you know and have done a projection chart or presentation so there is no excuse for their complete and total failure. I was forced to retire from the Army due to a spinal cord injury and brain injury so I can no longer physically work. I got out of the Army in Germany under the old system. So I was told I would be out of the Army with only 60 days (Nov-Jan holidays made it even harder to get stuff done) to prep for the transition and all I got when I retired was a plane ticket to my home of record and a pat on the back. I do not think it would have mattered much anyway since I could not work. So for two years I collected $850.00 a month which was just my regular retirement pay nothing more. I was homeless with no where to go and no way to get my self out it took two years and a phone call to Sen. Bernie Sanders to get the VA to Give me my disability rating and when they did it was incomplete. My point being they had all the information they needed to get me my rating but they were just sitting on my paperwork. Being homeless and unable to work got me real close to putting a gun in my mouth and pulling the trigger I had nothing to live for and no reason to live. I was in constant physical and emotional pain and that is the effect the VA is having on veterans. So I am sorry but I strongly disagree with your statement about the VA it can and should be fixed understaffing is no excuse the politicians started two wars and filled the ranks of our services they knew there would be a huge bump in there patient numbers for years and they choose not to act that is on our government and the VA. VETERANS are not passing away from not getting in to see a mental health doctor they are passing away from the lack of medical care they are not receiving. The ones that do take there own lives they are doing that becuase they are not getting treatment or when they do it is not enough so obviously the ones that are actually killing themselves are not faking PTSD. So why are we loosing 22 veterans a day to suicide is this the VA/governments way of getting patient numbers down to a manageable level?
I think you are a very intelligent man and an honorable one but I think your views about the VA are insane and I disagree with whole hardetly. I will not push focus on our veterans or their families yes there are not a couple but a lot of military members out there faking the funk but the government and the VA should have a system in place to weed them out and they should be able to do it in a timely manor so that the ones that need help can get it. I take any comment on the VA vary serious becuase I was days away from taking my own life becuase of what they put me through. I know I am not as mentally tough as I use to be but that is what 10 years of loosing friends and leadership will do to a person.
Last point we to include me as veterans tend to think that people need to have multiple deployment and extended periods of time in a hostile place to develope PTSD. That is simply not true for instance a woman only has to be raped one time for it to totally destroy her emotional health a person only has to almost drown once in order to have a fear of water for the rest of their lives. So how many friends does a soldier have to watch bleed out in order for us to say they have a reason to be messed up in the head. How many times does a soldier need to hear a bullet zip past their head or how many times do they need to watch the local population cheer becuase the brother is in the street or dirt road injured before we as a community say Yes, I get why you are different now. Last but not least how many times do they need to realize that if they where the 3rd or 5th man in the squad they would be dead. For every fucking asshole out there who says he has PTSD there is one that does have it but won't seek help becuase (stigma) we have not been able to weed out the asshole just looking to get a pay check.
LT I have a hard time defending the VA becuase they treated me like crap and part of the problem is they are over loaded with veteran claims but that is a very small part of the problem that can be easily fixed with more or temerary workers. Seriously we have been at war for more then 10 years now with a lot of military members coming home with physical injuries and the VA did not and has not adjusted his staff to handle the work load they knew they would be receiving a large number of claims and new patients long before it became a problem. You are an officer so I am sure you know and have done a projection chart or presentation so there is no excuse for their complete and total failure. I was forced to retire from the Army due to a spinal cord injury and brain injury so I can no longer physically work. I got out of the Army in Germany under the old system. So I was told I would be out of the Army with only 60 days (Nov-Jan holidays made it even harder to get stuff done) to prep for the transition and all I got when I retired was a plane ticket to my home of record and a pat on the back. I do not think it would have mattered much anyway since I could not work. So for two years I collected $850.00 a month which was just my regular retirement pay nothing more. I was homeless with no where to go and no way to get my self out it took two years and a phone call to Sen. Bernie Sanders to get the VA to Give me my disability rating and when they did it was incomplete. My point being they had all the information they needed to get me my rating but they were just sitting on my paperwork. Being homeless and unable to work got me real close to putting a gun in my mouth and pulling the trigger I had nothing to live for and no reason to live. I was in constant physical and emotional pain and that is the effect the VA is having on veterans. So I am sorry but I strongly disagree with your statement about the VA it can and should be fixed understaffing is no excuse the politicians started two wars and filled the ranks of our services they knew there would be a huge bump in there patient numbers for years and they choose not to act that is on our government and the VA. VETERANS are not passing away from not getting in to see a mental health doctor they are passing away from the lack of medical care they are not receiving. The ones that do take there own lives they are doing that becuase they are not getting treatment or when they do it is not enough so obviously the ones that are actually killing themselves are not faking PTSD. So why are we loosing 22 veterans a day to suicide is this the VA/governments way of getting patient numbers down to a manageable level?
