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You may be one of the thousands upon thousands who are seeking compensation from the Military for an injury or mental situation you are facing. You are not alone.
What follows are some suggestion to hopefully help you on your journey. Please know that these are just suggestions and will not necessarily get you compensation.
One of the things I learned quickly is that the older you are the harder it is to get compensation. I was in the Military from 1959-1962. I was deployed to Korea in 1960. This was not war time. This was not Vietnam. I was in between all of that. I was selected to be in the Army Security Agency (somewhat like the Military CIA). My training was to be a radio/teletype operator; MOS 053-10. I monitored the airways for breaches in security. It was not an exciting job, and there were hours upon hours of nothing while working. Once and awhile it got interesting, like when a Colonel came on the air and invited all of his officer friends to his drunken party. He even gave directions, and contact information over the air. I jumped on it immediately and contacted the Local MPS. They were at his spot within minutes, and stopped the “party.” He was later busted.
Your job was to never take the earphones off of your ears. You had to spend every minute (for twelve hour shifts) listening to air ways and picking up Morse code messages.
The static was pretty intense at times, even more when you had to take one side of the earphones off and try to adjust the frequency of the receptor. Again, I had to leave the earphones on. This took a heavy toll on my hearing. I had tinnitus (ringing in the ears) coming on. I had headaches during my off duty times. But, during my time in the Military, and I am sure still now, it was duty first. You had to fulfill your duty while you were working. I had another incident while in the military. I was in a jeep accident where I was flung from the jeep and landed back first on a boulder. I was knocked unconscious, and woke up in a field medical tent. I had three surgeries; two on my neck and one in my lumbar area.
When I came back to the United States, I was stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. I finished up my Army time, and took my parting physical. They cleared me with a statement that I was physically sound. They never ex-rayed my back or performed a hearing test. I got out of the Military, and still had the tinnitus. I let it go for many years thinking there wasn’t an avenue to receive help from the military. I didn’t know about the compensation program. I just began to seriously seek help about seven years ago, when I was 71 years old. I had severe hearing loss. I had strong tinnitus, and battles with depression, because I couldn’t hear what my grandchildren were saying. That is when a hearing specialist, that was treating me, shared the compensation program from the Military. I had no idea. So, I met with a Veteran’s advocate group. This is the VA advocacy that has representatives who fight for you. They helped me file a disability claim to the Veteran’s Administration. I put down what I did for a MOS (job) and what I did daily in Korea. I also filed a claim for a back injury.
As far as my hearing, I got a form letter back from them saying my hearing loss was due to aging, and I was denied. This happened because I waited for over 50 years to file a claim. The details were cloudy as far as my time in Korea according to the VA. The claim for my back and neck were also denied because they felt, again, that it was due to old age.
You need to start your claim immediately if you are injured or have physical problems of any kind. Do not wait. It is easy to procrastinate like I did, but then you will be facing disappointment and heartache. It is much harder to get a claim passed. What you will need is a written letter from a doctor saying they felt your injury was due the time you were in the military. That is a huge game changer, and should get you the claim you deserve. It may take you a while to find a doctor willing to do this, but they are there and keep looking.
Above all… don’t ever give up! I am still fighting for my rights and you should too.
What follows are some suggestion to hopefully help you on your journey. Please know that these are just suggestions and will not necessarily get you compensation.
One of the things I learned quickly is that the older you are the harder it is to get compensation. I was in the Military from 1959-1962. I was deployed to Korea in 1960. This was not war time. This was not Vietnam. I was in between all of that. I was selected to be in the Army Security Agency (somewhat like the Military CIA). My training was to be a radio/teletype operator; MOS 053-10. I monitored the airways for breaches in security. It was not an exciting job, and there were hours upon hours of nothing while working. Once and awhile it got interesting, like when a Colonel came on the air and invited all of his officer friends to his drunken party. He even gave directions, and contact information over the air. I jumped on it immediately and contacted the Local MPS. They were at his spot within minutes, and stopped the “party.” He was later busted.
Your job was to never take the earphones off of your ears. You had to spend every minute (for twelve hour shifts) listening to air ways and picking up Morse code messages.
The static was pretty intense at times, even more when you had to take one side of the earphones off and try to adjust the frequency of the receptor. Again, I had to leave the earphones on. This took a heavy toll on my hearing. I had tinnitus (ringing in the ears) coming on. I had headaches during my off duty times. But, during my time in the Military, and I am sure still now, it was duty first. You had to fulfill your duty while you were working. I had another incident while in the military. I was in a jeep accident where I was flung from the jeep and landed back first on a boulder. I was knocked unconscious, and woke up in a field medical tent. I had three surgeries; two on my neck and one in my lumbar area.
When I came back to the United States, I was stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. I finished up my Army time, and took my parting physical. They cleared me with a statement that I was physically sound. They never ex-rayed my back or performed a hearing test. I got out of the Military, and still had the tinnitus. I let it go for many years thinking there wasn’t an avenue to receive help from the military. I didn’t know about the compensation program. I just began to seriously seek help about seven years ago, when I was 71 years old. I had severe hearing loss. I had strong tinnitus, and battles with depression, because I couldn’t hear what my grandchildren were saying. That is when a hearing specialist, that was treating me, shared the compensation program from the Military. I had no idea. So, I met with a Veteran’s advocate group. This is the VA advocacy that has representatives who fight for you. They helped me file a disability claim to the Veteran’s Administration. I put down what I did for a MOS (job) and what I did daily in Korea. I also filed a claim for a back injury.
As far as my hearing, I got a form letter back from them saying my hearing loss was due to aging, and I was denied. This happened because I waited for over 50 years to file a claim. The details were cloudy as far as my time in Korea according to the VA. The claim for my back and neck were also denied because they felt, again, that it was due to old age.
You need to start your claim immediately if you are injured or have physical problems of any kind. Do not wait. It is easy to procrastinate like I did, but then you will be facing disappointment and heartache. It is much harder to get a claim passed. What you will need is a written letter from a doctor saying they felt your injury was due the time you were in the military. That is a huge game changer, and should get you the claim you deserve. It may take you a while to find a doctor willing to do this, but they are there and keep looking.
Above all… don’t ever give up! I am still fighting for my rights and you should too.
Benefits
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Command Post
Healthcare
Health
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 19
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Good evening Mr. Douglas. I will tell you a trick that seems to work on thousands of people who filed claims. "Denied" and " Not service connected"...... those are the words VA use to get you and others to give up, especially after waiting so long for a response. The VA advocate that you saw, was not a big help.... To be honest with you, time is irrelevant when you decide to file a claim. The biggest task in your case is to track down the medical records from the paper days that are in the archives stored somewhere. That will be proof that your back injury was service connected, not old age............ I had to Google to find out which records center had copies of my medical paper records before they went digital. Once I found it, then I requested copies of it from 96-2004...... If you really want to be compensated by VA, you have to be persistent and put up a fight. In order to make it a good fight, track down your medical records to prove your case.
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SPC Edward Banning
I have my entire medical record on hand from enlistment to discharge that shows all the time at chiropractor. Still get the go away attitude.
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SSG (Join to see)
SPC Edward Banning - That's good that you have all your records. Despite whatever attitude you get, you have to keep pushing.
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SPC Douglas Bolton Great post. I waited until ten years ago to file my claim. The paperwork was lost in the system, so five years ago, I went to the VFW for help. A VFW Veteran Service Officer helped me with my claim, that was approved four years ago. It was not approved for the rating that it should have been, so I will continue to fight.
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SPC Douglas Bolton
Sgt (Join to see) Thank you Ted. VFW helped me as well. Good people. Never give up.
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You are absolutely right SPC Douglas Bolton. The longer you wait the harder it can get to prove your claim. However nowadays the troops can file a claim prior to them leaving active duty which makes it a lot easier. I never knew this process to exist when I got off active duty in the mid eighties. Even after several years in the reserves going pass the first Gulf War this process wasn't available or at least I never heard of it.
However what's mostly important in proving your service connected ailment is documentation. If it's not written down the VA does not care and will not accept hearsay of what a Doctor may have told you.
I was able to get 100% based on documentation in my active duty medical records for vertigo. I had went on sick call several times for it however each time the blew it off as nothing.
I continued to have the condition periodically over the last 25 plus years. Fast forward I filed a claim and surprisingly to me the VA awarded me 100% for that condition alone which includes tinnitus, and pressure in my ears.
I'll wrap it up after so many test medications and evaluations. They sent me out to an outside ENT Specialist. He evaluated me reviewed my active duty medical records and referred back to the incidents of the vertigo that were recorded. Bingo that was it, so I advise any of you active duty, reserves etc,. that when seeing a Doctor ensure they document what they are saying of your ailment or condition.
Peace!
However what's mostly important in proving your service connected ailment is documentation. If it's not written down the VA does not care and will not accept hearsay of what a Doctor may have told you.
I was able to get 100% based on documentation in my active duty medical records for vertigo. I had went on sick call several times for it however each time the blew it off as nothing.
I continued to have the condition periodically over the last 25 plus years. Fast forward I filed a claim and surprisingly to me the VA awarded me 100% for that condition alone which includes tinnitus, and pressure in my ears.
I'll wrap it up after so many test medications and evaluations. They sent me out to an outside ENT Specialist. He evaluated me reviewed my active duty medical records and referred back to the incidents of the vertigo that were recorded. Bingo that was it, so I advise any of you active duty, reserves etc,. that when seeing a Doctor ensure they document what they are saying of your ailment or condition.
Peace!