I think you are a very intelligent man and an honorable one but I think your views about the VA are insane and I disagree with whole hardetly. I will not push focus on our veterans or their families yes there are not a couple but a lot of military members out there faking the funk but the government and the VA should have a system in place to weed them out and they should be able to do it in a timely manor so that the ones that need help can get it. I take any comment on the VA vary serious becuase I was days away from taking my own life becuase of what they put me through. I know I am not as mentally tough as I use to be but that is what 10 years of loosing friends and leadership will do to a person.
Last point we to include me as veterans tend to think that people need to have multiple deployment and extended periods of time in a hostile place to develope PTSD. That is simply not true for instance a woman only has to be raped one time for it to totally destroy her emotional health a person only has to almost drown once in order to have a fear of water for the rest of their lives. So how many friends does a soldier have to watch bleed out in order for us to say they have a reason to be messed up in the head. How many times does a soldier need to hear a bullet zip past their head or how many times do they need to watch the local population cheer becuase the brother is in the street or dirt road injured before we as a community say Yes, I get why you are different now. Last but not least how many times do they need to realize that if they where the 3rd or 5th man in the squad they would be dead. For every fucking asshole out there who says he has PTSD there is one that does have it but won't seek help becuase (stigma) we have not been able to weed out the asshole just looking to get a pay check.
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SSG Ike Phelan - I am by no means saying the VA system is great. I think they are ill prepared for what they have to deal with. As with any system, i.e. Social Security, there are some that taking advantage of it. A lot of the resources that the VA has aren't going to the ones that really need it. As we know PTSD can developed for one of the many reasons. But some are out there are seeking to claim PTSD for anything. I had a soldier in a previous unit that claimed PTSD for hearing war stories. He had to go to mental health. I am sorry but that is a waste of resources. He was gaming the system. I was an infantryman in the invasion of Iraq. I have seen my share. I have also seen so many make some wild claims there make little sense. When the best war story you got is you saw a helicopter gunner fire off some rounds when you were flying to your base I really don't care to hear how hard your life was or how you saw war. I care for the ones that saw the bodies in the streets and the ones that can't sleep at night.
The VA is backed up due to so many claims. As some have stated here the VA is viewed as a retirement plan. So many know they can claim just about anything and get a pretty high rating. These guys and girls jam up the system. I am glad you got help. It is sad that you had to go through all of that.
I agree that the VA is constantly playing catch up. The leadership is more concerned about he VA itself than for the care of the veterans. I hope one day they will be able to catch up. With the draw down of the wars we should be able to catch up. We aren't producing as many wounded warriors as we have in the past. I would be interested to analyze the data coming into the VA, focusing on the cause of claims. There are so many that are just looking for a rating without needing it.
The VA is backed up due to so many claims. As some have stated here the VA is viewed as a retirement plan. So many know they can claim just about anything and get a pretty high rating. These guys and girls jam up the system. I am glad you got help. It is sad that you had to go through all of that.
I agree that the VA is constantly playing catch up. The leadership is more concerned about he VA itself than for the care of the veterans. I hope one day they will be able to catch up. With the draw down of the wars we should be able to catch up. We aren't producing as many wounded warriors as we have in the past. I would be interested to analyze the data coming into the VA, focusing on the cause of claims. There are so many that are just looking for a rating without needing it.
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I agree with his sentiment, I have personally busted a few "oh please look at me, I have PTS" folks around my home town. And do
not take this as a slap in the face of those suffering PTS, it is real and debilitating. Just stop the posing.
not take this as a slap in the face of those suffering PTS, it is real and debilitating. Just stop the posing.
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SSG Ike Phelan
I agree with you all the way when it comes to the posers but when I read his comment it reads like it is either one or the other you are either a bad as or a pussy with PTSD. If I am reading it wrong then my bad but I am sorry it does not work like that. I have a buddy who suffers from PTSD but no he does NOT post a sign on the 4th and he does not ask people to not set off fireworks but if he wanted to do that I would support him and back him up. I would not make him feel like less of a man that is for dam sure.
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SFC William "Bill" Moore
SSG Ike Phelan Ike, I have re-read his statement a few times, out loud to a co-worker and to myself. We both came to the same conclusion, you may be right in reading it as a "you are either one or the other" in feeling. We didn't take it as that, but it did leave a glimmer of being so. My actual take was "don't claim PTS , and walk around wearing 'I'm a bad ass' t-shirt at the same time" My personal experience (s) have been with the "I have PTS and I am so bad, I could kill you with just an eye wink!" type guys. PTS is real, I have 2 close friends that battle the effects every minute of the day. And neither act bad ass, or call attention to themselves with signs and when talking to them, you would have to either know the signs of PTS or point blank ask them, they would never volunteer the information.
I know that there are certain things, that if I would have had to do, would eventually destroy me. Be there for you friend, let him know that you are there to support him.
I know that there are certain things, that if I would have had to do, would eventually destroy me. Be there for you friend, let him know that you are there to support him.
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