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SPC Douglas Bolton
SSgt Harvey "Skip" Porter Thank you for sharing your story. This will also help many veterans.
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Sgt Christopher Collins
Heck when I got back in the 80s, I didn't even know we had a veterans administration... sounds bad but I had no idea.
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I was lucky, I had a cousin who's husband was a POW in WWII. She worked a lot with them helping file claims. When I got out, she worked with me to get my claim filed - I was amazed it was approved the first time. Two things helped: 1. I made myself a copy of my medical file. 2. She showed and told me how to file a claim. The advice she gave me helped me and has continued to help me.
Make sure you get someone to review your case before you file it, that's what VSO are for, to help you all if you don't know how to. Also remember the claim is for YOU and how it effects YOU.
Most of all, don't wait. When you got a problem that is related - boom get it done. Today it is so easy, you can file electronic now. No excuses.
Make sure you get someone to review your case before you file it, that's what VSO are for, to help you all if you don't know how to. Also remember the claim is for YOU and how it effects YOU.
Most of all, don't wait. When you got a problem that is related - boom get it done. Today it is so easy, you can file electronic now. No excuses.
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I had some conditions, unknown to many, that began one by one to show themselves about 8 yrs later and never thought about it until late 2013. Of course the VA denied, denied, denied. Augh
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SPC Douglas Bolton
Sgt Christopher Collins Never give up Chris. I was injured 56 years ago. I am still in their faces. Never give up.
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Sgt Christopher Collins
Mine was do to the radiation fallout from the Chernobyl disaster that spread radiation across Europe.. many veterans and civilians were affected.... southern Germany was hit the hardest of the fallout. It is a battle and not giving up.
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SPC Douglas Bolton: You look so handsome, Specialist. Thanks for the crucial and so very relevant post of yours. -Margaret
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SPC Douglas Bolton
SPC Margaret Higgins Thank you! You must have been looking at another picture. LOL!
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SPC Margaret Higgins
SPC Douglas Bolton - Specialist Bolton: No, Sir, I was looking at Your handsome photograph! MERRY CHRISTMAS, SPECIALIST BOLTON! -Margaret
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SPC Margaret Higgins
MSG (Join to see) - Tommy Lee Jones, is, indeed, a very handsome actor, Master Sergeant Guidry and SPC Douglas Bolton! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU, GENTLEMEN! -Margaret
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I filed a claim shortly after getting out of the active service back in 1998. I was approved for 20% SC. Since then, things are getting worse. Now the problem is getting a rate increase. My biggest problem is getting transportation to the VAMC, which is over 33 miles from me. That delays a lot of things with my claims.
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SPC Douglas Bolton
LCpl Emanuel W. I hear you Emanuel. Check with your local VA center to see what they can do for you as far as transportation.
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LCpl Emanuel W.
SPC Douglas Bolton - They can do NOTHING because they choose to do nothing! They've cancelled a couple rides on us without informing us. I've lost appointments due to this. Now someone from my church chooses to help me out. I have a few choice words for the ones that work in the Veterans Affairs of my county! It's a good thing that we have to go through sheriffs and metal detectors before getting to their office. There'd be too many pissed off vets ready to throw down in that office.
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SPC Douglas Bolton
LCpl Emanuel W. - I hear you again Emanuel. Never give up. Stand up for your rights.
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SPC Douglas Bolton your submission was thorough, whoever assisted you followed protocol. There are VA wide systematic procedure issues, the VA is trying to identify claims awards that may be questionable and not truly supported by evidence, the VA has become more rigid in looking at the evidence to ensure someone has not found a technicality to get rated by verses a true medical condition. So, yes sir, forge ahead until they identify the facts of your record.
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PO3 Phyllis Maynard
Sgt Jon Mcvay the Congressional Liasons defer to the responsible agency to respond to their inquiry. Unless there is a breach in procedure or protocol Congress Inquiry will simply give you a status or refer you to the next option in the process. Congress has no enforcement power only inquiry power to ensure the rules of the process are being adhered.
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Sgt Jon Mcvay
PO3 Phyllis Maynard - true as that is. Funding comes from congress, if standards are not met then funding can be reduced. People can loose their jobs, some may face prison time also. Congress can add pressure, congressmen/women want to keep their position, the voter wants to be heard, and yes the V.A. acts when congress is involved.
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PO3 Phyllis Maynard
Yes, Sgt Jon Mcvay this is also true. When I did Service Officer work I advised my clients that the Congressional Inquiry was not always a quick solution depending on the facts of each individual case. Great point. You know maybe you could draft a letter addressed to your Congressman addressing this issue and ask that measures be taken to address cases like this. And get as many additional signatures as possible.
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Sgt Jon Mcvay
PO3 Phyllis Maynard - I am in contact with my congressman allot. So much that I address him by his first name(kidding on the first name). He has helped me with state issues, and even federal issues. Yet there is still so much more that needs addressed.
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